Cleveland Rams
Encyclopedia
The Cleveland Rams were a professional American football
team based in Cleveland, Ohio
.The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland, Ohio
. The NFL considers the franchise as a second incarnation of the previous Cleveland Rams team that was a charter member of the second American Football League
. Although the NFL granted membership to the same owner, the NFL considers it a separate entity since only four of the players (William "Bud" Cooper
, Harry "The Horse" Mattos
, Stan Pincura
, and Mike Sebastian
) and none of the team's management joined the new NFL team.
, comes from the nickname of Fordham University
. "Rams" was selected to honor the hard work of the football players that came out of that university. They were part of the newly formed American Football League and finished the 1936 regular season in second place with a 5–2–2 record, trailing only the 8–3 record of league champion Boston Shamrocks
.
The following year
the Rams joined the National Football League
on February 12, 1937, and were assigned to the Western division to replace the St. Louis Gunners
, who had left the league after a three-game stint in the 1934 season
. From the beginning, they were a team marked by frequent moves, playing in three stadiums over several losing seasons.
In June 1941, the Rams were bought by Dan Reeves
and Fred Levy, Jr.; Reeves, the principal owner, was an heir to his family's grocery-chain business; when the company was purchased by A&P
, he used some of his inheritance to buy the team. in April 1943, Reeves bought out Levy (who later rejoined Reeves in the ownership of the Rams). The franchise suspended operations and sat out the 1943 season
because of a shortage of players during World War II
and resumed playing in 1944
. The team
finally achieved success in 1945
, which proved to be their last season in Ohio. Quarterback Bob Waterfield
, a rookie from UCLA, passed, ran, and place-kicked his way to the league's Most Valuable Player award and helped the Rams achieve a 9–1 record and winning their first NFL Championship
, a 15–14 home field victory over the Washington Redskins
on December 16. The victory was provided by a safety; Redskins great Sammy Baugh
's pass caromed off the goal post and bounded through his own end zone. The next year rules were changed that made this a mere incomplete pass.
include Joe Namath
(12), Ollie Matson
(33), Andy Robustelli
(81), Dick "Night Train" Lane (also 81), coach Earl "Dutch" Clark, and general manager Tex Schramm
. GM and later NFL Commissioner
Pete Rozelle
and coach Sid Gillman
are also members of the Hall of Fame, but were elected on the basis of their performances with other teams or (in the case of Rozelle) NFL administration.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team based in Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The NFL considers the franchise as a second incarnation of the previous Cleveland Rams team that was a charter member of the second American Football League
American Football League (1936)
Sometimes called AFL II, the second American Football League was a professional American football league that operated in 1936 and 1937. The AFL operated in direct competition with the more established National Football League throughout its existence...
. Although the NFL granted membership to the same owner, the NFL considers it a separate entity since only four of the players (William "Bud" Cooper
Bud Cooper
William Gordon Cooper played college football at Penn State. After college in 1936 he became a fullback in the National Football League for the Cleveland Rams, who the played in the second American Football League. When the Rams moved into the NFL in 1937, and Cooper went with them...
, Harry "The Horse" Mattos
Harry Mattos
Harry Mattos , nicknamed "The Horse" or "The Toe", was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and the Cleveland Rams. He played college football at the St. Mary's College of California...
, Stan Pincura
Stan Pincura
Stan Pincura was an American football back in the National Football League for the Cleveland Rams. He played college football at the Ohio State University. Pincura was born in Lorain, Ohio. After high school, Pincura attended Ohio State...
, and Mike Sebastian
Mike Sebastian
Michael John "Lefty" Sebastian, aka Rose of Sharon was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Cleveland Rams...
) and none of the team's management joined the new NFL team.
Cleveland Rams (1936–1945)
The Cleveland Rams were founded by attorney Homer Marshman in 1936. Their name, the RamsFordham Rams
The 22 Fordham University varsity sports teams are known as the Fordham Rams. Their colors are maroon and white. The Fordham Rams are members of NCAA Division I and compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference for all sports except football. In football, the Rams play in the Patriot League of NCAA...
, comes from the nickname of Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
. "Rams" was selected to honor the hard work of the football players that came out of that university. They were part of the newly formed American Football League and finished the 1936 regular season in second place with a 5–2–2 record, trailing only the 8–3 record of league champion Boston Shamrocks
Boston Shamrocks (AFL)
The Boston Shamrocks were a professional American football team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The team played in the second American Football League from 1936 to 1937, followed by at least one year as an independent in 1938...
.
The following year
1937 NFL season
The 1937 NFL season was the 18th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Rams joined the league as an expansion team. Meanwhile, the Redskins relocated from Boston, Massachusetts to Washington, D.C....
the Rams joined the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
on February 12, 1937, and were assigned to the Western division to replace the St. Louis Gunners
St. Louis Gunners
The St. Louis Gunners, were an independent professional football team based in St. Louis, Missouri, who played the last three games of the 1934 National Football League season, replacing the Cincinnati Reds on the league schedule after the Reds' league membership was suspended...
, who had left the league after a three-game stint in the 1934 season
1934 NFL season
The 1934 NFL season was the 15th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, the Portsmouth Spartans moved to Detroit, Michigan and were renamed the Detroit Lions....
. From the beginning, they were a team marked by frequent moves, playing in three stadiums over several losing seasons.
In June 1941, the Rams were bought by Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves (NFL owner)
Daniel "Dan" Reeves was the owner of the Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams from 1941 to his death in 1971.In addition to the controversial move of the Rams from Cleveland to Los Angeles, Reeves is remembered for being the first NFL owner to sign an African-American player in the post World War II era...
and Fred Levy, Jr.; Reeves, the principal owner, was an heir to his family's grocery-chain business; when the company was purchased by A&P
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P, is a supermarket and liquor store chain in the United States. Its supermarkets, which are under six different banners, are found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. A&P's liquor stores, known as...
, he used some of his inheritance to buy the team. in April 1943, Reeves bought out Levy (who later rejoined Reeves in the ownership of the Rams). The franchise suspended operations and sat out the 1943 season
1943 NFL season
The 1943 NFL season was the 24th regular season of the National Football League. As more players left to serve in World War II, three teams were affected by the depleted rosters. The Cleveland Rams were granted permission to suspend operations for this season. The Philadelphia Eagles and the...
because of a shortage of players during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and resumed playing in 1944
1944 NFL season
The 1944 NFL season was the 25th regular season of the United States National Football League. The Boston Yanks joined the league as an expansion team. Also, the Brooklyn Dodgers changed their name to Brooklyn Tigers. Meanwhile, both the Cleveland Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles resumed their...
. The team
1945 Cleveland Rams season
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH* Game attendance: 32,178In the first quarter, the Redskins had the ball at their own 5-yard line. Dropping back into the end zone, quarterback Sammy Baugh threw, but the ball hit the goal post and bounced back to the ground in the end zone...
finally achieved success in 1945
1945 NFL season
The 1945 NFL season was the 26th regular season of the National Football League. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Cardinals resumed their traditional operations....
, which proved to be their last season in Ohio. Quarterback Bob Waterfield
Bob Waterfield
Robert "Bob" Stanton Waterfield was an American football player.Waterfield attended Van Nuys High School, in Van Nuys, California and went on to play college football for UCLA. In 1943 he led the Bruins to the Pacific Coast Conference football championship...
, a rookie from UCLA, passed, ran, and place-kicked his way to the league's Most Valuable Player award and helped the Rams achieve a 9–1 record and winning their first NFL Championship
NFL Championship Game, 1945
In the 1945 National Football League Championship Game, the Cleveland Rams defeated the Washington Redskins, 15–14, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio on December 16, 1945. This was the last game before the Rams moved to Los Angeles, California and was the 13th annual NFL...
, a 15–14 home field victory over the Washington Redskins
1945 Washington Redskins season
The 1945 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 6-3-1 record from 1944. They would end the season by losing the NFL Championship game to the Cleveland Rams, 15-14.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:...
on December 16. The victory was provided by a safety; Redskins great Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...
's pass caromed off the goal post and bounded through his own end zone. The next year rules were changed that made this a mere incomplete pass.
Pro Football Hall of Famers
Former Rams in the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
include Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
(12), Ollie Matson
Ollie Matson
Ollie Genoa Matson II was an American Olympic medal winning sprinter and professional American football running back who played in the National Football League, in 1952 and from 1954 to 1966...
(33), Andy Robustelli
Andy Robustelli
Andrew Richard "Andy" Robustelli was an American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams and the New York Giants. He played college football at Arnold College and was drafted in the nineteenth round of the 1951 NFL Draft...
(81), Dick "Night Train" Lane (also 81), coach Earl "Dutch" Clark, and general manager Tex Schramm
Tex Schramm
Texas Earnest "Tex" Schramm, Jr. was the original president and general manager of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys franchise. Schramm became the head of the Cowboys when the former expansion team started operations in 1960.-Early life and career:Despite his name, Schramm was not born...
. GM and later NFL Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
and coach Sid Gillman
Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...
are also members of the Hall of Fame, but were elected on the basis of their performances with other teams or (in the case of Rozelle) NFL administration.
| Cleveland Rams Hall of Famers | ||||
| No. | Player | Class | Position(s) | Years Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -- | Dan Reeves Dan Reeves (NFL owner) Daniel "Dan" Reeves was the owner of the Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams from 1941 to his death in 1971.In addition to the controversial move of the Rams from Cleveland to Los Angeles, Reeves is remembered for being the first NFL owner to sign an African-American player in the post World War II era... |
1967 | Owner | 1941–1971 |
| 7 | Bob Waterfield Bob Waterfield Robert "Bob" Stanton Waterfield was an American football player.Waterfield attended Van Nuys High School, in Van Nuys, California and went on to play college football for UCLA. In 1943 he led the Bruins to the Pacific Coast Conference football championship... |
1965 | QB Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... , DB Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... , K Placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points... , P Punter (football position) A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a... |
1945–1952 |