NFL Championship Game, 1952
Encyclopedia
The 1952 National Football League
championship game was the 20th annual championship game. The NFL title game was held on December 28, 1952 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium
, Cleveland, Ohio
.
The Detroit Lions
had finished the 1952 season tied with the Los Angeles Rams for the National Conference title with a record of 9-3. The Lions defeated the Rams 31-21 in a playoff game
in Detroit on December 21. The Lions were led by quarterback Bobby Layne
and running back Doak Walker
. This was the Lions' first appearance in the title game since 1935.
The Cleveland Browns
had finished the regular season with a record of 8-4 and won the American Conference. The Browns were led by their head coach Paul Brown
and quarterback Otto Graham
. This was the Browns' third NFL championship game appearance since joining the NFL in 1950.
Scoring
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...
championship game was the 20th annual championship game. The NFL title game was held on December 28, 1952 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Cleveland Stadium
Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football...
, Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
The Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
had finished the 1952 season tied with the Los Angeles Rams for the National Conference title with a record of 9-3. The Lions defeated the Rams 31-21 in a playoff game
NFL playoffs, 1952
The 1952 National Football League season resulted in a tie for the National Conference championship between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams. The conference championship game was played on December 21, 1952 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. The winner of that game would play the Cleveland...
in Detroit on December 21. The Lions were led by quarterback Bobby Layne
Bobby Layne
Robert Lawrence "Bobby" Layne was an American football quarterback who played for 15 seasons in the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears in 1948, the New York Bulldogs in 1949, the Detroit Lions from 1950–1958, and the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1958–1962...
and running back Doak Walker
Doak Walker
Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...
. This was the Lions' first appearance in the title game since 1935.
The Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
had finished the regular season with a record of 8-4 and won the American Conference. The Browns were led by their head coach Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
and quarterback Otto Graham
Otto Graham
Otto Everett Graham, Jr. was a professional American football and basketball player who played for the Cleveland Browns in both the All-America Football Conference and National Football League, as well as the Rochester Royals in the National Basketball League.-Early life:Born in Waukegan,...
. This was the Browns' third NFL championship game appearance since joining the NFL in 1950.
Scoring
- DET - LayneBobby LayneRobert Lawrence "Bobby" Layne was an American football quarterback who played for 15 seasons in the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears in 1948, the New York Bulldogs in 1949, the Detroit Lions from 1950–1958, and the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1958–1962...
2-yard run (HarderPat HarderMarlin M. "Pat" Harder was a college and professional football player, playing fullback and kicker. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993....
Kick) 7-0 DET - DET - WalkerDoak WalkerEwell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...
67-yard run (Harder Kick) 14-0 DET - CLE - Jagade 7-yard run (GrozaLou GrozaLouis Roy Groza was an American football placekicker and offensive tackle who played his entire career for the Cleveland Browns....
kick) 14-7 DET - DET - FG Harder 36 17-7 DET