1945 NFL Championship Game

none November 2013 nflc 451216-Rams-Redskins-program.jpg 1945 Washington Redskins Cleveland Rams Dudley DeGroot Adam Walsh Eastern Western WAS CLE 8–2 9–1 0 7 7 0 14 2 7 6 0 15 December 16, 1945 Cleveland Municipal Stadium Cleveland, Ohio 32,178 Cleveland by 4 pointshttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h-ZYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ooQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5086%2C574437 Youngstown Vindicator Ohio Associated Press Feder Sid Rams, Redskins are primed for pro grid title game December 16, 1945 D3https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VL9eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NjEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1411%2C5626729 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Rams and Redskins set to battle for national pro gridiron title December 16, 1946 11 Ronald Gibbs Blue Harry Wismer Redskins: George Preston Marshall (owner/founder), Sammy Baugh, Wayne Millner Rams: Dan Reeves (owner), Bob Waterfield The 1945 NFL Championship Game was the 13th National Football League (NFL) championship game. Held on December 16, the Cleveland Rams defeated the Washington Redskins 15–14 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1945/12/17/page/21/ Chicago Daily Tribune Prell Edward Rams beat Redskins, 15-14, for pro title December 17, 1945 21https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iOZYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ooQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3652%2C730326 Youngstown Vindicator Ohio Associated Press 32,178 fans see Cleveland win pro grid crown by downing Washington, 15-14 December 17, 1945 10 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ulkbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r0wEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5859%2C2491098 Pittsburgh Press Hughes Carl Freak breaks win Rams pro title December 17, 1945 20https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7EUaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MCMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5500%2C1272239 Milwaukee Journal Kuechle Oliver E. Cleveland Rams squeak out 15-14 victory over Redskins December 17, 1945 6, part 2 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h-ROAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z_8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7120%2C2524395 Toledo Blade Ohio Associated Press Feder Sam Freak play brings pro grid crown to Rams December 17, 1945 22 The Rams became the first expansion team to win an NFL championship. This was the last game before the Rams moved west to Los Angeles, California.https://www.bigblueview.com/2017/11/4/16602256/the-cleveland-rams-head-west The Cleveland Rams head West November 4, 2017 One play which provided the Rams' margin of victory led to a significant rule change in professional football. If the title game had ended in a tie, the teams would have shared the championship. It was the coldest NFL championship game up to that time, with a temperature of −8 F,Howard Roberts Cleveland Before Brown The Story of Pro Football https://archive.org/details/storyofprofootba010623mbp Rand McNally & Company LCN 53-9336 1953 95–96 which significantly curtailed the expected attendance and revenue. The game In the first quarter, the Redskins had the ball at their own 5-yard line. Dropping back into the end zone, quarterback Sammy Baugh, playing his fifth championship game in nine years, threw the ball, but it hit the goal post (which were on the goal line from 1933 through 1973) and bounced back to the ground in the end zone. Under the rules at the time, this was a safety, which gave the Rams a 2–0 lead. dead https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPcZncU_p3A YouTube, a Google company YouTube November 8, 2017 July 21, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210721031426/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPcZncU_p3A thumb|left|400px|The Rams trying to stay warm on the sideline during the 1945 NFL Championship Game. In the second quarter, Baugh suffered bruised ribs and was replaced by Frank Filchock, who threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Steve Bagarus to give the Redskins a 7–2 lead. The Rams scored just before halftime when rookie quarterback Bob Waterfield completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jim Benton. Waterfield's ensuing extra point was partially blocked, with the ball teetering on the crossbar, but it dropped over to give Cleveland a 9–7 lead.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPcZncU_p3A YouTube video YouTube November 8, 2017 July 21, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210721031426/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPcZncU_p3A dead thumb|left|300px|Halfback Jim Gillette of the Rams breaks free for a 44-yard touchdown. In the third quarter, the Rams increased their lead to 15–7 when Jim Gillette scored on a 44-yard touchdown reception, but this time the extra point was missed. The Redskins then came back to cut their deficit to 15–14 with Bob Seymour's 8-yard touchdown catch from Filchock; in the fourth quarter, Washington kicker Joe Aguirre missed two field goals attempts, of 46 and 31 yards, that could have won the game. But it was the first quarter safety that proved to be the margin of victory. After the game, Redskins owner George Preston Marshall was so incensed at the outcome that he became a driving force in passing a major rule change after the season - a forward pass that strikes the goal posts is automatically ruled incomplete. This rule eventually became known as the "Baugh/Marshall Rule" and remained in effect until 1974, when the goal posts returned to the end line and were impossible to hit with a legal forward pass, which made the rule dead letter. thumb|right|300px|Upper deck ticket for the 1945 "World's Professional Football Championship" game held in Cleveland. Printed ahead of the game, these tickets included neither the date or the name of the Eastern Conference opponent. Officials Referee: Ronald Gibbs Umpire: Harry Robb Head linesman: Charlie Berry Field judge: Bill Downes The NFL had only four game officials in 1945; the back judge was added in 1947, the line judge in 1965, and the side judge in 1978. Player shares Total revenue generated by the championship game totaled $164,542, which included $15,081 for radio broadcast rights, a new record."NFL Championship Games: 1945: Washington Redskins @ Cleveland Rams," Golden Football Magazine, http://goldenrankings.com/ Of this total, $95,261 was allotted to the players, resulting in shares of about $1,409 per player for the victorious Rams and $902 per player for the losing Redskins.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ulkbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r0wEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6559%2C2491763 Pittsburgh Press United Press Money records set in pro title game December 17, 1945 20 Rams relocation to Los Angeles Despite winning the World Championship, Rams owner Dan Reeves lost $64,000 with his franchise during the 1945 season. These financial losses, combined with the Rams' poor home attendances and the awarding of a Cleveland franchise (Browns) in the soon to be formed All-America Football Conference (AAFC), ensured the relocation of the Rams to Los Angeles in January 1946. Game statistics Scoring summary #eee Redskins 0 7 7 0 Rams 2 7 6 0 Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio December 16, 1945 1:30 p.m. EST Ronald Gibbs -8 F Scoring Play Score 1st Quarter CLE – Safety, Baugh's pass from end zone hit goal post CLE 2–0 2nd Quarter WAS – Bagarus 38 pass from Filchock (Aguirre kick) WAS 7–2 CLE – Benton 37 pass from Waterfield (Waterfield kick) CLE 9–7 3rd Quarter CLE – Gillette 44 pass from Waterfield (kick failed) CLE 15–7 WAS – Seymour 8 pass from Filchock (Aguirre kick) CLE 15–14 4th Quarterno scoring CLE 15–14 First downs: Rams 14, Redskins 8 Yards rushing: Rams 44 carries for 180 yards, Redskins 34 carries for 35 yards Passing: Rams 11-for-27 for 192 yards (2 TDs), Redskins 9-for-20 for 179 yards (2 TDs) Return yardage: Rams 131, Redskins 155 Fumbles-Lost: Rams 1-1, Redskins 1–0 Penalties: Rams 6 for 60 yards, Redskins 4 for 29 yards References 2 Further reading Bruce Nash and Allen Zullo, The Football Hall of Shame. New York: Pocket Books, 1986; pp. 68–69. The Sporting News Complete Super Bowl Book 1995. St. Louis, MO: Sporting News Publishing Co., 1995; pp. 395–396. 41.506 -81.700 type:event title Champ 1945 NFL Championship Game Category:Cleveland Rams postseason Category:Washington Redskins postseason Category:December 1945 sports events in the United States Category:1945 in sports in Ohio Category:1940s in Cleveland Category:American football competitions in Cleveland