The 49ers' first game as a member of the NFL was a home match with the New York Yanks on September 17, 1950. San Francisco lost 21–17. Unlike the Cleveland Browns, who won the championship that year, the 49ers struggled in the NFL, finishing the 1950 season 3–9. In 1951, they would do much better, with a 7–4–1 season and nearly reaching the championship game. The 1952 season saw seven wins and five losses. With a 9–3 record, San Francisco had its best season yet in 1953, but a loss to the Lions kept them from the championship match. Injuries in 1954 caused a 7–4–1 finish. More injuries (notably to RB Hugh McElhenny) caused the 49ers to fall to a losing 4–8 the following year. With former quarterback Frankie Albert taking over as head coach in 1956, the team went 5–6–1. This period was most notable for the destructive on-field antics of LB Hardy Brown, traded from Washington in 1952. Brown established a fearsome reputation for injuring players by ramming them with his shoulder during his five years on the 49ers roster.