Evening star., 1948-11-15
Heavy Road Schedule
Faces Browns, A-A
Leaders; Colts Win
By The Assoeiofsd Press


The mighty Cleveland Browns,
unaccustomed to sharing leadership
with anybody, finally booted the
San Francisco 49ers out of CO.
partnership atop the All-America
Conference pro football standings
yesterday. =.
Divisional and playoff champions
the last two years, the Browns
gained mdisputed possession of the
lead by downing San Francisco's
previously unbeaten 49ers, 14-7, at
Cleveland yesterday before 82,768
fans, largest crowd ever to see a
regular pro game.
The triumph left Coach Paul
Browns titans the only unbeaten
team in pro football. The Browns
have a 100 mark and lead the 49ers
d0-D by a half game.
Cleveland, however, is not "in"
yet. The Browns clash again with
the 49ers, who had led the parade
since September 10, in San Fran
cisco on Thanksgiving Day as one
of four remaining road games
scheduled for q 14-day span.
Playoff Game Possible.
Should the two Goliaths wind
up the season tied for the lead,
playoff game Will be staged in
Cleveland December II.
While the Browns assumed COM
mand in the West, three teams
pulled into tie for the confer
ence's Eastern Division lead. The
Baltimore Colts whipped, the Chi
cago Rockets, 1924, and the New
York Yankees downed the Brook
lyn Dodgers, 21-7, to deadlock the
Buffalo Bills for the top rung. The
Bills bowed, 27-20. to the Los An
geles Dons. The three teams sport
identical SIS won-lost records.
A total of 15s,72s fans took in
the five National League games ana
143948 the four all-America strug-
giles.
As expected, the Cleveland-San
Francisco game was a humdinger.
The Browns, helped by a break,
scored in the first period. Forrest
Hall of the Forty Miners fumbled
the opening kickoff and the Browns
Lou Saban pounced on the ball on
the Forty-Niners' IA. Two plays
later Otto Graham skirted to pay
dirt after taking a pass. The Forty
Miners tied the count before the
frame ended, marching 81 yards
with Fullback Joe Perry climaxing
the drive through center.
The Browns wrapped up the game
after the second half kickoff. bar
reling "a yards in II plays. Edgar
Especial Delivery Jones crashed
over with the payoff counter. Gra-
ham, it was revealed later, played
the second half Of the game with
a swollen throwing hand. Three
other Brownies Mac Speedie, Bill
Willis and Tommy James. were also
banged up and club ofiicials feared
the trio might not be able to play
against the Yankees in New York
next Sunday.
Gambino's Sub Scores.
Passing spotlighted the Baltimore
Chicago duel. Y. A. Title tossed
two touchdown passes for the win
ming Colts and Jess Freitas hurled
three six-pointers for the Rockets,
who dropped their 11th game In IL
starts.
After trailing, 100, early int
game and pulling into. 1910 tie
at halftime. the Colts went IN front
to stay with II points In the third
period, to the delight 'of 3 trowd
Of 2l,sss.. Bus Mertes scored two
|touchdowns for the Colts and
gained l1s yards rushing as a sub
for Lu Gambino. Gambino, In
jured last week, played few min
utes late in the game.
Glenn Dobbs sparked the Dons
to victory over Buffalo. Dobbs
scored twice and chucked payon
pass to Joe Aguirre with 80 seconds
to play. Ben tToeless, Agajanian
Clipped in with two field goals, one
of them q 51-yard boot, and three
conversions.
Harvey johnson converted after
each Yankee touchdown to run his
string to 68 consecutive conversions
without a miss, four short of Jack
Manderss pro record. The Dodgers
scored in the dying minutes of the
game when Bob Chappuis hit Bob
Hoernschemeyer with pass in the
end zone.