Evening star., 1952-12-21
Lions and Rams Meet
For Title on Field
|5oftened by Rain
BY the Associated Press

Dan fowler, a battering 23l'
pound back studying for the
ministry, hopes to lead the Lo:
Angeles Rams to their fourth
straight divisional title in pre-
football tomorrow.
But the Detroit Lions - who
haven't touched a title of any
kind in II years-stand as slim
favorites by ~ points to spoil
the Rams bid.
Television fans across the Ma
tion will watch the two highest
scoring teams in pro football
smash at each other. A televi-
sion blackout originally Sched-
uled for Michigan and Toledo
Ohio, has been lifted.
(The game. at $3.50 pm. win
be televised in the Washington
area by Station WTTG. Chan
mel 5. Harry WiSmer will ham
die the play-by- -play.)
An all-day rain today that may
continue until nearly game time
and temperatures in the high 30s
figured to help soften up the
frozen Briggs Stadium turf, pres
emily covered by tarpuhns.
Rain May Cut Gate.
The rain NAV keep away some
of the 47,000 advance ticket pur-
|chasers. The stadium seats $4,000,
Rarely have two teams looked
so bad early in the season and
gone on to meet in a poSt-SeaSon
playoff to determine the National
Conference champion.
The Rams lost three OF their
first four games, while the Lions
dropped two of the first three. Blu!
they each finished with 9-3 marks
The National Football Leagues
title contest will be played week
from tomorrow in Cleveland's
Municipal Stadium. The Cleveland
Browns will represent the Ameri-
can Conference something they've
done all of the three years they've
been in the NFL.
Record of Near-Frustration.
The Rams history in the last
four years of playoffs is one Of
near-frustration.
This is the second time they've
had to play an extra game to de-
termine the divisional champion
They beat the Chicago Bears in
1850.
In the first two of three years
they won their way to the league
|playoff, they lost. Last year the
Rams finally won the league
crown. edgihg the Browns, 24-17
This year they're carrying an
Ieight-game winning streak and
that worries Coach Hampton Pool
He fears overconfidence.
He's also worried about the
probable loss of Dick Might Train)
Lane, ace defensive halfback. who
set a season pass interception rec
ord (14) last Sunday but suffered
a wrenched knee.
Lane ran bit in yesterdays S
work out here, but Pool says it
will be a miracle if he plays.
Leans on Dan fowler.
OffenSively, Pool will lean heav-
lily on fowler. who led the league
in rushing and who accounted for
nearly half the Rams sizeabie
ground yardage. fowler will play
at both left halfback and fullback
The other key offensive per-
formers are Quarterback Norm
Van Brocklin, league-leading
passer, and Bob Waterfleld, who
led the league in passing last year.
Pool said he would start Van
Brocklin. but would lean heaviest
on the one who was the sharpest,
most confident.
His other backfleld starters were
scheduled to be Right Halfback
Vitamin Smith and Fullback Tank
Younger.
Rams Have Stellar Ends.
The Rams will throw three of
the leagues best ends at the
Lions-Leroy (Crazy Legs) Hirsch,
Tommy Fears and Bob Carey,
1851 Michigan State star.
The Lions are more used to
this chilly weather than the
Rams who played in 10l degree
heat last Sunday. The forecast
calls for temperatures from 81 to
38 degrees tomorrow.
The Briggs Stadium turf was
(See RAMS-LIONS, Page B-2J