Evening star., 1952-12-29
Statistics

who shivered in Municipal Sta
dlum on the lakefront and for the
millions who watched it on TV in
warm homes.
The nationally televised game
netted gross receipts of S314,3l8
that meant record shares for the
players participating. Each of the
Lions got $2.274.77 while the
Browns drew shares of $1,712.49
each.
Walkers Run Key Play.
The games key run was 67-yard
touchdown sprint by Halfback
Doak Walker, who hadn't scored a
touchdown during the league sea-
son. He missed half the Lions
games due to a pulled leg muscle
and didn't play when Cleveland
lost. 17-6, in Detroit eight weeks
ago.
Although the Browns controlled
the ball nearly two-thirds of the
time. the Lions held a COM
Portable point lead for all but a
few minutes. Walkers run, midway
of the third period, put Detroit
ahead 14-O.
The Browns smashed back for
their only touchdown four minutes
later. with Fullback Harry Jagade
plunglng seven to cap a 36-yard
drive. Just II more minutes and
the Browns hopes died on a &c.
yard field goal by Fullback Pat
Harder. Halfback Ken Carpenter
1umbled a Detroit punt and Jim
Martin recovered to set up this
three-pointer for Detroit.
The Lions played it cautiously
IN the last half, while the Browns
piled up a big edge in statistics
which don't pay off. The Browns
had % first downs, IL more than
the Lions. and outgained the new
champions, 384 yards to 258.
Jagade Gains 1O4 Yards.
Jagade, whose 104 yards rushing
was tops for the day, took the Sec
ond half kickoff back 18 yards,
then broke away for 10 and 29-
yard runs in a drive to the Lions
25. Jim David spiked this threat by
lntercepting pass that bounded
off Carpenters fingers on Detroit's
IL.
In the final period, big Marion
Motley made the Browns biggest
ground gain by breaking away for
~ yards on a pitchout from Otto
Graham. Motley went out of
bounds on the five. but lost five
on the next play. Thurman Nc
Graw smeared Quarterback Gra-
ham for an 11-yard loss while
Otto hunted a receiver, then Dick
Flanagan batted down a toss to
give the Lions the ball on their 81.
Another f1nal-period Cleveland
bid, set back Is yards at the start
by a penalty. carried IS yards to
what at first looked like touch
doWn-pass climax. Graham hurled
a fourth-down throw to Rookie
End Darrell Brewster in the end
zone, but the catch was ruled lille
gal because Halfback Ray Renfro
OF the Browns tipped the ball as
it sailed between his upstretched
hands. Only one offensive re-
ceiver may touch pass.
Parker Credits Defense.
All this is what Detroit Coach
Buddy Parker meant when he
said: "Our defense won it for u.s."
The Lions offense didn't run
true to form at all. Halfback Bob
Hoernschemeyer, Detroit's biggest
ground-gainer all season, made
the least yardage of the offensive
backs. End Cloyce Box, who led
the league in touchdown passes.
caught one pass. Bobby Layne.
third among NFL passers in yard
age and touchdown tosses, threw
only nine and completed seven.
Graham, the leagues best in
competitions and pass yardage,
connected on 20, but nearly all his
throws were short ones and his
net yardage was less than half
the 384 gained by the Browns Of
fense. He sorely missed End Mac
ISpeedie. the leagues leading re-
ceiver. and Halfback Dub Jones.
one of his favorite long-range
targets.
Speedie sat out the game on the
bench. while Jones didn't even
put on a uniform. Both suffered
wrenched knees against the New
York Giants two weeks ago.
Lou Groza of the Browns, play
ing with badly bruised ribs, missed
f1rst-half field goal tries of %,
Al and 81 yards.
A wobbly 22-yard punt by Hor-
ace Gillom gave Detroit it's first
scoring break. The ball went out
at midfleld, and Layne spanked
the touchdown drive with a ground
gain of 13 yards and passes to Box
and Bill Swiacki for first downs
and "a more yards. Layne
shouldered through the middle
from the two to score standing
up at 1:40 Of the second quarter.
Walkers long run gave him a
total of 81 yards gained in 10 tries,
second only to Jagade, who needed
is carries for his 104. The 32-
year-old Motley had the best av-
erage per try, gaining IA yards
in six attempts. Layne got Al
yards in nine tries and Harder
made % in eight carries.