Evening star., 1952-12-27
Browns and Lions Try
10 Relax on Eve Of
Championship Game
By the Associoted Press

CLEVELAND, Dee. 27.-Cleve.
lands crippled Browns and De.
troit's Lions go to the movies to.
night, trying to shake off the jit-
ters before tomorrow's worlc
championship pro football game
at Municipal Stadium.
After the show both clubs will
head for nights sleep in Cleve.
land hotels. The visitors, oi
course, have to stay at a hotel, but
the Browns always do the night
before game-even when they're
home. Coach Paul Brown wants
to be sure they avoid distractions
he doesn't want a husky tackle
using up sleeping time walking
the baby.
All football players get butter
flies" before game time. But this
time. with End Mac Speedie and
Halfback Dub Jones benched
with injuries, the Browns say
they are suffering the most.
Coach Buddy Parker says the
Lions are taking the title tilt in
stride. II don't think the cham
pionship game is any different to
the players than any other i'm
portant league contest" he said
Three Lions Injured.
Most important injured Lion is
Jack Stanfel. the No. offensive
guard. Lou Creekmur will fill in
for him and Bob Miller will take
over Creekmur's tackle spot. Also
on the Detroit injury list are jug
Girard, sub halfback, and Sonny
Gandee, rookie end.
The Browns are underdogs for
the first time in their seven
straight championship games.
Brown, announcing yesterday
that Speedie and Jones were
out, said:
We've known all along that
we wouldn't have them. but we
kept hoping that something would
happen. Still it's a shock when
you get the definite word from
the doctor.
This really hurts us. There is
the crux of our pass offense shot
to pieces. Well be without oul
top scoring threats"
Bettors Favor Detroit.
AS the two clubs wound up theil
preparations, bettors picked thu
Lions by 3l2 points to win theil
/ first National League crown since
1885. Browns injury announce.
ment may hike those points.
Also figuring in the odds wa.
the regular season game the Lion.
took from the Browns, 17-6.
About $4,000 are expected a
the game, which will be broad.
cast across the Nation both b,
radio and television, Mutual will
handle the radio and Dumont tn,
TV. Game time is 2 pm.
(The game will be on both
television and radio in WASH
ington. The television will be
through WTTG, while the radio
goes out over WWDC.)
Snow f1urries are expected IL
the forenoon. The forecast say.
the temperature will be in the low
20s, the sky cloudy and the wine
between Is and 20 miles an hour
off Lake Erie.
Parker Sees Good Chance.
Brown says his team has 6
chance" if it plays at absolute
peak. Parker says his team ha.
IA good chance" and he doesn't
qualify it.
The loss of Speedie and Jone.
deprives the Browns of two top.
grade pass catchers-and Cleve.
land is passing team.
Remaining is Dante Lavelli, who
missed most of the earlier game
with Detroit. He was hurt then
His injuries kept him benched fol
four other games while Speedie
went on to snag more tosses thar
any other player in the league, So
Lavelli-when both are rights
considered a trif1e better thar
Speedie.
Top catchers for Detroit are
Cloyce Box and Leon Hart. Boz
caught more touchdown passes
than anybody else this year. Is
But Hart bagged the two which
trimmed Cleveland in the first
game.
Sprinter Ray Renfro will sub
for Jones and Derrell Brewster
for Speedie.