Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-25
Browns Choice
But Rams Hope
.ToPu|| Upset
Injuries Moy Slow
Los Angeles Team
In NFL Title Come

III NJ - NV &0sstS
LOS ANGELES, Dec. "a R.-
The machine-like Cleveland
Browns. appearing in the title
game for the sixth straight year,
are favored to defeat the sur
prising Los Angeles Rams Mon
day for the 1855 championship
of the National Football League.
The Browns margin Of favor
itism is slim, AZ points, and
few would be too surprised II
the injury-beset Rams pulled
another of a series of upsets.
But barking back to one year
ago, when the forces Of Coach
Paul Brown Inundated a great
Detroit Lions team, 56-10, the
cause looks bleak for the Rams
and their coach. Sid Gilman.
who already has achieved amaZ-
ing success in his freshman year
In professional football.
Attendance in Memorial Coli
scum is expected to range from
10000 up, depending on the
weather. and tonight's forecast
limited Of clear skies for the game.
1t was drizzling when the Browns
stepped of their plane earlier
today. but it was a welcome
change from Cleveland's ice and
snow. The Rams averaged $4,000
in six home league games this
season.
Game to Be Televised
This annual struggle will be
televised nationally over the Ma
tional Broadcasting Co. network.
with the Los Angeles area
BACKED out. Kickoff time is /
pm. Pacific Standard Time.
a pm. EST).
Otto Graham. the field general
Of the Browns, led the club to
nine victories, two losses and one
tie in winning the Eastern Con-
ference title.
Quarterback Norm van Brock
lin and his patchwork Rams won
the Western Division title with
an 8-3-1 record.
This will be Graham's second.
and final. farewell to football.
He retired after the 1854 season
but returned at Browns urging
when the club got of to a poor
start in the preseason exhibit
tons.
Graham Revives Club
Four times the Browns went
down in that period. including
IA 1921 loss to the Rams. Then
No. IA reappeared in the Cleve-
land quarterback spot and the
club returned to its winning
ways.
This is the third meeting for
the championship between the
two teams. Both rank as epics
in a league abundant in stored
contests.
In 1850, with 20 seconds in the
game, mighty Lou Groza kicked
a field goal to win for the Browns.
1929.
In 1851 Van Brocklin and his
clutch receiver. Tommy Fears,
collaborated for a 73-yard touch
down pass midway Of the last
quarter and the Rams won,
24-I7.
Groza. who kicked q 52-yard
field goal in the 1851 game, and
the Van Brocklin- Fears combin-
alton are. Of course. still very
much present.
Rams Stock Drops
The Rams stock, never higher
than Cleveland's. dropped this
week when Fullback Tank
Younger was declared out Of the
game because Of a neck injury,
and Leon Mclaughlin. offensive
center. went to bed with the
mumps.
These breaks capped a series
of mishaps that caused Rams
supporters to wonderland ap-
plaud-how the club ever got
into the title game. Such play
ers as Younger. Dan fowler.
Skeet Quinlan. Don Paul, Elroy
Hirsch. Tommy Mccormick. Bob
Boyd and Charley Toogood
missed from three to nine games.
There were no surprises in
the starting offensive lineups.
Brown will lead of with a back
field of Graham. Halfbacks Ray
Renfro and Fred Morrison and
Fullback Ed Modzelewski, and
Ends Darrell Brewster and
Dante Lavelli.
Gilman starts with Van
Brocklin, Quinlan and Rookie
Ronnie Waller from Maryland
at halfback and fowler at full
back. Hirsch and Fears are the
ends
Cleveland's running attack
with 1920 yards gained. has a
See BROWN-RAMS, Page Alb
AULT THREAT