Evening star., 1961-12-18
CLEVELAND END DROPS WINNING PASS
Renfro's Miscue, Chambers Punt
Help Giants Squeeze Into Title

Ol GIle NdIlOlldl y . % u /
Leagues Eastern Division for
the fourth time in six years
and aiming at the title against
the powerful Packers at Green
Bay December 81.
1t will be replay Of a regu-
lar season meeting at Milwau-
kee. December 3, in which the
Packers won, 20-l7. However,
Coach Allie Sherman of New
York thinks the result may be
different.
Green Bay is the best club
we've played" Sherman said
after the Giants wrapped up
the title yesterday in a TT tie
with the Cleveland Browns at
Yankee Stadium. But We'll be
better next time, both physi-
cally and mentally. Well be
loose from now on"
The Giants may shudder for
a day or two before they
loosen up," regardless of what
Sherman may think. Except
for a flubbed pass by sure.
handed Ray Renfro, the New
Workers instead would be
spending this week getting
ready for a division playoff
with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Eagles Do Their Part
The Eagles, needing a victory
over Detroit and a New York
loss. to tie the Giants. did their
part-beating the Lions. 27-24.
scoring 10 points in the last
four minutes for a 1914 record.
But the Giants held them off
by a half-game at 1881 be-
cause the Browns blew a sure
victory over New York when
Renfro dropped a 34-yard pass
from Milt Plum on the Giants
8-yard line with about three
minutes to play.
That's something I'll re-
member a long time" Renfro
said. The Giants will, too.
New York, rebuilt with deals
that brought Del Shofner, Y. A.
little, Joe Walton and Erich
Barnes and the addition of
rockies Greg Larson, Bobby
Caters and Joel Wells, scored
its only touchdown in the first
period on Titles 7-yard pass
to Wells.
Cleveland got even when
Plum hit Leon Clarke on a 38-
yard pass play in the third
quarter. Thereafter the tre-
mendous punting Of Don
Chandler. the rugged Giant de-
fense and Renfro's blunder
kept the teams in a knot.
The Giants and 61.084 fans
In Yankee Stadium knew the
Eagles already had won as they
fought through the final Pc
riod. In that last quarter Pat
Summerall missed a 14-yard
field goal for New York and Lou
Groza was short from 48 yards
for the Browns.
Brown Gains 101
All through the second half
the Giants were forced to dig
in to stop the aroused Browns
as Full Jim Brown smashed the
line repeatedly. He wound up
with 101 yards in "a carries,
one Of his best days against the
Giants since his second year in
the league when he passed the
100 mark twice.
It was one Of Chambers
booming punts-this one a 64-
yard job-which ruined Cleve-
lands hopes for on upset.
With the score tied at TT,
the Browns moved to the Giant
81. Then came Plum's pass to
Renfro, who dropped it after
outracing the Giant secondary.
Groza's ensuing field-goal try
was caught by Joe Morrison on
the Giant S.
!, New York could not move
the ball and Chandler then sent
his long punt dead to the
Brown 7. The Giant defense,
led by Sam Huff, stopped Bobby
Mitchell twice and Plum once.
They forced the Browns to punt
and Charlie Conerly fell on
the ball on the last play of the
game.
Chandler Outpunts Baker
Chambers punting was
superb all day. In fact, his
superiority over Sam Baker in
the first half told the story
of the Giants TO lead.
In the first period Alex Web
ster Of the Giants fumbled on
the Browns /. A few. minutes
later Titles failure to hit his
receivers and 15-yard holding
penalty cost New York another
shot at the goal, forcing a punt.
The Giants moved SO yards
in five plays for their only score
at 13:45 Of the first period.
Webster ran twice and caught
a 16-yard pass, and little hit
Shofner for a 9-yard gamer.
The series of plays. ending in
Titles pass to Wells, followed
a 25-yard punt by Baker.
Summerall also missed a
field-goal try in the second
period when Bobby Franklin
blocked his attempt from the
81. Groza also missed one from
the 18 in the third period, be-
fore the Browns struck for their
lone score on Browns running
and Plum's pass to Clarke.
Twice the Browns had fourth
and-one situations on their
own "a and 20 but refused to
go for it. Some of the Cleve-
land players waved their arms
in disgust when the punt was
ordered.