1952 NFL season
Encyclopedia
The 1952 NFL season was the 33rd regular season
of the National Football League
. Prior to the season, New York Yanks
owner Ted Collins sold his team back to the NFL. A few days later, a new team was then awarded to an ownership group in Dallas, Texas
after it purchased the assets of the Yanks.
However, the new Dallas Texans
went 1–11, and was sold back to the league midway through the season. For the team's last five games, the league operated the Texans as a road team, using Hershey, Pennsylvania
as a home base. Their final three "home" games were held at the Rubber Bowl
in Akron, Ohio
. After the season ended, the league folded the Texans, the last time an NFL team failed. This left Dallas without a professional football franchise until the births of the Dallas Cowboys
and the AFL version of the Dallas Texans
in 1960
.
The Detroit Lions
defeated the Cleveland Browns
in the NFL Championship Game
.
to Buddy Young
, two of the few African-American players in the NFL at that time. The Giants scored the rest of the points in a 24–6 win. Week Three (October 12, the Giants beat the Browns 17–9, and the 49ers shut out the Lions 28–0, as both stayed unbeaten on the road. Week Four (October 19 saw the 49ers stay unbeaten with a 40–18 win over the Bears, while the Chicago Cardinals spoiled the Giants' home opener, 24–23. San Francisco's streak finally ended on November 2 in Week Six when the Bears visited. The 49ers were leading, 17–10 in the 4th quarter, when Frankie Albert
made an unnecessary gamble in a 4th and 4 on his own 31 yard line, trying to gain yardage on a fake punt. Chicago took over on downs and tied the game three plays later, and George Blanda
's 48 yard field goal gave them a 20–17 win . In Week Seven (November 9), the 49ers lost in New York, 23–14, while Detroit beat Pittsburgh 31–6 and Cleveland beat the Cardinals 28–13. Both conference races were tied, with the Giants and Browns in the American, and the Lions joining the 49ers in the National, all with 5–2–0 records. In Dallas, only 10,000 turned out in a drizzle to watch the Texans fall to 0–7–0 in a 27–6 loss to the Rams . It proved to be the Texans' last Cotton Bowl date, and the last pro football game played in the state of Texas until 1960. After losses of $250,000 and failed attempts to get refinancing, the team's 16 stockholders surrendered the franchise three days later, the league took over its operations, and the remaining games in Dallas were moved..
In Week Eight (November 16, the Browns had a 22–0 lead over Pittsburgh and then withstood a four touchdown passing attack by Jim Finks in a 29–28 win. A safety, caused when Finks had been sacked in the end zone earlier, was the margin of victory. With the Giants' 17–3 loss to Green Bay, Cleveland took over first place in the American Conference. Meanwhile, Detroit and San Francisco both won to stay tied in the National.
Week Nine November 23, saw an unprecedented seven-way tie for the NFL's best record, with more than half of the teams at 6–3–0, and only three games left in the season. The 5–3 Rams beat the 6–2 49ers 35–9, and the 5–3 Eagles beat the 6–2 Browns 28–20. The 3–5 Bears upset the visiting 6–2 Lions, 24–23, after George Blanda passed to Ed Sprinkle with 8 seconds to play. In addition, the 5–3 Giants and the 5–3 Packers won their games against Washington (14–10) and Dallas (42–14) respectively..
The oddity only lasted a few days. Week Ten began on Thanksgiving Day, as the Lions beat the Packers 48–24. The same day, November 27, the 0–9–0 Texans
played the Bears in Akron, Ohio
after Dallas and Chicago were unavailable. The Texans blew an 18 point lead, but with 0:34 to play, Frank Tripucka
scored and the NFL's orphaned team registered its first, and last, win, 27–23. About 3,000 Ohioans watched the game, compared to 14,800 who packed the stadium earlier that day to watch a high school match . On November 30, the Rams and 49ers, both 6–3–0, met for the second straight week, this time in San Francisco, and the L.A. team won 34–21. The NFL's two other 6–3 teams, the Eagles and the Giants, both lost on the road. The Cards beat Philly 28–22. The 3–6 Steelers, however, handed the Giants their worst defeat ever, beginning with a 91 yard return of the opening kickoff by Lynn Chandnois
and ending 63–7. With that, the Browns were alone in the National race, while the Lions and Rams were tied.
The Browns, Lions and Rams won again in Week Eleven, as did Philadelphia, but the Giants were eliminated with a 27–17 loss to Washington. In the final games of the regular season (December 14) in Week Twelve, Detroit won 41–6 in the last NFL game for the Dallas Texans, and the Rams beat Pittsburgh 28–14, tying both for the American title at 9–3–0, and forcing a playoff. In the National Conference, the 7–4 Eagles were hoping for the 8–3 Browns to lose, and Cleveland fell in New York, 37–34, despite a fourth quarter comeback attempt. Playing against the last place (2–8) Redskins, the Eagles had a 21–14 lead in the fourth quarter, but Eddie LeBaron
crossed the goal line with 0:18 to play, for Washington's only home win in 1952, and handing the Browns the conference title.
Note: The NFL did not officially count tie games in the standings until 1972
National Conference Playoff Game
NFL Championship Game
Regular season (NFL)
The National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Prior to the season, New York Yanks
New York Yanks
The New York Yanks American football team played in the National Football League under that name in the 1950 and 1951 seasons. In 1949, Boston Yanks owner Ted Collins had requested the NFL to fold his Boston team and give him a new one in New York City...
owner Ted Collins sold his team back to the NFL. A few days later, a new team was then awarded to an ownership group in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
after it purchased the assets of the Yanks.
However, the new Dallas Texans
Dallas Texans (NFL)
The Dallas Texans played in the National Football League for one season, 1952, with a record of 1–11.-History:After the 1951 NFL season, the financially troubled New York Yanks franchise were put on the market. Ted Collins had founded that franchise in 1944 as the Boston Yanks, moved it to New...
went 1–11, and was sold back to the league midway through the season. For the team's last five games, the league operated the Texans as a road team, using Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
as a home base. Their final three "home" games were held at the Rubber Bowl
Rubber Bowl
The Rubber Bowl is a stadium in Akron, Ohio primarily used for American football. From 1940 to 2008, it served as the home field of the University of Akron's Zips football team...
in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
. After the season ended, the league folded the Texans, the last time an NFL team failed. This left Dallas without a professional football franchise until the births of the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and the AFL version of the Dallas Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in 1960
1960 NFL season
The 1960 NFL season was the 41st regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, Pete Rozelle was elected NFL commissioner as a compromise choice on the twenty-third ballot. Meanwhile, the league expanded to 13 teams with the addition of the Dallas Cowboys. Also, the Cardinals...
.
The Detroit Lions
1952 Detroit Lions season
Detroit Lions 17, Cleveland Browns 7 Scoring*DET - Layne 2-yard run *DET - Walker 67-yard run *CLE - Jagade 7-yard run *DET - FG Harder 36-References:***...
defeated the Cleveland Browns
1952 Cleveland Browns season
The 1952 Cleveland Browns season was the team's third season with the National Football League.-Exhibition Schedule:-Regular Season Schedule:-Standings:...
in the NFL Championship Game
NFL Championship Game, 1952
The 1952 National Football League championship game was the 20th annual championship game. The NFL title game was held on December 28, 1952 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio....
.
Major rule changes
- Offensive players will not be called for illegal motion as long as they do not move forward prior to the snap.
- The penalty for offensive pass interference is 15 yards from the previous spot, unless the result on a fourth down play is a touchback.
- A player who commits a palpably (obviously) unfair act is ejected from the game.
Regular season highlights
In Week One September 28, the Cleveland Browns hosted a rematch of their 1951 title game loss to the Rams, which had taken place in Los Angeles. That 24–17 loss was avenged with a 37–7 win for the Browns. The NFL's newest team, the Dallas Texans, played their first game, but a crowd of only 17,499 turned out to watch the visiting Giants. The Texans scored first, on a pass from George TaliaferroGeorge Taliaferro
George Taliaferro is a former professional American football player. He was the first African American drafted by a National Football League team....
to Buddy Young
Buddy Young
Claude "Buddy" Young was an American football player. A native of Chicago, the 5'4" Claude "Buddy" Young, also known as the "Bronze Bullet," had exceptional quickness and acceleration. He is one of the shortest men ever to play NFL football...
, two of the few African-American players in the NFL at that time. The Giants scored the rest of the points in a 24–6 win. Week Three (October 12, the Giants beat the Browns 17–9, and the 49ers shut out the Lions 28–0, as both stayed unbeaten on the road. Week Four (October 19 saw the 49ers stay unbeaten with a 40–18 win over the Bears, while the Chicago Cardinals spoiled the Giants' home opener, 24–23. San Francisco's streak finally ended on November 2 in Week Six when the Bears visited. The 49ers were leading, 17–10 in the 4th quarter, when Frankie Albert
Frankie Albert
Frank Cullen "Frankie" Albert was an American football player. He played as a quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League...
made an unnecessary gamble in a 4th and 4 on his own 31 yard line, trying to gain yardage on a fake punt. Chicago took over on downs and tied the game three plays later, and George Blanda
George Blanda
George Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
's 48 yard field goal gave them a 20–17 win . In Week Seven (November 9), the 49ers lost in New York, 23–14, while Detroit beat Pittsburgh 31–6 and Cleveland beat the Cardinals 28–13. Both conference races were tied, with the Giants and Browns in the American, and the Lions joining the 49ers in the National, all with 5–2–0 records. In Dallas, only 10,000 turned out in a drizzle to watch the Texans fall to 0–7–0 in a 27–6 loss to the Rams . It proved to be the Texans' last Cotton Bowl date, and the last pro football game played in the state of Texas until 1960. After losses of $250,000 and failed attempts to get refinancing, the team's 16 stockholders surrendered the franchise three days later, the league took over its operations, and the remaining games in Dallas were moved..
In Week Eight (November 16, the Browns had a 22–0 lead over Pittsburgh and then withstood a four touchdown passing attack by Jim Finks in a 29–28 win. A safety, caused when Finks had been sacked in the end zone earlier, was the margin of victory. With the Giants' 17–3 loss to Green Bay, Cleveland took over first place in the American Conference. Meanwhile, Detroit and San Francisco both won to stay tied in the National.
Week Nine November 23, saw an unprecedented seven-way tie for the NFL's best record, with more than half of the teams at 6–3–0, and only three games left in the season. The 5–3 Rams beat the 6–2 49ers 35–9, and the 5–3 Eagles beat the 6–2 Browns 28–20. The 3–5 Bears upset the visiting 6–2 Lions, 24–23, after George Blanda passed to Ed Sprinkle with 8 seconds to play. In addition, the 5–3 Giants and the 5–3 Packers won their games against Washington (14–10) and Dallas (42–14) respectively..
The oddity only lasted a few days. Week Ten began on Thanksgiving Day, as the Lions beat the Packers 48–24. The same day, November 27, the 0–9–0 Texans
Dallas Texans (NFL)
The Dallas Texans played in the National Football League for one season, 1952, with a record of 1–11.-History:After the 1951 NFL season, the financially troubled New York Yanks franchise were put on the market. Ted Collins had founded that franchise in 1944 as the Boston Yanks, moved it to New...
played the Bears in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
after Dallas and Chicago were unavailable. The Texans blew an 18 point lead, but with 0:34 to play, Frank Tripucka
Frank Tripucka
Francis Joseph Tripucka is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback, at Notre Dame, in the National Football League, in the Canadian Football League, and in the early American Football League.-Notre Dame Fighting Irish:Tripucka was backup quarterback to Heisman Trophy...
scored and the NFL's orphaned team registered its first, and last, win, 27–23. About 3,000 Ohioans watched the game, compared to 14,800 who packed the stadium earlier that day to watch a high school match . On November 30, the Rams and 49ers, both 6–3–0, met for the second straight week, this time in San Francisco, and the L.A. team won 34–21. The NFL's two other 6–3 teams, the Eagles and the Giants, both lost on the road. The Cards beat Philly 28–22. The 3–6 Steelers, however, handed the Giants their worst defeat ever, beginning with a 91 yard return of the opening kickoff by Lynn Chandnois
Lynn Chandnois
Lynn Chandnois was a former standout professional American football player who earned All-American honors for the Michigan State Spartans in 1949, the NFL Player Of The Year award for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1952 and twice made it to the Pro Bowl.After both his parents died, Lynn, who was born...
and ending 63–7. With that, the Browns were alone in the National race, while the Lions and Rams were tied.
The Browns, Lions and Rams won again in Week Eleven, as did Philadelphia, but the Giants were eliminated with a 27–17 loss to Washington. In the final games of the regular season (December 14) in Week Twelve, Detroit won 41–6 in the last NFL game for the Dallas Texans, and the Rams beat Pittsburgh 28–14, tying both for the American title at 9–3–0, and forcing a playoff. In the National Conference, the 7–4 Eagles were hoping for the 8–3 Browns to lose, and Cleveland fell in New York, 37–34, despite a fourth quarter comeback attempt. Playing against the last place (2–8) Redskins, the Eagles had a 21–14 lead in the fourth quarter, but Eddie LeBaron
Eddie LeBaron
Edward Wayne LeBaron, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the 1950s and early 1960s in the National Football League.-Early years:LeBaron graduated from Oakdale High School in Oakdale, California....
crossed the goal line with 0:18 to play, for Washington's only home win in 1952, and handing the Browns the conference title.
Conference races
| Week | NATIONAL | AMERICAN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tie (Bears, S.F) | 1–0–0 | 4 teams (Cle, NYG, Phi, Was) | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | 2–0–0 | Tie (Cle, NYG) | 2–0–0 |
| 3 | SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | 3–0–0 | NEW YORK GIANTS | 3–0–0 |
| 4 | SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | 4–0–0 | 3 teams (Cards, Cle., NYG) | 3–1–0 |
| 5 | SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | 5–0–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 4–1–0 |
| 6 | SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | 5–1–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 4–2–0 |
| 7 | Tie (Lions, 49ers) | 5–2–0 | Tie (Browns, Giants) | 5–2–0 |
| 8 | Tie (Lions, 49ers) | 6–2–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 6–2–0 |
| 9 | 4 teams (Det., GB, LA, SF) | 6–3–0 | 3 teams (Cle., NYG, Phi) | 6–3–0 |
| 10 | Tie (Det., LA) | 7–3–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 7–3–0 |
| 11 | Tie (Det., LA) | 8–3–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 8–3–0 |
| 12 | Tie (Det., LA) | 9–3–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 8–4–0 |
Final standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points AgainstNote: The NFL did not officially count tie games in the standings until 1972
Playoffs
See: 1952 NFL playoffs- Home team in capitals
National Conference Playoff Game
- DETROIT 31, Los Angeles 21
NFL Championship Game
- Detroit 17, CLEVELAND 7