 | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Date | December 16, 1945 | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium | Cleveland Stadium,Cleveland, Ohio | ||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Cleveland by 4 points[1][2] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Ronald Gibbs | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 32,178 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Radio in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | Blue | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Harry Wismer | ||||||||||||||||||
The1945 NFL Championship Game was the 13thNational Football League (NFL)championship game. Held on December 16, theCleveland Rams defeated theWashington Redskins 15–14 atCleveland Stadium inCleveland, Ohio.[3][4][5][6][7]
This was the last game before the Rams moved west toLos Angeles,California.[8] One play which provided the Rams' margin of victory led to a significant rule change in professionalfootball. If the title game had ended in a tie, the teams would have shared the championship.[1]
It was the coldest NFL championship game up to that time, with a temperature of −8 °F (−22 °C),[8][9]which significantly curtailed the expected attendance and revenue.[1][2]
In the first quarter, the Redskins had the ball at their own 5-yard line. Dropping back into theend zone,quarterbackSammy Baugh, playing his fifth championship game in nine years, threw the ball, but it hit thegoal post (which were on the goal line from1933 through1973) and bounced back to the ground in the end zone. Under the rules at the time, this was asafety, which gave the Rams a 2–0 lead.[10]
In the second quarter, Baugh suffered bruised ribs and was replaced byFrank Filchock, who threw a 38-yardtouchdown pass toSteve Bagarus to give the Redskins a 7–2 lead. The Rams scored just before halftime when rookie quarterbackBob Waterfield completed a 37-yard touchdown pass toJim Benton. Waterfield's ensuingextra point was partially blocked, with the ball teetering on the crossbar, but it dropped over to give Cleveland a 9–7 lead.[11]
In the third quarter, the Rams increased their lead to 15–7 whenJim Gillette scored on a 44-yard touchdown reception, but this time the extra point was missed.
The Redskins then came back to cut their deficit to 15–14 withBob Seymour's 8-yard touchdown catch from Filchock; in the fourth quarter, Washington kickerJoe Aguirre missed two field goals attempts, of 46 and 31 yards, that could have won the game.[10]
But it was the first quarter safety that proved to be the margin of victory. After the game, Redskins ownerGeorge Preston Marshall was so incensed at the outcome that he became a driving force in passing a major rule change after the season - a forward pass that strikes the goal posts is automatically ruled incomplete. This rule eventually became known as the "Baugh/Marshall Rule" and remained in effect until1974, when the goal posts returned to the end line and were impossible to hit with a legal forward pass, which made the ruledead letter.
The NFL had only four gameofficials in1945; the back judge was added in1947, the line judge in1965, and the side judge in1978.
Total revenue generated by the championship game totaled$164,542, which included $15,081 for radio broadcast rights, a new record.[12] Of this total, $95,261 was allotted to the players, resulting in shares of about $1,409 per player for the victorious Rams and $902 per player for the losing Redskins.[12][13]
Despite winning the World Championship, Rams ownerDan Reeves lost $64,000 with his franchise during the1945 season.
These financial losses, combined with the Rams' poor home attendances and the awarding of a Cleveland franchise (Browns) in the soon to be formedAll-America Football Conference (AAFC), ensured the relocation of the Rams toLos Angeles in January1946.[8]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redskins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Rams | 2 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 15 |
atCleveland Municipal Stadium,Cleveland, Ohio
| Scoring Play | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | |||
| CLE – Safety,Baugh's pass from end zone hit goal post | CLE 2–0 | ||
| 2nd Quarter | |||
| WAS –Bagarus 38 pass fromFilchock (Aguirre kick) | WAS 7–2 | ||
| CLE –Benton 37 pass fromWaterfield (Waterfield kick) | CLE 9–7 | ||
| 3rd Quarter | |||
| CLE –Gillette 44 pass from Waterfield (kick failed) | CLE 15–7 | ||
| WAS –Seymour 8 pass from Filchock (Aguirre kick) | CLE 15–14 | ||
| 4th Quarter | |||
| no scoring | CLE 15–14 | ||
First downs: Rams 14, Redskins 8
Yards rushing: Rams 44 carries for 180 yards, Redskins 34 carries for 35 yards
Passing: Rams 11-for-27 for 192 yards (2 TDs), Redskins 9-for-20 for 179 yards (2 TDs)
Return yardage: Rams 131, Redskins 155
Fumbles-Lost: Rams 1-1, Redskins 1–0
Penalties: Rams 6 for 60 yards, Redskins 4 for 29 yards
41°30′22″N81°42′00″W / 41.506°N 81.700°W /41.506; -81.700
| |
| Affiliations |
|
| Franchise | |
| Stadiums | |
| Key personnel |
|
| Culture and lore | |
| Rivalries | |
| Retired numbers | |
| Hall of Famers | |
| League championships (5) | |
| Division championships (15) | |
| Wild Card playoff berths (10) | |
