1959 NFL Championship Game
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| Date | December 27, 1959 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Stadium | Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland | ||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Colts - 3½ points | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Ron Gibbs | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 57,545 | ||||||||||||||||||
| TV in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | NBC | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Chuck Thompson, Chris Schenkel | ||||||||||||||||||
| Radio in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | NBC | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Van Patrick | ||||||||||||||||||
The 1959 National Football League Championship Game was the 27th NFL championship game, played on December 27 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.[1][2][3]
It was a rematch of the 1958 championship game that went into overtime. The defending champion Baltimore Colts (9–3) again won the Western Conference, while the New York Giants (10–2) repeated as Eastern Conference champions. The Colts were favored to repeat as champions by 3½ points.[1][4][5]
This game also went down to the last quarter, but the Colts did not need any heroics in overtime. Trailing 9-7 at the start of the fourth quarter, Baltimore scored 24 straight points and won, 31–16.[2][3][6][7]
This was the only NFL championship game played in Baltimore.
Scoring summary
Sunday, December 27, 1959
Kickoff: 2:05 p.m. EST[1][4]
- First quarter
- BAL – Lenny Moore 60 yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick), 7–0 BAL
- NY – FG Pat Summerall 23, 7–3 BAL
- Second quarter
- NY – FG Summerall 37, 7–6 BAL
- Third quarter
- NY – FG Summerall 22, 9–7 NY
- Fourth quarter
- BAL – Unitas 4 yard run (Myhra kick), 14–9 BAL
- BAL – Jerry Richardson 12 yard pass from Unitas (Myhra kick), 21–9 BAL
- BAL – Johnny Sample 42 yard interception return (Myhra kick), 28–9 BAL
- BAL – FG Myhra 25, 31–9 BAL
- NY – Bob Schnelker 32 yard pass from Charlie Conerly (Summerall kick), 31–16 BAL
Officials
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The NFL had five game officials in 1959; the line judge was added in 1965 and the side judge in 1978.
Players' shares
The gross receipts for the game, including radio and television rights, were just over $666,000, slightly below the previous year. Each player on the winning Colts team received $4,674, while Giants players made $3,083 each.[6]
References
- 1 2 3 "Pick Colts to retain pro crown". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. December 27, 1959. p. 1C.
- 1 2 Sell, Jack (December 28, 1959). "Colts destroy Giants for pro crown 31-16". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 20.
- 1 2 "Colts' 24 pt. rally sinks Giants". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. December 28, 1959. p. 2, part 2.
- 1 2 "Pro football epic will unfold today". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 27, 1959. p. 2, sports.
- 1 2 Strickler, George (December 27, 1959). "Colts, Giants battle for title today". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
- 1 2 Bowen, George (December 28, 1959). "Baltimore explodes for 24 points in final period to rout New York, 31-16". Youngstown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. p. 20.
- 1 2 Strickler, George (December 28, 1959). "Colts retain title; beat Giants, 31-16". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
Coordinates: 39°19′48″N 76°36′05″W / 39.330°N 76.6015°W