The Greatest Game Ever Played

This Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens will honor members from the 1958 World Champion Baltimore Colts, as we will pay tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the Greatest Game Ever Played between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts.

Fifteen living members of the 1958 Championship team will be in attendance for a halftime tribute to this historic team that played it’s football for the city and fans of Baltimore (bite that Irsays!).

In this game, Hall of Fame Head Coach Weeb Ewbank led his Baltimore Colts into Yankee Stadium to face the hometown team New York Giants for the NFL World Championship.

After the Giants scored first late in the first quarter with kicker Pat Summerall’s 36-yard field goal, a second quarter fumble by Giants running back Frank Gifford set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Colts running back Alan Ameche. Gifford fumbled again later in the second quarter, and Baltimore converted that turnover into another touchdown thanks to a 15-yard pass from Johnny Unitas to Colts wide receiver Raymond Berry to make the score 14-3 by halftime.

The second half had begun and the Colts were in control until the Baltimore offense was stopped on 4th and goal and were forced to turn the ball over on downs to the Giants offense. The Giants then went 95-yards in just four plays, scoring on a 1 yard touchdown run by  to cut the score, 14-10. The drive was highlighted by an unforgettable 86-yard pass play from deep within the Giants own territory. Giants quarterback Charlie Conerly threw to wide receiver Kyle Rote across the middle where Rote then broke an arm tackle at about mid-field. Rote fumbled when hit from behind, but Giants running back Alex Webster, picked up the ball and ran it all the way to the one yard line where he was knocked out of bounds, where Giants running back Mel Triplett scored the one yard touchdown run.

The Giants then took the lead thanks to a 15 yard touchdown reception by Frank Gifford from Charlie Connely.  The Colts took over at the 14 yard line and set up a legendary 2-minute drive by Johnny Unitas to set up a game tying field goal by Colts kicker Steve Myhra to send the game into overtime.  This was the first time an NFL game had been sent into sudden death overtime.

In overtime, the Giants were forced to punt the ball after a three and out series. Johnny Unitas led the team 80 yards down the field in 13 plays to set up the game winning touchdown run by Alan Ameche to give the Colts the win and the 1958 NFL Championship.

An estimated 45 million people watched the game on television.  The growth of the popularity of the sport, franchise expansion teams, the eventual merger with the AFL, and popularity on television is all centered around this game and was the launching pad for such actions.

Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas leading the team quickly down the field to set up the game-tying field goal, is often cited as the first “Two Minute Drill”, for which Unitas became famous. Colts head coach Weeb Ewbank would eventually be fired from the Colts, and would take the job of head coach for the New York Jets. Ewbank led the Jets to victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, also considered a monumental victory in the history of pro football.

Giants head coach Jim Lee Howell was also aided by two legendary coaches during the 1958 Championship game.  The defensive coordinator of the Giants was Tom Landry, who would lead the Dallas Cowboys to two Super Bowl Championships.  The offensive coordinator of the Giants was Vince Lombardi, who would take the head coaching position of the Green Bay Packers in the 1960s and lead them to five NFL Championships.

The team may now reside in Indianapolis, but the history and legacy of the Greatest Game Every Played and the hard nosed, blue collar players of the Baltimore Colts like Raymond Berry, Johnny Unitas, Artie Donovan, Jim Parker, Lenny Moore, Mike Curtis, and Bubba Smith will always live right where it belongs, BALTIMORE! And Bob Irsay or any other bandwagon jumping, Manning loving, fake Colts fans in Indy can’t take that away from us!

LET’S GO U COLTS! UNITAS WE STAND!