Recalling The 1964 NFL Championship Game

The city of Cleveland won its last major professional sports league championship 50 years ago. The Cleveland Browns defeated the Baltimore Colts (27-0) in Cleveland to win the 1964 NFL championship.

It was the only team championship for the Browns’ great running back, Jim Brown, who led the NFL in rushing yards in eight of his nine seasons before retiring on the set of the movie, “The Dirty Dozen” in 1966.

The 1964 championship game featured such great Browns players as quarterback Frank Ryan and receiver Gary Collins (the two combined for three touchdown plays).  The immortal Lou “The Toe” Groza, and of course, Jim Brown also shined.

The Colts also had their share of great players in the game: John Unitas, Lenny Moore, Raymond Berry, Jim Parker and Gino Marchetti.

Jim Brown