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 This
one could be called the
49ers-Pro Bowl. Niners’
coach Buck Shaw had been
fired following the season,
but coached the Western
Conference all-stars in the
pro Bowl. It was a rainy
affair that resulted in
sloppy play and turnovers.
But 43,972 fans showed up
despite the conditions. The
coach of the East was Jim
Trimble of Philadelphia.
Y.A. Tittle of the 49ers
quarterbacked the West squad
which got off to a rocky
start, fumbling three times
in the first quarter. Norm
Willey of the Eagles scooped
up a Joe Perry fumbled and
carried it in for the score
from 5 yards out. Ray Krause
of the Giants intercepted a
Tittle pitch and returned it
43 yards to set up
Cleveland’s Otto Graham’s
six yard scoring pass to
Chicago Cardinal Ollie
Matson. Detroit’s Doak
Walker kicked a 35 yard
field goal to cut into the
East’s lead at 13-3 in the
second quarter. Billy Wilson
of the 49ers caught a Tittle
touchdown pass, but the East
responded with a 33 yard
touchdown pass from the
Eagles’ Adrian Burk to Bones
Taylor of the Redskins. The
score was 19-9 at the half.
The second half belonged to
the West. In the third
quarter, Tittle hit the
Bears’ Harlon Hill, who beat
Dick “Night Train” Lane of
the Cardinals on the route,
for a 42 yard touchdown
strike. In the fourth
quarter, Doak Walker kicked
his second field goal and
the score was tied at 19
all. The decisive play of
the game came three
plays later when Burk’s
hurried pass was picked off
by Lion LaVerne Torgeson who
returned it to the East’s
three yard line. Joe Perry
smashed the ball into the
end zone from there. The
final score was 26-19. The
West had won in a stirring
comeback.
Tittle, Perry and Wilson,
all from the San Francisco
49ers, had outstanding
games. Wilson caught 11
passes for 157 yards and was
named the game’s MVP. Oddly,
Cleveland’s Lou Groza, who
hit on all 109 conversion
attempts during the 1954
season, missed on field
goals and extra points in
this game. He missed two
early field goals and on 2
of 3 extra points. The
West’s defense established a
team record in this contest,
holding the East to 13 yards
rushing.
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