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 In one
of the most exciting Pro
Bowls in history, the East
won 31-30 in a controversial
fashion before 37,867 fans
at the Memorial Coliseum in
LA. Coaches for the game
were Joe Kuharich of the
Washington Redskins for the
East and Sid Gillman of Los
Angeles for the West.
On the first play of the
game, Detroit’s Jack
Christiansen returned the
opening kickoff 103 yards
for the score and the West
led 7-0. The East tied it at
7 all when Eddie LeBaron of
the Redskins marched his
squad 74 yards and hit Pete
Pihos of the Eagles on a 12
yard scoring pass. In the
second period, Chicago’s Ed
Brown hit Green Bay’s Billy
Howton with a 73 yard
touchdown pass. Just before
the half, the West held the
East out of the end zone on
a goal line stand which saw
the East try 5 times from
the one yard line. The West
led 14-7 at the half.
The second half started in
spectacular fashion like the
first when Chicago Cardinal
Ollie Matson returned the
kickoff 91 yards for a
touchdown to tie it a 14-14. Howie Ferguson of Green Bay
scored on a one yard run in
the third , but Volney
Peters of the Redskins
blocked Rams’ Pat Richter’s
extra point in what would
prove to be a key moment in
the game. On the East’s next
possession, Matson scored on
a 15 yard sweep to put them
up 21-20. Before the end of
the quarter, Baltimore’s
Bert Richichar kicked a 46
yard field goal to put the
West back in front 23-21.
Cleveland’s Lou Groza
countered Richichar’s effort
on the first play of the
fourth quarter with a 50
yard field goal. The East
led 24-23. Ollie Matson
returned a punt 49 yards to
set up a 20 yard touchdown
pass from LeBaron to Ray
Matthews of the Steelers.
The score was 31-23. Later
in the fourth quarter, Norm
Van Brocklin of the Rams led
the West on a scoring drive
culminating in a 4 yard
touchdown run by the Rams’
Ron Waller. The score was
31-30. But, much of the
excitement was yet to come.
The West got the ball back
and , with :50 seconds
remaining, Van Brocklin
drove his team into field
goal range. In the closing
seconds of the game,
Richichar attempted a 50
yard field goal to give the
West the win. The kick was
well short and was fielded
at the goal line by Scooter
Scudero of the Redskins.
Scudero caught the ball at
the one yard line, but
appeared to back a few steps
into the end zone to down
the ball for a touchback.
The officials ruled it a
touchback and placed the
ball in play at the 20,
effectively ending the game.
Field judge Joe Gonzales
ruled the ball crossed the
line before Scudero caught
it. The game ended 31-10 in
favor of the East.
West coach Sid Gillman
thought the Scudero catch
should have been ruled a
safety, vehemently protested
the call, and rightfully so.
Photos clearly showed
Scudero fielding the ball at
the one. Such seasoned
football observers as Curly
Lambeau and George Halas,
who were in the crowd,
begged to differ with
Gonzales. Had the play been
ruled a safety, the West
would have been awarded two
points and a 32-31 victory.
Ollie Matson was the MVP of
the game with his kickoff
return, rushing touchdown
and a 50 yard punt return.
The 1956 game will always be
remembered as the one that
didn’t end with a miraculous
victory, the result of a
safety.
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