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The 1956 College All-Star Game |
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After the Browns, 14 point favorites, scored the game's first touchdown on a 13-yard pass from George Ratterman to halfback Fred Morrison early in the 1st period. Groza added the extra point and kicked two field goals each the 2nd and 3rd periods.
Groza also added after Gene Filipski's 2-yard scoring jaunt (video) with two minutes in the game left.
That gave Groza scoring honors with 14 points and broke the former high of three field goals in an All-Star game. Tad Weed of Ohio State kicked three for the All-Stars in last year's 30-27 upset of the Browns, and in the 1939 game Ward Cuff kicked one and Ken Strong two in a 9-0 New York Giant triumph.
The Collegians' furthest advance in a woefully weak offensive showing was to Cleveland's 34 in the 1st period and it was inevitable they suffered their 14th defeat against seven victories and two ties in the series.
Blanked for the first time since 1951 when the Browns also did the trick, 33-0, the main thrills provided by the All-Stars were Ohio State's Howie (Hopalong) Cassady's 28-yard kickoff return in the 2nd period and a 22-yard sprint from scrimmage by Penn State's Lenny Moore in the 4th quarter.
Rattermnn's passing and plunging by big Ed Modzelewski were all the offensive punch needed to go with Groza’s magic toe.
All the fire seemed to go out of the Collegians when Michigan State's Earl Morrall was hurt on the fifth play of the game and had to leave the game for the entire first half. Morrall, appearing poised and confident, opened the first All-Star sequence with an 11-yard pass to Navy's Ron Beagle. He scooted 10 yards on a keep-it play for another first down to Cleveland's 43 and then fed to Cassady for 9-yard sprint, a play on which the Spartan signal caller was shaken up.
Iowa's Jerry Reichow came in to replace Morrall and on his first play tossed a long heave which the Browns' Warren Lahr intercepted in the end zone.
Cleveland marched 80 yards to score in 12 plays with Ratterman mixing three successful passes with Modzelewski's line smashing to reach the All-Star 13. Here, Ratterman cleverly arched a short pass to Morrison on the dead run toward the sideline and the Brown halfback easily outraced the All-Star defenders into the end zone for a touchdown (video). Groza added the point for a 7-0 Cleveland lead.
Early in the 2nd period, the Browns toyed with the All-Stars for a half dozen plays and then Groza booted an official 38-yard field goal, with the ball being held on the 47.
An interception of a pass by Navy's George Welsh set up another field goal by Groza still in the 2nd period. This time, the official distance was 39, but the ball was toed by Groza from the All-Star 37. Cleveland went ahead, 13-0.
Two more Groza field goals came in a dull 3rd period in which the Browns moved ahead 19-0 and the All-Stars couldn't get moving, even though Morrall came back to start the 2nd half for the Collegians.
A punt by Florida's Don Chandler, which squirted only 10 yards, set the Browns in motion from the All-Star 41 for Groza's third field goal. The booming Brown booter first tried from the All-Star 9, but a Cleveland holding penalty set the Browns back to the 24. This made no difference to Groza who then banged the ball through the goal posts from the 31.
Late in the 3rd period, with the ball behind held on the 34, Groza again thumped the ball over the crossbar (video). The kick under college rules, officially was measured from the 27.
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Browns' Tommy James stiff-arms All-Star Don Holleder.
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The Browns took over on the
20 and that was the end of the party for the Collegians as far as the
1st half was concerned.
