“You win some, you lose some. And the ones you lose, you try to learn from.” β Weeb Ewbank, Coach of the Baltimore Colts during the late 1950s dynasty, speaking about the relentless pursuit of victory required in the postseason.
The Daily Times Salisbury, Maryland Β· Thursday, January 01, 1959 Clipping via Newspapers.com
Factoid: On December 28, 1958, the NFL officially kicked off its first-ever “sudden death” overtime period in a playoff game. Though the famous 1958 NFL Championship (“The Greatest Game Ever Played”) popularized the concept, this date marks a less-remembered precursor. It was the 1958 Divisional Playoff where the Baltimore Colts (who would go on to win the NFL Championship later that month) defeated the San Francisco 49ers 35-27 in the conference tie-breaker. This earlier game also utilized sudden death, showcasing the new drama and intensity of the leagueβs evolving playoff structure.
Your daily dose of classic gridiron lore and legendary voices!
