Sport: Leading Lions

It was probably a mistake for the Baltimore Colts’ Bert Rechichar to boot a 34-yd. field goal early in the first quarter. It seemed to make his teammates nervous to be three points out in front of the Detroit Lions, the best professional football team in the business. Behind his own goal line to punt, just a few minutes later, Colt Quarterback Cotton Davidson got a glimpse of the whole Detroit line bearing down on him, fumbled the pass from center, watched Lion Guard Harley Sewell drop on the ball for a touchdown. After that the Colts and the crowd did not get a chance to forget that the Lions are champions of the National Football League.

Tough, offensive Lion linemen kept Baltimore in check while Quarterback Bobby Layne moved back, took aim and fired his long, string-straight passes. Better than half the time, the ball and a big Lion end got to the same place at precisely the same time. When Baltimore defensemen dropped back in desperation, Layne handed off to his jolting halfback “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer or rifled short shots to Doak Walker, his slippery high-school ex-teammate from Dallas. Of 28 Layne passes, 18 connected for 246 yds. At half time, the Lions led, 10-3. By the time the chilly autumn evening was over, the Lions were on the long end of a 27-3 score.

The Lions’ lot is not always so easy. A fortnight ago, they had to come from behind twice before they beat the Los

Angeles Rams, 27-24. And the week before, they dropped a big one to San Francisco’s Forty-Niners, 31-37. There are some tough games left to win before the Lions are home free. In the Eastern division, the N.F.L. race is remarkably close. Four Clubs (New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cleveland) are fighting it out for the lead; every one of them is a dangerous contender. The happy truth is that all twelve teams in the league-are loaded with talent. Pro football this year is having one of its best seasons ever.

Attendance figures are high. Record gate so far this year: 93,500, at the Los Angeles Coliseum, where the Rams tied the Forty-Niners, 24-24. Even less interesting games usually outdraw college football. Despite its brief season, which ends with an interdivision playoff in December, pro football is one of America’s top-ranking spectator sports. The rough excitement of big men throwing their weight around with skillful violence more than matches amateur Saturday afternoons larded with college spirit. Players and fans have another advantage over the old college crowd: there is only one inter-conference playoff, and among the businessmen ballplayers, there is always an undisputed champion.

Around Detroit, at any rate, there is little doubt about who the 1954 champions will be. Layne and the Lions have won the title two years running; for their loyal fans, this season’s playoff is a mere formality.

*Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore and Green Bay in the Western Conference; Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, Cleveland, Chicago and Washington in the Eastern Conference.