Browns Roll 559 Yards at Baltimore in 42-0 Title Game Tune-Up

BALTIMORE - The Browns devoted a gloomy and rainy afternoon in Baltimore today to sharpening their attack for next Sunday's All-American Conference championship game in New York.

Turning in one of their best offensive demonstrations of the season as they amassed 559 yards by passing and running, the Browns registered their second shutout of the year over the Colts, 42 to 0, before a crowd of 20,574 in Baltimore Stadium. It was the 12th triumph of the year against a setback and tie for the western division champions.

Though the contest went as Coach Paul Brown hoped it would go, enabling him to play most of the second half with his prominent figures on the bench, the contest had one unfortunate aspect. Before getting a comfortable lead, the Browns saw Ernie Blandin carried from the field with what was diagnosed as a badly sprained left ankle, and the 248-pound left tackle may be not available when the Clevelanders bid for their second consecutive conference championship.

Groza Has Big Day

Blandin was injured early in the second period when he got in fast and threw Bud Schwenk, a former teammate, for a four-yard loss. With Chet Adams remaining idle because of the back injury he sustained at Los Angeles, Lou (The Toe) Groza had a big afternoon as an offensive and defensive tackle. Lou also resumed his duties as the Browns' place-kicker, converting after all six touchdowns.

Four of the Browns' scores came through the air today, Otto Graham pitching for three of them and Cliff Lewis throwing a strike to Bill Lund for the fourth. Graham's scoring aerials went to Edgar Jones, Dante Lavelli and Mickey Mayne, running his season output through the air to 25.

Jones and Lund also traveled along the ground for six-pointers, giving them two apiece for the day. Jones went 1 yard, while Lund traveled 52.

Before he retired after the Browns' fourth touchdown in the first two minutes of the third period, Graham completed 12 of 16 passes for 207 yards, giving him a season record of 2,752.

Show Power on Ground, Toe

In the running department, Jones, Marion Motley, Lund and Spiro Dellerba were the leading figures as the Browns accumulated 334 yards - one of the most impressive figures the team ever has made rushing in its two years of competition. Motley got away once for a 22-yard gain and another time for 32. Jones' running was instrumental in the second touchdown drive, while Dellerba made 48 yards in seven efforts as the fullback in the second half.

The Browns held Baltimore to a total offensive of 186 yards. Cleveland halted Schwenk completely with a defensive backfield that included Ermal Allen, Lewis and Tommy Colella most of the time. Lewis was working as a defensive right half for the first time.

It wasn't until Ernie Case took over at quarterback for the Colts late in the game that they came close to scoring their first touchdown of the year against the Browns. Case completed several throws to Lamar Blount that got the Colts to the Cleveland 12.

The opening Brownie touchdown drive started from their 17-yard line, where Ermal Allen was downed after making a nine-yard return of Johnny Galvin's punt. Graham was tossed for a nine-yard loss on first down when he was caught trying to pass, but Otto then completed his next three efforts, and with more yardage added along the ground, the Browns reached Baltimore's 24.

From the 24, Motley shot through center for 3 yards, and then Graham lobbed a short aerial to Jones in the flat, Edgar being unguarded when he made the catch and running over without being trailed by a Colt.

It was some nice running by Jones that put the Browns in position for their next points, this drive starting from the Colts' 40. After Tony Adamle galloped in the other direction for 6, Edgar came back for advances of 8 and 16 yards, giving Cleveland a first down on the 10. Adamle was held to 2 yards at center, so Graham took the air again, pitching to Lavelli in the end zone.

With the second period two-thirds gone, Allen let a punt by Galvin drop, and the pigskin rolled out of bounds on the Cleveland 9. The Browns promptly advanced the 91 yards to their third score, a pass from Graham to Lavelli that was good for 49 yards highlighting the long march. The Graham-Lavelli effort moved the ball to midfield, from where Motley carried it 22 yards on the next try for another first down on the Colts' 28.

Graham hit Lavelli for another 11-yard gain to the 17, and then Motley and Jones alternated carrying the ball, Special Delivery making it on the fourth try to push the count to 21-0 at halftime.