Dec 28, 2013

Today, Dec. 28, 2013, is the 55th anniversary of “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” where the Baltimore Colts rallied to win a world championship over the New York Giants.

: The Baltimore Sun front page the day after the Dec. 28 game. (Baltimore Sun file)

: Alan Ameche finds a wide hole on a running play. (Handout photo/file)

: This is a view from New York Giant’s side, showing Baltimore Colts’ fullback, Alan Ameche, going through a big hole provided by teammates to score the winning touchdown in overtime period at Yankee Stadium, December 28, 1958. Colts’ Lenny Moore gets a good block on Giants’ Emlen Tunnell (45) at left. Colt quarterback Johnny Unitas (19) is at right along with Giants’ Jim Patton (20), Baltimore beat New York 23-17 for 1958 pro football title. It was Colts’ first championship, and the first overtime finish in title history. (File photo)

: Alan “The Horse” Ameche, on his back at left clutching the ball has just scored Baltimore Colts’ first touchdown here from two-yard line against New York Giants at Yankee Stadium today. This one came in the second quarter, his winning one in sudden-death overtime period beat the Giants 23-17. Giant player with head-hold on Ameche is Jim Patton. Other players ID are Colts’ George Preas (60), and Madison Nutter (50); Giants’ Emlen Tunnell (45), Carl Karllivacz (CK SP! 21), Sam Huff (70), Roosevelt Brown (79) and Andy Robustelli (81) extreme right. File photo dated 12/29/1958.

The 1958 title game is burned into our brains: 23-17, sudden-death, Ameche’s plunge, the stampede at the airport.

“You couldn’t come up with a scenario to beat the ’58 game even if you stayed up all night to plot it,” said Raymond Berry, the team’s star receiver, about their 1959 reprise. “My memories of it are vivid. But the second one? I’ve hardly given any thought at all to that.”

SEE MORE

1959: The greatest game nobody remembers
Art DeCarlo, Colts defensive back dead at 82.
More photos: ‘The Greatest Game Ever Played
Sun archives: Baltimore Colts

Archives: “The Greatest Game Ever Played”

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