1951 Pro Bowl
The 1951 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's inaugural Pro Bowl which featured the league's outstanding performers from the 1950 season. The game was played on Sunday, January 14, 1951, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California in front of 53,676 fans. The American Conference squad defeated the National Conference by a score of 28–27. The player were selected by a vote of each conferences coaches along with the sports editors of the newspapers in the Los Angeles area, where the game was contested.
The National team was led by the Los Angeles Rams' Joe Stydahar while Paul Brown of the Cleveland Browns coached the American stars. The same two coaches had faced each other three weeks earlier in the 1950 NFL Championship Game in which Brown's team had also defeated Stydahar's. Both coaches employed the T formation offense in the Pro Bowl.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Otto Graham was named the game's outstanding player.
Rosters
The 31-man Pro Bowl squads consisted of the following players:Position | American Conference | National Conference |
Quarterback | Charlie Conerly – New York Giants Harry Gilmer – Washington Redskins Otto Graham – Cleveland Browns Jim Hardy – Chicago Cardinals | Frankie Albert – San Francisco 49ers Johnny Lujack – Chicago Bears Norm Van Brocklin – Los Angeles Rams Bob Waterfield – Los Angeles Rams |
Halfback | Elmer Angsman – Chicago Cardinals Bill Dudley – Washington Redskins Joe Geri – Pittsburgh Steelers Gene Roberts – New York Giants Otto Schnellbacher – New York Giants Emlen Tunnell – New York Giants | Glenn Davis – Los Angeles Rams Don Doll – Detroit Lions Billy Grimes– Green Bay Packers Woodley Lewis – Los Angeles Rams Spec Sanders – New York Yanks Johnny Strzykalski – San Francisco 49ers Doak Walker – Detroit Lions |
Fullback | Tony Adamle – Cleveland Browns Pat Harder – Chicago Cardinals Marion Motley – Cleveland Browns Jerry Shipkey – Pittsburgh Steelers | Dick Hoerner – Los Angeles Rams Zollie Toth – New York Yanks Norm Standlee – San Francisco 49ers |
End | John Green – Philadelphia Eagles Pete Pihos – Philadelphia Eagles Ray Poole – New York Giants Bob Shaw – Chicago Cardinals Mac Speedie – Cleveland Browns Bob Dove – Chicago Cardinals | Cloyce Box –Detroit Lions Larry Brink – Los Angeles Rams Dan Edwards – New York Yanks Tom Fears – Los Angeles Rams Ed Sprinkle – Chicago Bears |
Tackle | Al DeRogatis – New York Giants Lou Groza – Cleveland Browns Paul Lipscomb – Washington Redskins Arnie Weinmeister – New York Giants Al Wistert – Philadelphia Eagles | George Connor – Chicago Bears Fred Davis – Chicago Bears Dick Huffman – Los Angeles Rams Thurman McGraw – Detroit Lions Leo Nomellini – San Francisco 49ers |
Guard | Walt Barnes – Philadelphia Eagles Bill Fischer – Chicago Cardinals Weldon Humble – Cleveland Browns Bill Willis – Cleveland Browns | Dick Barwegan – Chicago Bears Ray Bray – Chicago Bears Lou Creekmur – Detroit Lions Visco Grgich – San Francisco 49ers |
Center | Chuck Bednarik – Philadelphia Eagles John Cannady – New York Giants Bill Walsh – Pittsburgh Steelers | Ed Neal – Green Bay Packers Clayton Tonnemaker – Green Bay Packers Bulldog Turner – Chicago Bears Brad Ecklund – New York Yanks |
Roster Notes: