1958 Baltimore Colts season

6th season in franchise history; first playoff appearance and NFL Championship win

1958 Baltimore Colts season
Owner	Carroll Rosenbloom
General manager	Don "Red" Kellett
Head coach	Weeb Ewbank
Home field	Memorial Stadium
Results
Record	9–3
Division place	1st NFL Western
Playoff finish	Won NFL Championship (at Giants) 23–17 (OT)
← 1957 Colts seasons 1959 →

The 1958 Baltimore Colts season was the sixth season for the team in the National Football League. The Colts finished the 1958 season with a record of 9 wins and 3 losses to win their first Western Conference title. They won their first league title in the NFL championship game, which ended in overtime with a touchdown by fullback Alan Ameche.

Regular season

Schedule

Main article: 1958 NFL season

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 28	Detroit Lions	W 28–15	1–0	Memorial Stadium	48,377
2	October 4	Chicago Bears	W 51–38	2–0	Memorial Stadium	52,622
3	October 12	at Green Bay Packers	W 24–17	3–0	Milwaukee County Stadium	24,533
4	October 19	at Detroit Lions	W 40–14	4–0	Briggs Stadium	55,190
5	October 26	Washington Redskins	W 35–10	5–0	Memorial Stadium	54,403
6	November 2	Green Bay Packers	W 56–0	6–0	Memorial Stadium	51,333
7	November 9	at New York Giants	L 21–24	6–1	Yankee Stadium	71,164
8	November 16	at Chicago Bears	W 17–0	7–1	Wrigley Field	48,664
9	November 23	Los Angeles Rams	W 34–7	8–1	Memorial Stadium	57,557
10	November 30	San Francisco 49ers	W 35–27	9–1	Memorial Stadium	57,557
11	December 6	at Los Angeles Rams	L 28–30	9–2	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	100,202
12	December 14	at San Francisco 49ers	L 12–21	9–3	Kezar Stadium	53,334
Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.

Season summary

Week 1

	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	0	9	6	0	15
• Colts	7	7	0	14	28

Date: September 28
Location: Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Scoring summary

1	BAL	Lenny Moore 8 yard run (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 7–0

2	DET	Jim Martin 31 yard field goal	Colts 7–3

2	DET	Howard Cassady 11 yard pass from Bobby Layne (kick failed)	Lions 9–7

2	BAL	Raymond Berry 26 yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 14–9

3	DET	Howard Cassady 30 yard pass from Tobin Rote (kick failed)	Lions 15–14

4	BAL	Raymond Berry 14 yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 21–15

4	BAL	L.G. Dupre 13 yard run (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 28–15

Week 2

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	3	7	21	7	38
• Colts	27	7	7	10	51

Date: October 4
Location: Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Scoring summary

1	BAL	Lenny Moore 28 yard run (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 7–0

1	BAL	Raymond Berry 12 yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 14–0

1	BAL	Lenny Moore 9 yard run (kick failed)	Colts 20–0

1	CHI	George Blanda 40 yard field goal	Colts 20–3

1	BAL	Lenny Moore 77 yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 27–3

2	CHI	Bill McColl 11 yard pass from Ed Brown (George Blanda kick)	Colts 27–10

2	BAL	Lenny Lyles 103 yard kickoff return (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 34–10

3	CHI	Johnny Morris 5 yard run (George Blanda kick)	Colts 34–17

3	CHI	Ed Brown 1 yard run (George Blanda kick)	Colts 34–24

3	BAL	Jim Mutscheller 2 yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 41–24

3	CHI	Willie Galimore 99 yard kickoff return (George Blanda kick)	Colts 41–31

4	BAL	Lenny Moore 33 yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 48–31

4	BAL	Steve Myhra 28 yard field goal	Colts 51–31

4	CHI	Bill McColl 20 yard pass from Zeke Bratkowski (George Blanda kick)	Colts 51–38

Week 3

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Colts	0	7	7	10	24
Packers	14	3	0	0	17

Date: October 12
Location: Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Game attendance: 24,553

Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scoring summary

1		Packers	Don McIlhenny 55-yard pass from Bart Star (Paul Hornung kick)	Packers 7–0

1		Packers	Bart Starr 1-yard run (Paul Hornung kick)	Packers 14–0

2	8:33	Packers	Paul Hornung 19-yard field goal	Packers 17–0

2		Colts	Johnny Unitas 1-yard run (Steve Myhra kick)	Packers 17–7

3		Colts	Jim Mutscheller 54-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Steve Myhra kick)	Packers 17–14

4		Colts	Steve Myhra 14-yard field goal	Tie 17–17

4	2:12	Colts	Andy Nelson 52-yard interception return (Steve Myhra kick)	Colts 24–17

Standings

NFL Western Conference
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Baltimore Colts	9	3	0	.750	8–2	381	203	L2
Los Angeles Rams	8	4	0	.667	7–3	344	278	W3
Chicago Bears	8	4	0	.667	7–3	298	230	W2
San Francisco 49ers	6	6	0	.500	4–6	257	324	W2
Detroit Lions	4	7	1	.364	3–6–1	261	276	L2
Green Bay Packers	1	10	1	.091	0–9–1	193	382	L7

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Postseason

The 1958 NFL Championship Game was 26th annual NFL championship game, played on December 28 at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York City. The Colts beat the Giants 23–17 in overtime, earning their first ever championship, and the game became known as The Greatest Game Ever Played.

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
NFL Championship	December 28	at New York Giants	W 23–17 (OT)	1–0	Yankee Stadium	64,185

Roster

1958 Baltimore Colts roster
Quarterbacks 14 George Shaw K/QB 17 Ray Brown QB/DB 19 Johnny Unitas Running backs 23 Carl Taseff HB 31 Billy Pricer FB 35 Alan Ameche FB 25 Jack Call HB 45 L.G. Dupre HB 41 Avatus Stone HB Wide receivers 24 Lenny Moore HB/FL 82 Raymond Berry WR/SE Tight ends 84 Jim Mutscheller WR/E/DE		Offensive linemen 79 Sherman Plunkett T 77 Jim Parker T 68 Alex Sandusky G 60 George Preas T 50 Buzz Nutter C 64 Fuzzy Thurston G 63 Art Spinney G 78 Ray Krouse T/DL Defensive linemen 81 Ordell Braase DE 89 Gino Marchetti DE 70 Art Donovan DT 60 George Preas T 83 Don Joyce DE/DT 76 Gene Lipscomb DT		Linebackers 65 Bill Pellington OLB 55 Leo Sanford 66 Don Shinnick MLB 52 Dick Szymanski C/LB Defensive backs 26 Lenny Lyles CB/HB 24 Johnny Sample DB 41 Jackie Simpson DB 20 Milt Davis DB 23 Art DeCarlo DB/E		Special teams 18 Dick Horn P/QB 65 Steve Myhra G/LB/K 44 Bert Rechichar DB/LB/HB/E 80 Andy Nelson LS/DB/KR Reserve lists None - Vacant Practice squad None - Vacant Note:' rookies in italics

1958 Baltimore Colts roster

Quarterbacks

14 George Shaw K/QB
17 Ray Brown QB/DB
19 Johnny Unitas

Running backs

23 Carl Taseff HB
31 Billy Pricer FB
35 Alan Ameche FB
25 Jack Call HB
45 L.G. Dupre HB
41 Avatus Stone HB

Wide receivers

24 Lenny Moore HB/FL
82 Raymond Berry WR/SE

Tight ends

84 Jim Mutscheller WR/E/DE

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

81 Ordell Braase DE
89 Gino Marchetti DE
70 Art Donovan DT
60 George Preas T
83 Don Joyce DE/DT
76 Gene Lipscomb DT

Linebackers

Defensive backs

26 Lenny Lyles CB/HB
24 Johnny Sample DB
41 Jackie Simpson DB
20 Milt Davis DB
23 Art DeCarlo DB/E

Special teams

18 Dick Horn P/QB
65 Steve Myhra G/LB/K
44 Bert Rechichar DB/LB/HB/E
80 Andy Nelson LS/DB/KR

Reserve lists

None - Vacant

Practice squad

None - Vacant
Note:' rookies in italics

References

"Colts win 23-17 in overtime". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. December 29, 1958. p. 4, part 2.
^ Maule, Tex (January 5, 1959). "The best football game ever played". Sports Illustrated. p. 8.
Pro-Football-Reference.com
Pro-Football-Reference.com
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search

v t e Indianapolis Colts seasons
Played in Baltimore (1953–1983)
1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Bold indicates NFL Championship (1920–65) or Super Bowl (1966–present) victory Italics indicates NFL Championship (1920–65) or Super Bowl (1966–present) appearance

v t e Baltimore Colts 1958 NFL champions
14 George Shaw 17 Ray Brown 18 Dick Horn 19 Johnny Unitas 20 Milt Davis 21 Art DeCarlo 23 Carl Taseff 24 Lenny Moore 25 Jack Call 26 Lenny Lyles 31 Billy Pricer 35 Alan Ameche 36 Bill Pellington 41 Jackie Simpson 41 Avatus Stone 44 Bert Rechichar 45 L. G. Dupree 47 Johnny Sample 50 Buzz Nutter 52 Dick Szymanski 55 Leo Sanford 60 George Preas 63 Art Spinney 64 Fuzzy Thurston 65 Steve Myhra 66 Don Shinnick 68 Alex Sandusky 70 Art Donovan 76 Gene Lipscomb 77 Jim Parker 78 Ray Krouse 79 Sherman Plunkett 80 Andy Nelson 81 Ordell Braase 82 Raymond Berry 83 Don Joyce 84 Jim Mutscheller 89 Gino Marchetti Head coach: Weeb Ewbank Assistant coaches: Herman Ball John Bridgers Bob Shaw Charley Winner

Baltimore Colts 1958 NFL champions

v t e Indianapolis Colts
Founded in 1953 Played in Baltimore (1953–1983) Based and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana
Franchise	History in Baltimore relocation to Indianapolis All-time roster Quarterbacks Coaches Seasons Draft First-round draft picks Ring of Honor
Stadiums	Memorial Stadium RCA Dome Lucas Oil Stadium
Culture	Carroll Rosenbloom Robert Irsay Jim Irsay 12th Man AAFC Colts Baltimore Colts Marching Band Blue Cheerleaders Elway to Marino Parks and Recreation
Lore	Dayton Triangles The Greatest Game Ever Played 1970 AFC Championship Game Ghost to the Post Move to Indianapolis Immaculate Deflection Immaculate Redemption/The Tackle Deflategate Colts Catastrophe Snowvertime Minneapolis Miracle II
Rivalries	Houston Texans Jacksonville Jaguars New England Patriots Brady–Manning rivalry Tennessee Titans
Division championships (16)	1968 1970 1975 1976 1977 1987 1999 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2013 2014
Conference championships (7)	1958 1959 1964 1968 1970 2006 2009
League championships (5)	1958 1959 1968 1970 (V) 2006 (XLI)
Retired numbers	18 19 22 24 70 77 82 89
Media	Broadcasters WFNI-AM Bob Lamey Jim Sorgi
Current league affiliations	League: National Football League Conference: American Football Conference Division: South Division
Category

1958 NFL season

Eastern Conference	Chi Cardinals	Philadelphia	Baltimore	Green Bay	Western Conference
	Cleveland	Pittsburgh	Chi Bears	Los Angeles
	New York	Washington	Detroit	San Francisco

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