Notes on a Scorecard - Sept. 14, 1994

What does the well-dressed football player wear? . . .

If he is a Ram, it is a replica of the uniform worn by the 1951 team that remains the only one in Los Angeles franchise history to have won an NFL title. . . .

The gold jerseys, blue numerals, and white pants will make a return appearance Sunday for the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Anaheim Stadium. . . .

Now, if the Rams can only flash some of that 1951 form. . . .

The offense was one of the most exciting ever, averaging 32 points and featuring the passing of Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield, the receiving of Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch and Tom Fears, and the rushing of the Bull Elephant backfield of Deacon Dan Towler, Tank Younger and Dick Hoerner. . . . Van Brocklin completed 100 of 194 passes for 1,725 yards and 13 touchdowns. Waterfield completed 88 of 176 for 1,566 yards and 13 touchdowns. The league passing championship in those days was determined by yards per attempt. Champion Waterfield edged runner-up Van Brocklin, 8.90 to 8.89. . . .

No wonder there was a quarterback controversy. . . .

Coach Joe Stydahar’s team went 8-4 to win the National Conference title and then defeated the American Conference champion Cleveland Browns, 24-17, in the NFL title game before 57,522 at the Coliseum. . . .

That’s right, postseason play consisted of exactly one game. . . .

Most distinctive about the uniform, which will be worn again as part of the league’s 75th anniversary celebration, were the Rams’ horns on the helmet. . . .

One night during the 1948 season, running back Fred Gehrke, who had been an art major in college, went home and painted horns on what he thought was an uninteresting piece of headgear. . . .

His teammates approved of the new look and the design has remained to this day. . . .

Gehrke will be one of Georgia Frontiere’s guests Sunday along with former Rams Hirsch, Fears, Towler, Younger, Hoerner, Don Paul, Howard (Red) Hickey, Henry Thompson, Woodley Lewis, Bob Boyd, Stan West and Jim Benton and former general manager Tex Schramm. . . .

Benton set an NFL one-game record for receiving yardage--303 against the Detroit Lions in 1945--that wasn’t broken until 40 years later by Stephone Paige of the Kansas City Chiefs. . . . The current record holder is the Rams’ Flipper Anderson, who caught passes for 336 yards against New Orleans on Nov. 26, 1989, and would settle for a fraction of that Sunday against the 49ers. . . .

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It should come as absolutely no surprise that UCLA will be playing in September against a Nebraska team that is ranked first in one poll and second in the other. . . .

In 1983, the Bruins lost to

No. 1 Nebraska on Sept. 24 at Lincoln, 42-10. . . .

In 1984, the Bruins lost to

No. 1 Nebraska on Sept. 22 at the Rose Bowl, 42-3. . . .

In 1987, the Bruins lost to

No. 2 Nebraska on Sept. 12 at Lincoln, 42-33. . . .

In 1988, the Bruins beat No. 2 Nebraska on Sept. 10 at the Rose Bowl, 41-28. . . .

Last Sept. 18, the Cornhuskers were ranked a lowly eighth when they beat the Bruins at the Rose Bowl, 14-13. . . .

It’s terrible how television can dictate the starting times of football games. Prime Ticket has decided to televise the USC-Baylor game Sept. 24 at the Coliseum, meaning a change was made Monday on the kickoff time from 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. What about the fan who had shelled out good money for tickets and made plans for that evening? . . .

You could have watched live college football on the tube nonstop from 9 a.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday. . . .

John Elway was 15-18 as a starting quarterback at Stanford. . . .

Those two touchdown catches against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday might start turning it around for former Trojan Curtis Conway, who has been a disappointment with the Chicago Bears. . . .

Maybe putting William Perry in the backfield would solve the Eagles’ short yardage-for-a-touchdown rushing problems. The Fridge has experience, you know. . . .

If Julio Cesar Chavez beats Meldrick Taylor and Frankie Randall defeats Juan Coggi as expected Saturday night, Chavez and Randall will be rematched Dec. 10. . . .

The two best of the six title fights on the MGM Grand card should be World Boxing Council super featherweight champion James Leija vs. Gabriel Ruelas and International Boxing Federation welterweight champion Felix Trinidad vs. Yory Boy Campas. . . .

Those four fighters have a combined record of 145-2-2. . . .

The new heavyweight sensation is Michael Nunn, who weighed 195 pounds the other night. . . . I wonder what the Dodgers’ magic number is.