Nov. 15, 1964 - Rudy Bukich threw three touchdown passes today and led the Chicago Bears to a 34‐24 triumph over his former teammates, the Rams, before a throng of 61,115 in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Bukich, normally the No. 2 quarterback behind another ex-Ram, Billy Wade, played the entire game.
Bukich was tabbed by coach George Halas as the Bear quarterback as a reward for his sparkling performance in last week’s game against Baltimore. The Bears didn’t beat the Colts, but Bukich showed he was able to move the club when he replaced Wade at intermission.
The brisk bombardier made the most of his first Chicago starting assignment, taking the Bears on three long scoring marches and putting on a dazzling aerial show which left the Rams disorganized, disgruntled, and discouraged.
Afterward, the Rams admitted that the Bear switch to Bukich, who originally came into pro football as the Rams’ No. 2 draft choice in 1953, threw them into a real tizzy.
“All our defensive planning was keyed to Wade,” said coach Harland Svare, whose Rams absorbed their eighth defeat in a row by Chicago and second whipping of the season at the hands of the Bears. “Wade throws the long ball and takes a lot of time unloading. Bukich is notorious for unloading short passes in a hurry. It’s tough to red-dog such a passer. They did things to us that they never should’ve been able to do.”
The Rams have not been able to handle the Bears in Los Angeles since 1958.
Another ex‐Ram, Jon Arnett, had a great day, scoring one touchdown and gaining 86 yards on 27 carries.
Mike Ditka, one of the Bears’ fine pass-catching ends, said of Arnett’s game: “He was just fabulous. I just wish we could give him the blocking he deserves.”
The Rams frittered away their chance to win in the third period, when they fumbled the ball three times. The Bears scored two field goals and a touchdown after recovering the fumbles.
“I sort of thought I might get the call off of last week’s game,” admitted Bukich afterward, “but I wasn’t sure.”
“He called a beautiful game,” Halas said of Bukich, a thought echoed by his teammates, who voted him the coveted game ball.
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