Dec. 15, 1963 - The NFL crown the Green Bay Packers have worn for two years was taken away today when the division races ended and the Packers finished second in the Western Conference. The dethroned champions, who concluded their season with a 21-17 triumph over the 49ers in San Francisco yesterday, were flying home when they heard their chances for an unprecedented third straight championship had been dashed by the Bears’ 24-14 victory over the Lions. The dethroned Packers took the news like champions. Jim Ringo, the grizzled 11-year center, spoke for his teammates. “You can’t take anything away from those guys,” said Ringo, alluding to the Bears. “They beat us twice, and they deserve it.” “What can you say?” said the defensive back, Hank Gremminger. “We should have beaten them ourselves. You can’t depend on someone else for help. But it is hard to believe that we’re not going to be in the title game after finishing with our record.” “If you can go through this season with only one loss, you deserve the title,” said a guard, Fred Thurston (left). “It was just the Bears’ year, I guess.” There were some of the Packers who didn’t care to comment, and that included coach Vince Lombardi. The Packers still have a postseason appearance remaining — the Playoff Bowl in Miami Jan. 5 when they will meet the Cleveland Browns. It will be the first date for the Packers in the game for second-place teams. The Browns lost to Detroit, 17-16, in the inaugural in 1961. Somebody once said that going to the Playoff Bowl with Lombardi “would be like going to a funeral.” But the bowl game will not be completely without merit, as it matches two of the best fullbacks in the league — the Packers’ Jim Taylor and the Browns’ Jim Brown. Taylor was the rushing and scoring champion a year ago, and Brown took the ground gaining title back this year. The Packers will head for their homes across the country for the holidays and assemble in Florida a week before the game.
