Jan. 10, 1965 - The 15th annual NFL Pro Bowl game today at the L.A. Coliseum was a one-sided affair as the favored Western stars mauled the best of the East, 34-14, before 60,598 fans on a gorgeous, sunlit day.
The West led at half, 17-7, and stormed to a 34-7 advantage early in the final period before easing up.
The 20-point spread equaled the severest lacing in the series, a 27-7 East loss in 1953 being comparable.
There is one obvious disparity between the divisions: the West defensive line and backs are simply too quick and muscular for the East’s offensive troops.
Gino Marchetti, Roger Brown, Willie Davis, Merlin Olsen, Deacon Jones, Joe Fortunato, Wayne Walker & Co. simply chewed up the East offensive line.
Cleveland’s famed fullback, Jim Brown, was contained until the issue was settled, while quarterbacks Frank Ryan of the Browns and Sonny Jurgensen of the Redskins were under constant pressure from the West front four.
Ryan suffered a shoulder separation on the first scrimmage play of the second half, when he was smeared by Marchetti, Baltimore’s fearsome end, who retired after today’s game, and Olsen, Los Angeles tackle. He was replaced by Jurgensen for the rest of the contest.
The East, which had made a resurgence this season by winning the NFL title game and Runner-up Bowl, also had its defensive woes.
Prime tormentor was scrambling quarterback Fran Tarkenton of Minnesota, who directed the West to a pair of second-quarter touchdowns and was named player of the game.
The starter, Johnny Unitas, was of course competent, but it was the freewheeling Tarkenton who caught the fancy of the fans.
Ryan’s injury was painful, but the Cleveland passer was able to jest afterward, noting that he was “more concerned about diagramming formulas on the blackboard” at Rice Institute, where he resumes graduate engineering studies soon, than about passing.
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