1950 Pittsburgh Steelers season

1950 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head coach	John Michelosen
Owner	Rooney family
Home field	Forbes Field
Results
Record	6–6
Division place	3rd (tied) American
Playoff finish	did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	3 HB Joe Geri FB Jerry Shipkey C Bill Walsh
AP All-Pros	Joe Geri (1st team)

The 1950 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 18th season in the National Football League (NFL). It was the team's third season under head coach John Michelosen who had led the team to a combined 10–13–1 record over the previous two years.^[1]

Despite finishing last in the league in scoring, the team compiled a 6–6 record which left them tied for third place among the six teams in the NFL's American Conference.^[2] The Steelers were the league's only team that employed the single wing; most of the league's other franchises had switched to the T formation.^[3]

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Time (ET)	Result
1	September 17, 1950	New York Giants	2:00 pm	L 7–18
2	September 24, 1950	at Detroit Lions	2:00 pm	L 7–10
3	October 1, 1950	at Washington Redskins	2:00 pm	W 26–7
4	October 7, 1950	Cleveland Browns	evening	L 17–30
5	October 15, 1950	at New York Giants		W 17–6
6	October 22, 1950	Philadelphia Eagles	2:00 pm	L 10–17
7	October 29, 1950	at Cleveland Browns		L 7–45
8	November 5, 1950	at Philadelphia Eagles		W 9–7
9	November 12, 1950	Baltimore Colts		W 17–7
10	Bye
11	November 23, 1950	at Chicago Cardinals		W 28–17
12	December 3, 1950	Washington Redskins		L 7–24
13	December 10, 1950	Chicago Cardinals		W 28–7

Bold text equals notable games during the season. Italic text equals upset win.

Standings

NFL American Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Cleveland Browns	10	2	0	.833	8–2	310	144	W6
New York Giants	10	2	0	.833	8–2	268	150	W6
Pittsburgh Steelers	6	6	0	.500	5–5	180	195	W1
Philadelphia Eagles	6	6	0	.500	4–6	254	141	L4
Chicago Cardinals	5	7	0	.417	3–6	233	287	L1
Washington Redskins	3	9	0	.250	1–8	232	326	L1

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

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday September 17, 1950): New York Giants

	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	0	2	0	16	18
Steelers	0	0	7	0	7

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 2:00 pm^[3]
• Game weather: Clear, mid- to high-sixties^[4]
• Game attendance: 24,699^[5]
• Referee: John Glascott (University of Pennsylvania)^[3]
• Radio announcer: Joe Tucker (WPIT)^[3]
• TV announcer: not televised

Scoring Drives:

• New York Giants – Safety, Hartley tackled in end zone by Roberts
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Geri kick)
• New York Giants – Safety, punt snapped out of end zone
• New York Giants – Landry 37 fumble run (Poole kick)
• New York Giants – DeRogatis fumble recovery in end zone (Poole kick)

Week 2 (Sunday September 24, 1950): Detroit Lions

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	7	0	7
Lions	0	0	0	10	10

at University of Detroit Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

• Game time: 2:00 pm^[6]
• Game weather: cold and dreary^[7]
• Game attendance: 18,707^[7]
• Referee: Yans Wallace^[7]
• Radio announcer: Joe Tucker (WPIT)^[6]
• TV announcer: not televised

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Nickel 43 pass from Gage (Geri kick)
• Detroit – Walker 11 pass from Layne (Walker kick)
• Detroit – FG Walker 20

Week 3 (Sunday October 1, 1950): Washington Redskins

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	3	7	7	9	26
Redskins	7	0	0	0	7

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

• Game time: 2:00pm^[8]
• Game weather: Hot, sunny^[9]
• Game attendance: 25,008^[9]
• Referee: Sam Giangreco^[9]
• Radio announcer: Joe Tucker (WPIT)^[6]
• TV announcer: not televised

Scoring Drives:

• Washington – Taylor 70 pass from Gilmer (Dudley kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Geri 40
• Pittsburgh – Gage 5 run (Geri kick)
• Pittsburgh – Nickel 28 pass from Geri (Geri kick)

Week 4 (Saturday October 7, 1950): Cleveland Browns

	1	2	3	4	Total
Browns	7	14	2	7	30
Steelers	3	0	7	7	17

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: evening^[10]
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 35,399^[10]
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Geri 30-yard FG
• Cleveland – Graham 1 run (Groza kick)
• Cleveland – Graham 1 run (Groza kick)
• Cleveland – Jones 7 run (Groza kick)
• Cleveland – Safety, Chandnois tackled in end zone by Kissell
• Pittsburgh – Seabright 13 pass from Geri (Geri kick)
• Cleveland – Jones 48 run (Groza kick)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Geri kick)

Week 5 (Sunday October 15, 1950): New York Giants

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	3	0	7	17
Giants	0	0	6	0	6

at Polo Grounds, New York, New York

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 21,725
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Nickel 58 pass from Geri (Geri kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Geri 21
• New York Giants – Scott 33 pass from Conerly (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – Shipkey 1 run (Geri kick)

Week 6 (Sunday October 22, 1950): Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	0	0	7	10	17
Steelers	0	0	10	0	10

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 2:00pm^[11]
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 35,662
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:"

• Philadelphia – Willey 41 interception (Patton kick)
• Pittsburgh – Rogel 64 pass from Geri (Geri kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Geri 24
• Philadelphia – FG Patton 23
• Philadelphia – Van Buren 5 run (Patton kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 29, 1950): Cleveland Browns

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	0	7	7
Browns	7	10	14	14	45

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 40,714
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Cleveland – Graham 1 run (Groza kick)
• Cleveland – FG Groza 13
• Cleveland – Motley 33 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
• Cleveland – Motley 69 run (Groza kick)
• Cleveland – Phelps 14 run (Groza kick)
• Pittsburgh – Gage 29 pass from Gasparella (Geri kick)
• Cleveland – Jones 80 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
• Cleveland – Gillom 38 pass from Lewis (Groza kick)

Week 8 (Sunday November 5, 1950): Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	3	3	3	0	9
Eagles	0	7	0	0	7

at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 24,629
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Geri 11
• Philadelphia – Van Buren 1 run (Patton kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Geri 36
• Pittsburgh – FG Geri 13

Week 9 (Sunday November 12, 1950): Baltimore Colts

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	0	0	7	0	7
Steelers	10	7	0	0	17

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 24,141
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Geri 37
• PIttsburgh – Rogel 15 run (Geri kick)
• Pittsburgh – Gage 1 run (Geri kick)
• Baltimore – Spaniel 15 run (Grossman kick)

Week 11 (Thursday November 23, 1950): Chicago Cardinals

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	7	7	7	28
Cardinals	3	0	0	14	17

at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 11,622
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Geri 5 run (Geri kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – FG Harder 18
• Pittsburgh – Geri 4 run (Geri kick)
• Pittsburgh – Nuzum 1 run (Geri kick)
• Pittsburgh – Gage 13 run (Geri kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – Shaw 45 pass from Hardy (Harder kick)
• Chicago Cardinals – Polsfoot 22 pass from Hardy (Harder kick)

Week 12 (Sunday December 3, 1950): Washington Redskins

	1	2	3	4	Total
Redskins	7	10	0	7	24
Steelers	0	0	0	7	7

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 19,741
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Washington – Dudley 96 punt return (Dudley kick)
• Washington – Saenz 34 pass from Baugh (Dudley kick)
• Washington – FG Dudley 15
• Washington – Goode 5 run (Dudley kick)
• Pittsburgh – Nickel 65 pass from Geri (Geri kick)

Week 13 (Sunday December 10, 1950): Chicago Cardinals

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	7	0	0	0	7
Steelers	0	14	7	7	28

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 18,301
• Referee:
• TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

• Chicago Cardinals – Shaw 7 pass from Hardy (Harder kick)
• Pittsburgh – Rogel 40 run (Geri kick)
• Pittsburgh – Geri 33 pass from Gasparella (Geri kick)
• Pittsburgh – Nuzum 10 lateral from Nickel after 68 pass from Geri (Geri kick)
• Pittsburgh – Gage 48 pass from Gasparella (Geri kick)

References

1. "Franchise Encyclopedia: Pittsburgh Steelers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
2. "1950 Pittsburgh Steelers season". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
3. Sell, Jack (September 16, 1950). "Steelers set for league inaugural". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 12. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
4. "The Weather". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 18, 1950. p. 4. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
5. Sell, Jack (September 18, 1950). "Steelers lose on fumbles, 18–7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. pp. 22, 24. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
6. Livingston, Pat (September 24, 1950). "Steelers play Lions in Detroit". Pittsburgh Press. p. 44. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
7. Sell, Jack (September 25, 1950). "Lion rally beats Steelers, 10–7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. pp. 18, 20. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
8. Livingston, Pat (October 1, 1950). "Steelers must win to stay in race". Pittsburgh Press. p. 46. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
9. Sell, Jack (October 2, 1950). "Steelers top Redskins for first victory". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. pp. 1, 28. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
10. "Browns rebound, 30–17". Milwaukee Sentinel. AP. October 8, 1950. p. B-1. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
11. "Eagles preparing for tough battle Sunday". Beaver Valley Times. October 18, 1950. p. 14. Retrieved January 26, 2012.