Film, Motion Picture

World's Champion Detroit Lions 1953 Football Highlights

16mm black and white film "World's Champion Detroit Lions 1953 Football Highlights," produced by Tel Ra Productions for the Goebel Brewing Company. The film consists of highlights from six games from the Detroit Lion's 1953 season accompanied by narration by Jim Leaming.

The film opens with a stop motion animated commercial for Goebel 22, featuring Goebel's mascot Brewster the Rooster playing football.

After a title sequence, Detroit Lions announcer Van Patrick appears on screen in a library-like setting to introduce the film, and to promote Goebel beer. Each segment focusing on a particular game is introduced with Van Patrick turning a page listing the opposing team, venue, and date, in a large photo album-style book. And each segment is concluded with an illustration of Brewster the Rooster either celebrating or mourning beside a scoreboard with the final score.

The first portion of the film covers the Lions opening game at Briggs Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 27, 1953. Featured highlights in this game include an interception and touchdown by Lew Carpenter, a pass from Bobby Layne to Doak Walker, an advance to the 1-yard line made by Walker, a touchdown by Gene Gedman, a 55-yard run by Walker, a 43-yard touchdown by Leon Hart, a 36-yard advance by Hart. a pass from Robert Hoernschemeyer to Walker resulting in a touchdown, Cloyce Box advancing the ball 60 yards from a pass from Layne, a touchdown by Hoernschemeyer, and a tackle by Yale Lary.

The second game featured is the Lions against the San Francisco 49ers at Briggs Stadium on October 11, 1953. This segment begins with a short pan across the marching band in formation to spell "LIONS" across the field. Featured highlights that follow from the first half of the game include Bobby Layne making a 44-yard pass to Cloyce Box, a touchdown pass from Layne to Doak Walker, Blaine Earon advancing the ball after a failed 49ers field goal attempt, a successful field goal by Walker, an interception by Alek Torgersen, a 14-yard advance by Walker, a pass from Layne to Robert Hoernschemeyer followed by a touchdown by Hoernschemeyer on the next play. Halftime is marked with a shot a marching band spelling out "49ERS" on the field. A 36-yard touchdown by Leon Hart is among the highlights from the game's second half.

The third game highlighted on the film is the October 18, 1953 game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Lions, again at Briggs Stadium. A quick shot from before the coin toss features a marching band in formation in the shape of a football on the field. Noteworthy highlights here include a 27-yard gain from a pass from Bobby Layne to Doak Walker, a touchdown by Leon Hart, a 40-yard pass from Layne to Hart, a 40-yard field goal by Walker, a pass from Layne to Dorne Dibble, a field goal by Walker, a 24-yard advance by Gene Gedman, and a touchdown pass by Layne to Dibble.

The fourth featured game is the Lions at the 49ers on October 25, 1953. This portion opens with a shot of Bobby Layne in his sideline cape. Notable highlights in this section include a successive pair of passes from Bobby Layne to Doak Walker, a touchdown by Dorne Dibble after a pass from Layne, another pass from Layne to Walker, Layne faking a pass then running the ball 18 yards, Yale Lary advancing the ball after a fake punt, a touchdown by Ollie Cline, and a touchdown pass interception by Bob Smith.

The Lions at the Rams on November 1, 1953 is the fifth game included in the film. This segment opens with field-level footage of the teams taking the field. Highlights of note here include Jack Christiansen intercepting a pass then scoring a 92-yard touchdown (filmed in slow motion), and an 85-yard run by Jug Girard, a touchdown pass from Bobby Layne to Leon Hart (again in slow motion).

The film then returns to Patrick where he again promotes Gobel 22 before setting up the World Championship Game between the Lions and the Cleveland Browns at Briggs Stadium on December 27th, 1953. Highlights here include, Joe Schmidt and Les Bingaman gaining possession of the ball, Gene Gedman advancing the ball 7 yards, Doak Walker making the first touchdown, a interception leading to a 36-yard advance by Jim David, a nullified touchdown by Layne after a play where Walker returned his pass, a field goal by Walker, a 17-yard gain by Jim Doran after a pass from Layne, another pass by Layne to Doran, a touchdown pass by Layne to Doran that tied the game in the last quarter, and a successful conversion field goal by Walker that secured the lead.

The film then returns to Patrick in the library before credits run over footage of marching bands and on court celebration.

The film is spooled on a grey metal reel. The reel is contained within a grey metal canister with a label on the lid that reads, "1953 Detroit Lions' Highlights." The canister is within an olive-green mailing carton, with "Lions 1953 Hi-Lites Reel #1 (Revised)" handwritten on its address card.