• The San Francisco 49ers began the season with high hopes of winning the NFL Western Division for the first time ever. However, they started with a 20-10 loss to the Chicago Cardinals, one of the worst teams in the league.
• Their morale at a low ebb, the Niners now prepared for their in-state rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, one of the best teams in the NFL.
• Toward the end of a practice that had not gone well - receivers dropping balls, D lineman crashing through the O line - QB Y. A. Tittle got so frustrated that he simply threw the ball straight into the air with no receiver in mind. 6'3" rookie WR R. C. Owens, despite being surrounded by three DBs, leaped into the air and grabbed the ball before the defenders could react. No one was more surprised than Tittle. a 10-year veteran of pro ball.
• Someone on the sideline yelled, "Hey, that's our Alley-Oop play!" Alley Oop was the title character of a comic strip set in prehistoric times. It's not clear why the unknown person chose that name for the pass, but it stuck.

• The first Alley-Oop in a game came near the end of the first half with the 49ers leading 9-7 following a safety when the Rams fell on a botched handout in their own EZ.
• Joe Arenas returned the free kick to the Ram 45, and, with only 50 seconds on the clock, Tittle decided to unveil the Alley-Oop. He dropped back and aimed the ball at the corner of the EZ, throwing it as high as he could.
• DB Don Burroughs, an inch taller than Owens, went up with R. C. but the 49er yanked the ball right out of Don's hands for the score. All of a sudden, many in the capacity crowd of 59,637 at Kezar Stadium started yelling in unison, "Alley-Oop, Alley-Oop, Alley-Oop!"
• Los Angeles came back in the second half to take a 20-16 lead with less than three minutes remaining. But Tittle directed the 49ers drove to the LA 11.
• On second down, Y. A. stepped into the huddle and said, "We'll go for the Alley-Oop." As the former LSU star recalled, That's the first time (in the huddle) I ever called the play by name, and everybody knew what to do, especially Owens.
• R. C. jogged into the EZ and stopped next to DB Jesse Castete, who stood an inch short of 6'. Tittle counted to two, then heaved the ball almost straight up. All the players turned into spectators watching the ball reach its height, then descend into the EZ.
• Owens seemed nonchalant, but at the right moment he sprang up like a cat and came down with the ball hugged against his chest to secure the 23-20 victory.

• One of the officials askedduring the game, Hey, Y.A., when are you oing to throw one of those Alley-Oop passes? I've never seen the thing. How about the next play? Tittle replied.
• So he threw the ball up in the air as R.C. raced downfield and waited for the ball. As he vaulted into the air, he batted it out of the reach of the two Packer defenders, caught it on the rebound, and fell over the goal for the TD for the Niners' final points in a 24-14 triumph.
• The official who requested the play told Y.A., Thanks, Tittle, but don't try it again. The next time you'll be bringing down rain, and we've got a nice dry field here.

• With 1:20 left in the contest, the Lions took the lead 31-28 on Tobin Rote's 8y pass to Jim Doran. Many of the 49er faithful headed for the exits.
• Starting the possession on their 18, the 49ers moved into Lion territory on Tittle's short passes that enabled the receivers to get out of bounds.
• Finally, at the Detroit 41, Y.A. was close enough to try the Alley-Oop. Sensing what he might do, many departing fans stopped and stood in the aisles to watch.
• The four-man rush flushed Tittle out of the pocket. He had to run back to the 50 and toward the sideline just trying to get in position to let it fly.
• Meanwhile, R.C. ran down the right sideline closely covered by one of the best DBs in the league, Jim David.
• Finally, Tittle threw the ball higher and farther than I ever had before. Right after letting it go, he was knocked down and watched the rest of the play on his backside.
• Owens waited at the 1y with David and his DB buddy, Jack Christiansen, for company.
• All three leaped, but R.C. caught the ball and fell into the EZ with just 11 seconds left.
• The human kangaroo said afterward: I knew I had to catch that ball and I just went up there to get it. Asked if it was his greatest catch, he replied, It's got to be.
• 49ers coach Frankie Albert, Tittle's predecessor as the starting QB, declared: R.C. earned his salary with that one catch. And how about Tittle? It was Y.A.'s greatest game. I have never seen a quarterback past or present who could do the things he did today.

• Frisco started the scoring with a 34y Alley-Oop that Owens again caught over David.
• SF led 27-7 early in Q3 before Detroit caught fire when Rote entered the game and led Detroit to 28 straight points to earn the right to play the East titlists, the Cleveland Browns, for the championship.
• Continuing the momentum from the 49er game, the Lions clobbered Paul Brown's team 59-14.

• He made several more high-leaping catches but none as dramatic as the ones he snagged in '57. At one point, the coaching staff stationed him under the goal posts to try to bat down a FG attempt.
• R.C. finished ou this career with two seasons with the Colts and one with the Giants.
• Tittle played three more seasons in the City by the Bay but none as successful as '57.
• Wanting to turn the reins over to young John Brodie, the Niners traded Y.A. to the Giants, where he flourished for three seasons, including an appearance in the 1963 title game against the Bears.

R. C. Owens



Jim David

Coach Frankie Albert

Owens making an acrobatic TD catch in 1960

Owens blocking a FG with Colts

Tittle with the Giants