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NEW YORK (AP) -On Dec. 28, 1958, a teenager grabbed an early train from New York to Philadelphia to watch on television as his beloved Giants played the Baltimore Colts in the NFL championship game at Yankee Stadium - in those years, all home games were blacked out in the area where they were played.
A few hours later, a friend called the youth's home to say he had gotten tickets. Too late. The teenager - me - watched a 17-inch black-and-white tube as John Unitas drove Baltimore down the field for the tying score, then Alan Ameche went in from a yard out in overtime to give the Colts a 23-17 victory.
It was a great game. But was it the greatest?
Over the years, the title "greatest game ever played" has been bestowed on the Colts' victory, and later this season the NFL will celebrate its 50th anniversary. You can certainly make a case it was the greatest ever.
It was the first game decided in overtime, and involved 15 future Hall of Famers, six Colts, six Giants and three coaches - Weeb Ewbank of the Colts and assistants Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry of the Giants.
Because it was played in New York, it received the kind of attention the NFL rarely got in those years, when it took a back seat to baseball. The networks and advertising agencies took notice and the NFL began an upward climb that led to today's multi-billion dollar television contracts.
"All of a sudden the networks woke up and saw they had to have football," the late Roone Arledge noted. Twelve years later, as president of ABC sports, he was instrumental in bringing "Monday Night Football" to the nation.
The Colts-Giants game also helped turn a 12-team league into two leagues of 22 teams.
The NFL expanded in 1960 to Dallas and in '61 to Minnesota. In 1960, the eight-team American Football League was formed. The leagues would merge a decade later.
So make Colts-Giants the most important game every played.
But there were plenty of others that could contend for the title of "greatest" - whether that means epic, thrilling or even bizarre.
Here are some that have to be on the list. Apologies in advance if your favorite didn't make it.
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