and 1947 behind an offensive attack that featured quarterback Otto Graham, fullback Marion Motley and ends Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie. Serving as a backup to Motley, Cline ran for 129 yards in 1948, when Cleveland went undefeated and won the AAFC championship for the third time in a row. Despite Cline's ties to Brown and Ohio State, Cleveland traded him to the Buffalo Bills after the season. He responded by turning in the best year of his professional career, running for 518 yards and three touchdowns. The Bills faced the Browns three times that year, tying twice and losing once in a playoff game. Buffalo finished with a 5–5–2 record and did not reach the league championship game. The AAFC folded after the 1949 season, but three teams were merged into the NFL: the Browns, Baltimore Colts and San Francisco 49ers. With the folding of the Bills, Cline was placed in the 1950 AAFC Dispersal Draft and taken in the second round (No. 19 overall) by the New York Giants, but was traded by New York to the Detroit Lions for end Kelly Mote. Cline played for the Lions for four seasons. Led by quarterback Bobby Layne and halfback Doak Walker, the Lions won the NFL championship in 1952 and 1953, beating the Browns both times. Later career and death After his playing career, Cline received a master's degree in education from Ohio's Wittenberg University in 1965. His educational career took him to posts at school systems in Springfield, Ohio, Sidney, Ohio, Mount Vernon, Ohio and Prescott, Arizona. By the early 1970s, he was principal of North Union High School in Richwood, Ohio. He also served as the dean of men at Urbana College in Urbana, Ohio. Cline was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame and named to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team in 2000. He died in 2001. His hometown of Fredericktown declared January 20, 2001 "Ollie Cline Day" in his honor. References Bibliography 1925 births 2001 deaths American football running backs Buffalo Bills (AAFC) players Cleveland Browns (AAFC) players Detroit Lions players Ohio State Buckeyes football players People from Mount Vernon, Ohio People from Fredericktown, Ohio Military personnel from Ohio United States Army personnel of World War II