the giants enjoyed a run of success over the next several years. led by league mvp quarterback charlie conerly, who passed for 1,706 yards, 14 touchdowns, and four interceptions, they finished 9–3 in 1959 and faced the colts in a championship game rematch. they lost again, this time in a far less dramatic game, 31–16. conerly struggled with age and injuries in 1960, and was replaced by george shaw. gifford was concussed in a vicious hit by chuck bednarik during a november game versus the philadelphia eagles, and missed the rest of the season, and the following season, as a result. the hit was so devastating, that after being taken to the locker room, gifford was given his last rites. the team still finished with a winning record at 6–4–2, but were led to acquire former san francisco 49ers quarterback y. a. tittle in the offseason. led by tittle and new head coach allie sherman, new york won three consecutive eastern division titles from 1961 to 1963. in 1961, they were beaten by the packers, 37–0 in the championship game. in 1962, they went into the championship game with a 12–2 record, and a nine-game winning streak; but lost to the packers again, 16–7. nonetheless, the giants had captivated new york by this time, even though the sold out game was played in single-digit weather with 35 mph winds, only 299 of the 65,000+ fans who bought tickets stayed home. before the 1962 season, gifford came out of his injury-forced retirement, saying he missed the game too much. he changed positions from halfback to flanker. during the season, tittle and wide receiver del shofner set still-standing team records when tittle threw for seven touchdowns and shofner amassed 269 receiving yards in the same game on october 28. after the season, the team traded two-time pro bowl defensive lineman roosevelt grier to the los angeles rams at his request; grier wanted to move to la to start his singing career.