1944 Chicago Bears season

NFL team season March 2026 March 2023 441105-Bears-Packers-program.jpg Chicago Bears 1944 6–3–1 T-2nd NFL Western George Halas Hunk AndersonLuke Johnsos Wrigley Field Did not qualify Bears seasons The 1944 season was the Chicago Bears' 25th in the National Football League. The team was co-coached by Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos with Paddy Driscoll as the assistant coach. They placed second in the Western Division with a record of 6–3–1, which was tied with the Detroit Lions and trailed the Green Bay Packers. The Bears totaled the second highest tally of points scored and the sixth fewest points conceded.1944 Chicago Bears Game Log https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1944/gamelog/ Pro Football Reference April 20, 2020 The Bears were unable to reach the postseason for the first time since 1939 and were unsuccessful in claiming their fourth title of the 1940s.1944 Chicago Bears Game Log https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1944/gamelog/ Pro Football Reference April 20, 2020 Playing from their home stadium of Wrigley Field, the Bears had to deal with many players leaving the league to serve in World War II.Boden Chris A History Of The Bears Who Served During World War II http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/chicago-bears/history-bears-who-served-during-world-war-ii https://web.archive.org/web/20180108175056/http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/chicago-bears/history-bears-who-served-during-world-war-ii live January 8, 2018 NBC Sports May 29, 2017 March 21, 2020 1944 All-Star Game The 1944 Chicago College All-Star Game between the Bears and All-Stars was presented in a similar method to the 1943 game. The selection of coaches and players for the College All-Star team was based on the classic games of the previous years and was not dictated by votes from supporters. At the beginning of August, the coach of the collegiate team was revealed to be Lynn Waldorf from Northwestern. His assistants were Jeff Cravath, Bo McMillin, Wes Fry and Henry Frinka. These coaches were responsible for the largest-ever College All-Star squad of 71 individuals. Many of their players were on furlough from their military service and were therefore in prime fitness. On August 30, this collegiate team would play the Chicago Bears at Northwestern University's Dyche Stadium.Schmidt Raymond Football's Stars Of Summer: A History Of The College All-Star 2001 Scarecrow Press 73 In the build-up to the match, the All-Stars trained at Dyche Stadium while the Bears trained at Collegeville, Indiana. On August 22, the Bears "received a big boost when star quarterback Sid Luckman was able to report to training camp".Schmidt Raymond Football's Stars Of Summer: A History Of The College All-Star 2001 Scarecrow Press 74 Luckman had been permitted to return from Sheepshead Bay where he was involved in Maritime Service to participate in the All-Star match. This resulted in the Bears being tipped favorites as a 9–5 in the betting line with the addition of the quarterback. However, the Bears were missing key players of Danny Fortmann, Lee Artoe and Hampton Pool. The match sold out with approximately 50,000 people in attendance that mainly featured fans from Chicago due to travel restrictions in wartime. Broadcasting was nation-wide through the WGN (AM) and Mutual radio networks.Schmidt Raymond Football's Stars Of Summer: A History Of The College All-Star 2001 Scarecrow Press 75 The Chicago Bears just managed to win the 1944 All-Star match and Francis J. Powers stated in the Chicago Daily News that it was “Not the crushing Bears of other years, but still the Bears, the National Football League Champions”.Schmidt Raymond Football's Stars Of Summer: A History Of The College All-Star 2001 Scarecrow Press 77 Draftees 1944 NFL draft Chicago Bears 1944 1 9 Ray Evans Tailback Kansas yes 3 24 Rudy Smeja End Michigan yes 5 40 Abe Croft End SMU yes 6 51 Clair B. Stanley Tackle Tulsa yes 7 62 Darwin Steeley Center Stanford no 8 73 Randall Fawcett Back Stanford no 9 84 Jack Morton End Purdue yes 10 95 Bill Starford Center Wake Forest no 11 106 Lin Houston Guard Ohio State yes 12 117 J. P. Moore Back Vanderbilt no 13 128 Bill Duffey End Georgetown no 14 139 Joe Hartley Tackle LSU no 15 150 Bill Milner Linebacker Duke yes 16 161 Buckets Hirsch Quarterback Northwestern yes 17 172 Ed Ryckeley End Georgia Tech no 18 183 Howdy Plasman Back Miami no 19 194 Barry French Guard Purdue yes 20 205 Paul Taylor Back USC no 21 216 Bob Margarita Halfback Brown yes 22 227 Ed Davis Back Oklahoma no 23 238 Dick Jamison Tackle USC no 24 249 Jack Bortka Back Kansas State no 25 260 Roy Ruskusky End St Mary's yes 26 271 Harry Franck Back Northwestern no 27 282 Jack McKewan Tackle Alabama no 28 194 Charlie Mitchell Halfback Tulsa yes 29 304 Pat Boyle Guard Wisconsin no 30 315 Bernie Pepper Tackle Missouri no 31 321 Karl Vogt Tackle Villanova no 32 327 Bob Endres Tackle Colgate no 1944 Chicago Bears Draftees https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1944_draft.htm Pro Football Reference April 28, 2020 Impact of World War II The Bears had 45 individuals leave the club to serve in the United States Armed Forces during World War II. Owner and coach George Halas left his role as Bears coach at the end of the 1942 campaign to join the Navy. At the time of the 1944 season, he operated in the Pacific Ocean where he later received a Bronze Star. The official program of the Bears–Pittsburgh Steelers on December 3 praised how despite Halas' departure, the team was still impressive as "[t]hey have helped the paid-to-play game reach the popular height it now attains, thanks to the astuteness, showmanship and business ability of George Halas". Ed McCaskey, Halas' son-in-law and longtime Chicago Bears executive, also achieved a Bronze Star when fighting in the Army. In Halas' place, Luke Johnsos and Hunk Anderson served as co-head coaches. Following the 1943 season, Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman volunteered for military service in the United States Merchant Marine. As he remained in the United States for his service in 1944, he was allowed to be involved in Bears' games on weekends. Luckman was responsible for transporting gasoline in a tanker to Europe, as well as transferring soldiers from Britain to France at the time of the invasion of Normandy in June. That season, he was only able to return and participate in seven games.Hybl Dean Remembering the NFL On December 7, 1941 http://sportsthenandnow.com/2011/12/06/remembering-the-nfl-on-december-7-1941/ Sports Then and Now December 6, 2011 April 26, 2020 Notably that season, Luckman was able to provide an 86-yard pass to Ray McLean for a touchdown against the Boston Yanks. The Steelers game featured a tribute to those serving. Another two Bears Hall of Famers, Joe Stydahar and Dan Fortmann served in the United States Navy during the season. Fortmann then finished his residency and became the team physician for the Los Angeles Rams until 1963.Anton Toddy Nowlin Bill When Football Went To War 2013 Triumph Books 112–113 Regular season The 1944 season was the third full competition that coincided with World War II. The rosters of many teams were becoming depleted after players were drafted or volunteered for service.Anton Toddy Nowlin Bill When Football Went To War 2013 Triumph Books 23 The Bears–Steelers game program read, "The big, bad Chicago Bears may not be as ferocious this year as they have been in the past, but if a popularity contest were to be held by pro football followers throughout the country, they would still vote the Bears the most appealing team."The 1944 Chicago Bears http://www.steelersuk.com/steelers/forties/44%20b%20dec%20v%20bears.htm Steelers UK April 29, 2020 The Bears were unable to replicate their winning season of the previous year in 1943. After losing 19 out of the 28 players from the previous year to leave and serve in the war, the Bears had difficulty recruiting. One of the Bears' co-coaches, Luke Johnsos, stated that the club "signed up anybody who could run around the field twice."Algeo Matthew Last Team Standing: How The Steelers And The Eagles—"The Steagles"—Saved Pro Football During World War II 2013 Chicago Review Press 978-0306815768 210 In spite of this, the Steelers game's program also praised the ability of the Chicago team, highlighting that "[t]he Bears still can flash the old time power as witness their thundering 28 to 7 upset over the high-flying Philadelphia Eagles only last Sunday when the Eagles were made the favorites. The Bears on their best day, weak or not, can whip any football team in the country. Records go to prove this. Beyond that they are colorful and crowd appealing." Schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 September 24 at Green Bay Packers L 28–42 0–1 City Stadium 24,362 Recap —Bye 2 October 8 at Cleveland Rams L 19–7 0–2 League Park 15,750 Recap 3 October 15 Card-Pitt W 34–7 1–2 Wrigley Field 29,940 Recap 4 October 22 Detroit Lions T 21–21 1–2–1 Wrigley Field 23,835 Recap 5 October 29 Cleveland Rams W 28–21 2–2–1 Wrigley Field 23,644 Recap 6 November 5 Green Bay Packers W 21–0 3–2–1 Wrigley Field 45,553 Recap 7 November 12 Boston Yanks W 21–7 4–2–1 Wrigley Field 19,374 Recap 8 November 19 at Detroit Lions L 41–21 4–3–1 Briggs Stadium 21,960 Recap 9 November 26 at Philadelphia Eagles W 28–7 5–3–1 Shibe Park 34,035 Recap 10 December 3 at Card-Pitt W 49–7 6–3–1 Forbes Field 9,069 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Standings Season statistics The Bears tallied a total of 258 points scored, the second most in the league. The rushing and passing offenses were each ranked second, while the team recorded the third best kicking and punting statistics.1944 Chicago Bears Statistics & Players https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1944.htm Pro Football Reference March 21, 2020 On defense, the Bears conceded 172 points across the season and ranked sixth in the league for their defensive statistics. The team were able to achieve 3,167 yards in the season and concede 2006 yards against them. They ranked first in the league for the number of yards in offense and second for the number of yards in defense. Roster 1944 Chicago Bears final rosterQuarterbacks  8 Bill Glenn S 33 Johnny Long RB/S 42 Sid Luckman P/S  6 Gene Ronzani S Ends/Receivers 23 Connie Mack Berry 12 Abe Croft 76 Elmo Kelly 51 Rudy Smeja 30 George Wilson Linemen/Linebackers 46 Al Babartsky T/DT 17 Pete Gudauskas G/DG/K 26 Al Hoptowit T/DT 20 Fred Mundee C/LB 16 George Musso G/DG 82 Tom Roberts T/DT 19 Dom Sigillo T/DT  7 Ed Sprinkle G/DG 13 Jake Sweeney T/DT 66 Bulldog Turner C/LB 14 George Zorich G/DG Backs  2 Gary Famiglietti FB/LB  3 Jim Fordham FB/LB 32 Al Grygo RB/CB 44 Bob Margarita RB/CB 37 Bob Masters FB/LB 29 Doug McEnulty RB/CB/P 57 Ray McLean RB/CB  4 Tipp Mooney RB/CB Reserve 25 Ray Nolting RB/CB (IR) 7px Rookies in italics References Chicago Bears Category:Chicago Bears seasons Chicago Bears Category:1944 in Chicago