1948 NFL Championship Game

none November 2013 nflc 1948 Chicago Cardinals CHC File:1948ChampionshipGameProgram.jpg Philadelphia Eagles PHI Jimmy Conzelman Greasy Neale Western Eastern 11–1 9–2–1 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 December 19, 1948 Shibe Park Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Chicago by 3½ points Ronald Gibbs 36,309 (paid); 28,864 (actual) ABC Harry Wismer, Red Grange Cardinals: Jimmy Conzelman (coach), Charley Trippi Eagles: Greasy Neale (coach), Pete Pihos, Steve Van Buren, Alex Wojciechowicz USA 1 Shibe Park  39.996 -75.165 Location in the United States 5 290 The 1948 NFL Championship Game was the 16th title game of the National Football League (NFL), played at Shibe Park in Philadelphia on December 19.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1948/12/19/page/55/article/cards-seek-their-second-from-eagles Chicago Sunday Tribune Smith Wilfrid Cards seek their second from Eagles December 19, 1948 1, part 2http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1948/12/20/page/43/article/browns-win-49-7-eagles-jar-cards-7-0 Chicago Daily Tribune Smith Wilfrid Browns win, 49-7; Eagles jar cards, 7-0 December 20, 1948 43https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bE4aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xiMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2109%2C7188840 Milwaukee Journal Kuechle Oliver E. Eagles beat Cardinals for title in snowstorm December 20, 1948 6, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gW5IAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Cw4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7265%2C6492680 Milwaukee Sentinel Associated Press Eagles plow over Cardinals, 7-0, for National loop title December 20, 1948 3, part 2 The game was a rematch of the previous year's title game between the defending champion, the Chicago Cardinals (11–1), champions of the Western Division, and the Philadelphia Eagles (9–2–1), champions of the Eastern Division. The Cardinals were slight favorites, at 3½ points despite losing quarterback Paul Christman with a fractured wrist injury.https://goldenrankings.com/nflchampionshipgame1948.html 1948 NFL Championship Game https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jhMNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5366%2C4442721 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Associated Press Cards given slight edge over Eagles December 18, 1948 12 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c40hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_ZcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4029%2C869153 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania INS Cards favored over Eagles for grid crown December 19, 1948 41 It was the first NFL championship game to be televised. Due to heavy snowfall, the grounds crew needed the help of players from both teams to remove the tarp from the field.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fy8bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Nk0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6066%2C2063081 Pittsburgh Press Biederman Lester J. Eagles up, Cards down; score 7-0 December 20, 1948 22 NFL Top 10 – bad weather games. Broadcast NFL Network 27/10/08 The opening kickoff was delayed a half-hour until 2 p.m., and three extra officials were called into service to assist with out-of-bounds calls. The stadium lights were also turned on for the entire game. The Eagles won their first NFL Championship, defeating the Cardinals 7–0 with a final quarter touchdown. It was also the first championship for Philadelphia since 1926, when the Frankford Yellow Jackets won the league championship on standings,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dI0hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_ZcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4775%2C1147995 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania Associated Press Thompson hailed as hero of new NFL champs December 20, 1948 18 (the Championship Game was introduced in 1933). Game summary The game (also known as the Philly Blizzard) was played in Philadelphia during a significant snowstorm. Bert Bell, the NFL commissioner (and former Eagles owner), had considered postponing the game, but the players for both teams wanted to play the game. The snow began at daybreak and by kickoff the accumulation was 4 in cm at a temperature of 27 F. The paid attendance for the game was 36,309, but the actual turnout at Shibe Park was 28,864.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jxMNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4779%2C4703773 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sell Jack Eagles beat Cardinals for title 7-0 December 20, 1948 18 It was a scoreless game until early in the fourth quarter when, after Chicago had fumbled in their own end of the field, the Eagles recovered the fumble that set up Steve Van Buren's five-yard touchdown at 1:05 into the fourth quarter. The game ended with the Eagles deep in Chicago territory. Eagles head coach Greasy Neale gave a majority of the credit for the win to veteran quarterback Tommy Thompson.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JdxXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zvUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2540%2C2090625 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington United Press Fraley Oscar Gridders are numbed in snow-driven game December 20, 1948 19 With only five pass completions on 23 attempts for both teams, the game was completed in two hours and two minutes. Scoring summary text-align:center; background:#eee Philadelphia Eagles 7, Chicago Cardinals 0 December 19, 1948 2 p.m. EST Cardinals 0 0 0 0 Eagles 0 0 0 7 Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 36,309 (paid); 28,864 (actual) Pro-Football-Reference.com First quarter no scoring Second quarter no scoring Third quarter no scoring Fourth quarter PHI – Steve Van Buren 5-yard run (Cliff Patton kick). Eagles 7–0 Top passers CHI – Ray Mallouf – 3/7, 35 yards PHI – Tommy Thompson – 2/12, 7 yards, 2 INT Top rushers CHI – Elmer Angsman – 10 rushes, 33 yards PHI – Steve Van Buren – 26 rushes, 98 yards, 1 TD Top receivers CHI – Billy Dewell – 1 reception, 16 yards PHI – Pete Pihos – 2 receptions, 7 yards Statistics Source:https://www.profootballresearchers.org/articles/1948_NFL_Championship.pdf 1948 NFL Championship Pro Football January 26, 2024 April 12, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190412035112/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/articles/1948_NFL_Championship.pdf dead Statistics Philadelphia ChicagoFirst downs 16 5Rushing yards225 100Passing yards 7 38Passing (C–A–I) 2–12–2 3–11–1Punts–yards 5-183 8-298 Fumbles–lost 1-13-2Penalties–yards 3-17 4-33 Officials Referee: Ronald Gibbs Umpire: Samuel Wilson Head linesman: Charlie Berry Back judge: Robert Austin Field judge: William McHugh 4em The NFL added the fifth official, the back judge, in 1947; the line judge arrived in 1965, and the side judge in 1978. Players' shares The gross receipts for the game, including radio and television rights, were just under $224,000 224000 1948. Each player on the winning Eagles team received $1,540 1540 1948, while each Cardinals player made $879 879 1948.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jxMNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h2oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5204%2C4708194 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Associated Press Each Eagle gets $1,540.84 December 20, 1948 18https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bE4aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xiMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2197%2C7191776 Milwaukee Journal Associated Press The swag December 20, 1948 6, part 2 Aftermath Eagles' owner Lex Thompson was in the hospital for appendicitis during the game.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bE4aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xiMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3594%2C7185616 Milwaukee Journal Associated Press Bedridden owner of Eagles cheered by club's victory December 20, 1948 6, part 2 He sold the team a few weeks after this game to the Happy Hundred syndicate for $250,000 (equal to $US 250000 1949 c today),http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1949/01/16/page/59/article/syndicate-buys-eagles-for-250-000 Chicago Sunday Tribune Associated Press Syndicate buys Eagles for $250,000 January 16, 1949 1, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HPQ-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=Vk0MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5479%2C1039853 Tuscaloosa News Associated Press Eagles sold to syndicate led by Clark January 16, 1949 6 and died six years later of a heart attack at the age of 43.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1954/12/21/page/40/article/thompson-43-ex-owner-of-eagles-dies Chicago Daily Tribune Thompson, 43, ex-owner of Eagles, dies December 21, 1954 4, part 3 The Eagles repeated as champions in 1949, winning in mud and heavy rain in Los Angeles. This 1948 game was the only time Shibe Park hosted an NFL Championship Game, as Franklin Field was the site for the Eagles' third Championship win in 1960, and they won their fourth NFL title in Super Bowl LII at Minneapolis in February 2018. This game was the Cardinals' last appearance in any NFL Championship Game until Super Bowl XLIII in February 2009: the Cardinals had to beat the Eagles in the 2008 NFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl. This game was the lowest scoring of any NFL Championship Game, the only one with only one score, and the only one to be won with a single-digit score. It remains the second-lowest scoring postseason game in NFL history, eclipsed only by the Dallas Cowboys' 5–0 win over the Detroit Lions in 1970. References 2 39.996 -75.165 type:event title Championship Game, 1948 Category:American football competitions in Philadelphia Category:NFL Championship games Category:Chicago Cardinals postseason Category:Philadelphia Eagles postseason NFL Championship Game NFL Championship Game NFL Championship Game, 1948 Category:Sports competitions in Philadelphia