1933 NFL Championship Game

1933 American football championship game August 2023 nflc 1933 1933 NFL Championship Program.jpg New York Giants NYG Chicago Bears CHI Eastern Western George Halas Steve Owen 11–3 10–2–1 21 23 0 7 7 7 3 3 10 7 December 17, 1933 Wrigley Field Chicago, Illinois 25,000 Giants: Tim Mara (owner/founder), Steve Owen (coach/player), Red Badgro, Ray Flaherty, Mel Hein, Ken Strong Bears: George Halas (owner/coach), Red Grange, Bill Hewitt, William R. Lyman, George Musso, Bronko Nagurski USA 1 Wrigley Field 41.948 -87.656 Location in the United States bottom 5 270 The 1933 NFL Championship Play-off Game was the first scheduled championship game of the National Football League (NFL) since its founding in 1920. It was played on December 17 at Wrigley Field in Chicago,http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1933/12/17/page/29/article/pick-u-s-champion-today-bears-vs-giants Chicago Tribune Smith Wilfrid Pick U.S. champion today: Bears vs. Giants December 17, 1933 1, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_U5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RQ0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6666%2C3034834 Milwaukee Sentinel Associated Press Dunkley Charles Bears meet Giants for pro crown today December 17, 1933 5B and the attendance was estimated at 25,000.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hAYkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3yEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6451%2C2436155 Milwaukee Journal Kuechle Oliver E. Bears beat Giants in sensational, ripsnorting game, 23 to 21 December 18, 1933 6, part 2 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8vAcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iEsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6445%2C6101693 Pittsburgh Press United Press Kirksey George Bears win pro title in thrill-packed game December 17, 1933 28 The game was between the champions of the league's newly created divisions: the Chicago Bears (10–2–1) of the Western Division and the New York Giants (11–3) of the Eastern Division. Chicago gained the home field due to a better winning percentage in the regular season;https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gwYkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3yEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6592%2C2076748 Milwaukee Journal Bears and Giants meet Sunday for pro crown December 17, 1933 2, sports after this year the home field alternated, with the Eastern Division champion hosting in even-numbered years and the Western in odd. Chicago scored the winning touchdown with less than two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, capping a 23–21 victory.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1933/12/18/page/23/article/bears-whip-giants-23-21-world-champions Chicago Tribune Smith Wilfrid Bears whip Giants, 23-21; world champions December 18, 1933 23https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7bVRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L2kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5172%2C3409881 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Chicago Tribune) Bears win pro grid league title December 18, 1933 14 It was the Bears' second consecutive championship and third under founder and head coach George Halas. Background Bears-Giants rivalry Before the 1933 season, new Boston Redskins owner George Preston Marshall suggested to the NFL's owners that the league make some rule changes to increase the excitement of the game, including allowing passing from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage, and returning the goal posts to the goal line (which was changed after the 1973 season). Marshall then made another proposal a couple of months later: split the ten-team league into two divisions (of five teams each) and have the division winners meet in a championship game. Although the owners were hesitant at first, and some believed that this brash new owner thought their game needed overhauling, the logic of his arguments won out, and they were implemented.Gottehrer. pg. 101–2 Before the season, the New York Giants acquired University of Michigan All-American quarterback Harry Newman, and versatile free agent halfback Ken Strong.Gottehrer. pg. 102–3 The Giants finished the regular season 11–3, first in the new "Eastern Division", and Newman, center Mel Hein, and Red Badgro were named first team All-NFL. Newman led the NFL in passes completed (53), passing yards (973), touchdown passes (11), and longest pass completion (78 yards), with his passing yards total setting an NFL record.Gottehrer. pg. 107Harry Newman https://web.archive.org/web/20140116201510/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NewmHa21.htm 2014-01-16 , football-reference.com, accessed December 6, 2010. The Bears went 10–2–1 and won the NFL's new Western Division, led by running backs Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski, and quarterbacked by Keith Molesworth. Nagurski and Grange combined for 810 yards rushing, and the game was the teams' third meeting of the season, with the Bears winning the teams' first regular-season match-up 14–10, and the Giants their second 3–0.1933 Chicago Bears, football-reference.com, accessed December 6, 2010. According to the Chicago Tribune, paid attendance for the game was "approximately 21,000, but several hundred more climbing the fences, the police politely turning their backs.""Hanley Hails Pro Passing Rule," Chicago Tribune, Dec. 18, 1933, p. 25. See also in same issue: "Bears Whip Giants, 23–21, World Champions ... 21,000 See Manders Kick 3 Field Goals," p. 23. Subsequent encyclopedic records peg game attendance at 26,000.Todd Bennett et al. (eds.), The NFL's Official Encyclopedic History of Professional Football. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977; p. 294Tod Maher and Bob Gill (eds.), The Pro Football Encyclopedia: Complete and Definitive Record of Professional Football. New York: Macmillan, 1987; p. 183. Before kickoff Newman informed officials he would be running several new trick plays in the game so they would not be confused when they saw them.1933 NFL Championship Game https://web.archive.org/web/20110208001729/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/story.aspx?story_id=2087 2011-02-08 , profootballhof.com, accessed December 6, 2010. Starters According to the Chicago Tribune,"Bears Whip Lions, 23–21; World Champions," Chicago Tribune, Dec. 18, 1933; p. 23. Uniform numbers from rosters at Pro-Football Reference. starting elevens for the two teams were: Chicago Bears — New York Giants Name Position NameBill Hewitt Left end Red BadgroLink Lyman Left Tackle Len GrantZuck Carlson Left Guard Butch GibsonOokie Miller Center Mel HeinJoe Kopcha Right Guard Potsy JonesGeorge Musso Right Tackle Bill OwenBill Karr Right End Ray Flaherty Carl Brumbaugh Quarterback Harry NewmanKeith Molesworth LHB Ken Strong Gene Ronzani RHB Dale Burnett Bronco Nagurski Fullback Bo Molenda Game summary thumb|right|New York Giants quarterback Harry Newman. The Giants called their first trick play, which was similar to another that was invented much later, early in the first quarter. A shift allowed Mel Hein, the team's center, to be an eligible receiver, but instead of passing the ball to him, after the snap, Newman handed it back to him and, pretending he still had it, dropped back as though he was going to pass. Hein, with the ball hidden under his jersey, ran from the Bears 45-yard line to their 15. Hein may have been able to gain more yards, but when he saw the open field in front of him he sprinted toward the goal line instead of waiting for his blockers like he was supposed to.Gottehrer. pgs. 107–8* Pervin. pg. 9 The Giants were unable to score on this drive, as Chicago's defense tightened and they missed a field goal. Jack Manders kicked a field goal late in the first quarter, and another in the middle of the second quarter to give the Bears a 6–0 lead.Gottehrer. pg. 108 New York responded with a drive in which a 30 yard run ball to Newman who then passed it back to Strong for a touchdown. Strong kicked the extra point making the game 21–16 Giants. Chicago drove to the New York 36-yard line on the ensuing drive, and Nagurski again attempted a jump pass. This time the Giants were ready for the play but were fooled when the receiver, Bill Hewitt, who they were prepared to tackle, lateraled the ball to Karr, who ran 31 yards for the touchdown with under two minutes remaining. Their successful extra point attempt gave them a 23–21 lead.Gottehrer. pg. 109 The Giants drove to their own 40-yard line on the game's final drive, but running back Dale Burnett missed a wide open Hein on another trick play. Burnett threw a wobbly pass to Hein who was standing uncovered on the Bears 30-yard line. On the game's final play Grange tackled Badgro before he could complete the lateral portion of the hook and ladder play New York was attempting. Grange diagnosed the play correctly, and wrapped up Badgro's arms rather than his legs so he could not pitch the ball to Burnett. The Bears repeated as champions with the victory, and the win marked George Halas' second title as head coach.Chicago Bears, football-reference.com, accessed December 5, 2010. Legacy In a story the following day, the Associated Press described it as "probably the most spectacular game of the year" and "a brilliant display of offensive power".Associated Press. https://archive.today/20130110224252/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=si0uAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZNUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3107,517077&dq=chicago+bears+new-york-giants&hl=en Bears Cop Pro Gridiron Title by 23–21 score, The Miami News, December 18, 1933, accessed December 5, 2010. The First Fifty Years, a 1969 book that chronicles the first half-century of the NFL, listed the 1933 NFL Championship game as the first of "Ten [Games] That Mattered."The First Fifty Years: A Celebration of the National Football League in its Fiftieth Season, Simon and Schuster, Inc., Copyright 1969, B0018NJUO00, p.160 The National Football League's first championship game was as good as it should have been," says the book. "There are great occasions and great games, but they rarely get together. In 1933, they did...[.] They were two good teams playing on a meterological [sic] accident, a good field in Chicago in December. About 25,000 came out, the largest crowd since Red Grange first came up, and the game they saw was worth the price." The book concludes that "the game had already shown the fast-moving, high-scoring excitement in pro football's future." Red Grange himself later called the game, "The greatest football game I ever saw or participated in."Gottehrer. pgs. 107–9 In 2019, for the NFL's 100th season, the game was named #51 on the list of the greatest NFL games ever played. text-align:center; background:#eee Chicago Bears 23, New York Giants 21 Giants 0 7 7 7 Bears 3 3 10 7 Sunday, December 17, 1933 Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois "approximately 21,000" to 26,000 1:45 p.m. CST Tommy Hughitt Pro-Football-Reference.com Scoring First quarter CHI – Jack Manders 16-yard field goal. Bears 3–0 Second quarter CHI – Jack Manders 40-yard field goal. Bears 6–0 NYG – Red Badgro 29-yard pass from Harry Newman (Ken Strong kick). Giants 7–6 Third quarter CHI – Jack Manders 15-yard field goal. Bears 9–7 NYG – Max Krause 1-yard run (Strong kick). Giants 14–9 CHI – Bill Karr 8-yard pass from Bronko Nagurski (Manders kick). Bears 16–14 Fourth quarter NYG – Ken Strong 8-yard pass from Harry Newman (Strong kick). Giants 21–16 CHI – Bill Karr 31-yard lateral from Bill Hewitt after 3-yard pass from Nagurski to Hewitt (Carl Brumbaugh kick). Bears 23–21 Top passers NYG – Harry Newman – 13/19, 209 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT CHI – George Corbett – 7/13, 169 yards, TD Top rushers NYG – Kink Richards – 5 rushes, 40 yards CHI – Gene Ronzani – 12 rushes, 73 yards Top receivers NYG – Dale Burnett – 5 receptions, 94 yards CHI – Carl Brumbaugh – 3 receptions, 88 yards Officials Referee: Tommy Hughitt Umpire: Bobby Cahn Head linesman: Dan Tehan Field judge: Robert Karch The NFL had only four game officials in 1933; the back judge was added in 1947, the line judge in 1965, and the side judge in 1978. Players' shares The gate receipts for the game were about $21,100. Each player on the winning Bears team received about $210, while Giants players made around $140 each.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1933/12/19/page/19/article/bear-players-receive-210-for-title-came Chicago Daily Tribune Smith Wilfrid Bear players receive $210 for title December 19, 1933 19http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1963/12/21/page/33/article/first-playoff-winners-got-210-34-each Chicago Tribune First playoff winners got $210.34 each December 21, 1963 1, section 2 Quotes How should I know? I was only playing. Harry Newman, when a linesmen asked him who won the game right after it ended.Gottehrer. pg. 110 See also 1933 NFL season History of the NFL championship Bears–Giants rivalry References 2 Gottehrer, Barry. The Giants of New York, the history of professional football's most fabulous dynasty. New York, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1963 1356301 Pervin, Lawrence A. Football's New York Giants: A History. McFarland 2009 0-7864-4268-9 41.948 -87.656 type:event title Category:Chicago Bears postseason Category:New York Giants postseason Championship Game Category:NFL Championship games NFL Championship Game NFL Championship Game Category:1933 in Chicago Category:American football competitions in Chicago Category:Events at Wrigley Field