1934 NFL Championship Game

1934 American football championship game November 2013 File:1934 NFL Championship Program-600.jpg 290px nflc 1934 Chicago Bears CHI New York Giants NYG George Halas Steve Owen Western Eastern 13–0 8–5 0 10 3 0 13 3 0 0 27 30 December 9, 1934 Polo Grounds Manhattan, New York 35,059 Bears: George Halas (owner/coach), Red Grange, Bill Hewitt, Walt Kiesling, William R. Lyman, George Musso, Bronko Nagurski Giants: Tim Mara (owner/founder), Steve Owen (coach), Red Badgro, Ray Flaherty, Mel Hein, Ken Strong The 1934 NFL Championship Playoff, popularly remembered as "The Sneakers Game",https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yT1WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9-kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5288%2C1343586 Gainesville Sun Florida Associated Press Canavan Tom Sneakers game is most famous episode in Bears-Giants rivalry January 5, 1986 4F was the second scheduled National Football League (NFL) championship game. Played at the Polo Grounds in New York City on December 9,http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1934/12/09/page/29/article/bears-battle-giants-today-before-50-000 Chicago Tribune Smith Wilfrid Bears battle Giants today before 50,000 December 9, 1934 1, part 2 it was the first title game for the newly created Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy. With a remarkable fourth quarter, the New York Giants defeated the Chicago Bears 30–13, winning their second championship in team history and denying the Bears a three-peat.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NaRQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4iEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6492%2C5005278 Milwaukee Journal Gannon Pat Giants make spectacular finish to beat Bears for pro grid title December 10, 1934 2, part 2 http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1934/12/10/page/23/article/giants-whip-bears-for-pro-title-30-13 Chicago Tribune Smith Wilfrid Giants whip Bears for pro title, 30-13 December 10, 1934 23https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g9goAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LGkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3064%2C5163591 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Associated Press Giants rally crushes Bears, 30-13 December 10, 1934 18https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QAIdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oo4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6395%2C4970721 Pittsburgh Press United Press Giants win pro football title in thriller, 30-13 December 10, 1934 29 Game summary Bears-Giants rivalry The defending champion Bears entered the game undefeated at 13–0, with an 18-game winning streak. The Giants (8–5) won consecutive division titles, but had lost their final regular season game at Philadelphia. The Bears were favored to repeat as champions.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Imk1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=UX4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=1372%2C4576859 Milwaukee Journal Associated Press Bears, with 13 straight victories, 3 to 1 favorites over Giants today December 9, 1934 1, sports https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PwIdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oo4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3782%2C4317410 Pittsburgh Press United Press Feathers, Kopcha out, Bears still picked to beat Giants today December 9, 1934 1, sports https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HLMVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0QwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4306%2C1485754 Milwaukee Sentinel Associated Press Favor Bears over Giants December 9, 1934 1B A freezing rain the night before the game froze the Polo Grounds field.Pervin, 2009, pp. 9–10. After Giants end Ray Flaherty remarked to head coach Steve Owen that sneakers would provide better footing on the frozen playing surface,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vfFXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-_QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6812%2C2188735 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press Flaherty's idea wins title for Giant team December 10, 1934 14 Owen sent his friend Abe Cohen, a tailor who assisted on the Giants sideline, to Manhattan College to get some sneakers.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=38osAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0hMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6033%2C311071 Wilmington Morning Star North Carolina New York Times Anderson Dave Dave Anderson (sportswriter) Giants' owner looks back January 2, 1986 1B The Bears led 10–3 at the half when the Giants switched to the basketball sneakers.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QCJVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Zj0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2890%2C6268380 Miami News Associated Press Giants stage amazing rally to beat Chicago Bears 30-13 December 10, 1934 10 A Chicago field goal was the only score in the third quarter, extending the lead to ten points. Early in the fourth, Giants quarterback Ed Danowski threw a touchdown pass to Ike Frankian to close the score to 13–10. (The pass was momentarily intercepted at the Bears' 2-yard line, but Frankian was there to snatch the ball out of the defender's hands.) On the next New York drive, running back Ken Strong scored on a 42-yard touchdown run. Later Strong had another touchdown run. The Giants scored for a final time on Danowski's 9-yard run, a fourth unanswered touchdown. New York scored 27 points in the 4th quarter and won 30–13.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HLMVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0QwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6730%2C1992838 Milwaukee Sentinel Associated Press Neil Edward J. Giants rally and upset Bears December 10, 1934 13 The Giants 27 fourth quarter points in a championship game set an NFL record that still stands today. thumb|right|250px|Bears fullback Bronko Nagurski being dragged down by Bo Molenda and Mel Hein of the Giants. Scoring summary text-align:center; background:#eee Chicago Bears 23, New York Giants 21 Bears 0 10 3 0 Giants 3 0 0 27 Sunday, December 9, 1934 Polo Grounds, Manhattan, New York 2:00 p.m. EST Pro-Football-Reference.com Scoring First quarter NYG – Ken Strong 38-yard field goal. Giants 3–0 Second quarter CHI – Bronko Nagurski 1-yard run (Jack Manders kick). Bears 7–3 CHI – Jack Manders 17-yard field goal. Bears 10–3 Third quarter CHI – Jack Manders 22-yard field goal. Bears 13–3 Fourth quarter NYG – Ike Frankian 28-yard pass from Ed Danowski (Strong kick). Bears 13–10 NYG – Ken Strong 42-yard run (Strong kick). Giants 17–13 NYG – Ken Strong 11-yard run (kick failed). Giants 23–13 NYG – Ed Danowski 9-yard run (Bo Molenda kick). Giants 30–13 Top passers CHI – Keith Molesworth – 4/9, 60 yards, 1 INT NYG – Ed Danowski – 6/11, 83 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Top rushers CHI – Bronko Nagurski – 24 rushes, 68 yards, 1 TD NYG – Ken Strong – 9 rushes, 94 yards, 2 TD Top receivers CHI – Bill Hewitt - 2 receptions, 30 yards NYG– Dale Burnett - 2 receptions, 30 yards Officials Referee: Bobby Cahn Umpire: George Lowe Head linesman: George Vergara Field judge: M.J. Meyer The NFL had only four game officials in 1934; the back judge was added in 1947, the line judge in 1965, and the side judge in 1978. Players' shares The projected attendance of 55,000 was not reached, as the week's weather kept it under 36,000. Each player on the winning Giants team received $621 (equivalent to $US 621 1934 -2 c in US), while the Bears received $414 (equivalent to $US 414 1934 -2 c in US) each. Aftermath This was the Giants second NFL championship, and the first time they won a championship game. After the game, Abe Cohen promptly returned the sneakers to Manhattan College so the basketball team could practice the next day.https://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/1934-nfl-championship/ 1934 NFL Championship www.profootballhof.com September 16, 2022 Many of the participants have been interviewed since the game took place, most notably Bronko Nagurski of the Bears and Mel Hein of the Giants. Generally, players from both sides have attributed the Giants' second-half dominance to their selection of footwear. As Nagurski put it later, "We immediately said something was wrong because they suddenly had good footing and we didn't...they just out-smarted us." A mini-documentary of the game, narrated by Pat Summerall, can be seen in the 1987 video "Giants Among Men." NFL Films named the game the #8 bad weather game of all time, and in 2019, it was named the 62nd greatest game in NFL history.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/nfl-top-100-games.htm NFL 100 Games Pro Football Reference 22 years later, in the 1956 NFL Championship Game, the Giants employed the same tactic they used against the Bears, this time wearing sneakers throughout the entire game on a frozen Yankees Stadium. The Giants would win that game 47–7. This wouldn't be the last time that the Giants handed an undefeated team their only loss of the season in the championship game, as 73 seasons later, with the 2007 New England Patriots pursuing an unprecedented 19–0 record, New York upset them 17–14 in dramatic fashion in Super Bowl XLII.Super Bowl XLII - New York Giants vs. New England Patriots - February 3rd, 2008 https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200802030nwe.htm 2026-02-13 Pro-Football-Reference.com en See also 1934 NFL season History of the NFL championship Bears–Giants rivalry References Further reading Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (0-06-270174-6) The Sporting News Complete Super Bowl Book 1995 (0-89204-523-X) Strange But True Football Stories (0-394-80198-9) Cavanaugh, Jack (2008), Giants Among Men. New York:Random House. 978-1-58836-697-9 Pervin, Lawrence A. (2009). Football's New York Giants. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company, Inc. 978-0-7864-4268-3 External links "1934-12-09 NFL Championship Chicago Bears vs New York Giants," Short newsreel film, via YouTube.com 40.831 -73.937 type:event title Category:Chicago Bears postseason Category:New York Giants postseason Category:NFL Championship games Championship Game NFL Championship Game Category:Sports competitions in Manhattan Category:American football competitions in New York City NFL Championship Game Category:1930s in Manhattan Category:Washington Heights, Manhattan