1956 NFL Championship Game

none November 2013 nflc 1956 File:1956NFLChampionshipProgram.jpg Chicago Bears New York Giants Paddy Driscoll Jim Lee Howell Western Eastern CHI NYG 9–2–1 8–3–1 0 7 0 0 7 13 21 6 7 47 December 30, 1956 Yankee Stadium Bronx, New York 56,836 NBC Chris Schenkel,Jack Brickhouse,and Red Grange NBC Ray Scott Bears: George Halas (owner), Doug Atkins, George Blanda, Bill George, Stan Jones Giants: Tim Mara (owner/founder), Wellington Mara (administrator), Rosey Brown, Frank Gifford, Sam Huff, Andy Robustelli, Emlen Tunnell USA 1 Yankee Stadium 40.827 -73.928 Location in the United States 5 290 The 1956 NFL Championship Game was the league's 24th championship game, played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx in New York City on December 30.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1956/12/30/page/15/article/bears-seek-chicagos-1st-title-since-47 Chicago Sunday Tribune Strickler George Bears seek Chicago's 1st title since '47 December 30, 1956 1, part 2http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1956/12/31/page/17/article/masthead-2-no-title Chicago Daily Tribune Strickler George Why Bears were crushed in title game December 31, 1956 1, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TLxRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8moDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7410%2C4492087 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sell Jack Giants crush Bears in title game, 47-7 December 31, 1956 12 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-E41AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZH4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6718%2C3562757 Milwaukee Journal Mosby Wade Giants outclass Bears, 47-7, to win first pro football title in 18 years December 31, 1956 9, part 2 Background Bears-Giants rivalry The New York Giants (8–3–1) won the Eastern Conference title and hosted the Chicago Bears (9–2–1), the Western Conference champions. The teams had met in the regular season five weeks earlier on November 25 at Yankee Stadium and played to a 17–17 tie; the Bears entered the championship game in late December as slight favorites.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hsgtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=15cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6968%2C6245278 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania Associated Press Chicago favored over New York in NFL title game Sunday December 29, 1956 7https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9041AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZH4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5563%2C2794252 Milwaukee Journal Bears rated edge over Giants today in pro title game December 30, 1956 2, sportshttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_XE_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=tlQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4808%2C4135387 Youngstown Vindicator Ohio Associated Press Hand Jack Jack Hand Bears still slight favorites to snare NFL championship December 30, 1956 D1 The Giants hosted because the home field for the title game alternated between the conferences; home field advantage was not implemented until 1975. Both teams had been absent from the league title game for a decade, when the Bears won the championship over the Giants at the Polo Grounds in 1946. The Giants' most recent NFL title was before World War II, in 1938. The 1956 season marked the Giants' first at Yankee Stadium, moving across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds. This was the first championship since 1949 without the Cleveland Browns, who had appeared in six consecutive since joining the NFL in 1950. The 1956 Giants featured a number of Hall of Fame players, including safety Emlen Tunnell, running back Frank Gifford, offensive tackle Roosevelt Brown, linebacker Sam Huff, and defensive end Andy Robustelli. Two assistants of Giants head coach Jim Lee Howell, offensive coordinator Vince Lombardi and defensive coordinator Tom Landry, later became Hall of Fame head coaches with other franchises; Lombardi coached the Green Bay Packers to five NFL Championships during the 1960s and Landry led the Dallas Cowboys to five Super Bowls, with two wins, during the 1970s. He was the head coach of the Cowboys for 29 seasons, through 1988. Game summary The game was played on an icy field, with temperatures hovering around 20 F. To adjust to the slick conditions, the Giants opted to wear sneakers instead of traditional football cleats. The advantage the white sneakers provided in footing was cited as a major factor in New York's romp.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MxFWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cOIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6726%2C5464987 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press Giants stampede Bears, 47-7 December 31, 1956 7 Twenty-two years earlier on an icy Polo Grounds field, the Giants had employed the same tactic and beat the Bears to win the 1934 NFL Championship Game in the famous "Sneakers Game." The Giants opened with a 53-yard kick return from rookie halfback Gene Filipski and scored a touchdown 3 plays later. On the Bears first play from scrimmage, Bears quarterback Ed Brown fumbled the handoff to Rick Casares which was recovered by the Giants. 38-year-old Ben Agajanian kicked 17-yard field goal after the offense went three and out. On the Bears next drive, Brown was intercepted by Jim Patton, and Agajanian kicked another field goal, giving the Giants a 13–0 lead. The Bears then turned the ball over on downs in their own end to end the first quarter. On the ensuing drive, Alex Webster took a 22-yard catch and run from quarterback Charlie Conerly setting up a 3-yard touchdown run, increasing the lead to 20–0. George Blanda and the Bears responded with a touchdown drive of their own, but Webster broke the Bears collective backs on the next Giants drive when he sidestepped a screen pass for a 50-yard gain and scored a 1-yard touchdown run, his second of the first half. The Giants scored another touchdown when they blocked a punt in the end zone and recovered, leading 34–7 at halftime. The Giants scored two more second half touchdowns, and coasted to a 47–7 win before 56,836.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_nE_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=tlQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=767%2C4409635 Youngstown Vindicator Ohio Associated Press Reichler Joe Mel Triplett features as Giants rout Bears, 47-7, in pro championship tilt December 31, 1956 8https://www.si.com/vault/1957/01/07/599171/notes-on-a-gelid-afternoon Sports Illustrated Maule Tex Tex Maule Notes on a gelid afternoon January 7, 1957 50 The 1956 NFL title was the Giants' fourth; they played in five of the six title games from 1958 through 1963, but did not win any of them. After the 1956 title, it was another thirty years before their next, Super Bowl XXI in January 1987. Although the home team, the Giants wore their white jerseys and the Bears their navy blue. New York's custom at the time was to alternate between blue and white jerseys at home. The blue jerseys were designated as the "home jerseys" beginning in 1957, while the white tops served as inspiration for the Giants current road uniforms they started wearing in 2005. Scoring summary Sunday, December 30, 1956 Kickoff: 2:05 p.m. EST First quarter NY – Mel Triplett 17 run (Ben Agajanian kick), 7–0 NY NY – FG Agajanian 17, 10–0 NY NY – FG Agajanian 43, 13–0 NY Second quarter NY – Alex Webster 3 run (Agajanian kick), 20-0 NY CHI – Rick Casares 9 run (George Blanda kick), 20–7 NY NY – Webster 1 run (Agajanian kick), 27–7 NY NY – Henry Moore recovered blocked punt in end zone (Agajanian kick), 34–7 NY Third quarter NY – Kyle Rote 9-yard pass from Charlie Conerly (kick failed), 40–7 NY Fourth quarter NY – Frank Gifford 14-yard pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick), 47–7 NY Officials Referee: William Downes Umpire: Samuel Wilson Head linesman: Cleo Diehl Back judge: Don Looney Field judge: George Rennix https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NSVSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NHYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2708%2C5369437 St. Petersburg Times Florida Associated Press Officials named for pro showdown December 29, 1956 6 The NFL had five game officials in 1956; the line judge was added in 1965 and the side judge in 1978. A total of twelve officials were on hand for this championship: the game crew, a full alternate crew (headed by referee Ron Gibbs), and two to operate the clock. Players' shares The gross receipts for the game, including $205,000 for radio and television rights, were over $517,000, the highest to date. Each player on the winning Giants team received $3,779, while Bears players made $2,485 each.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_nE_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=tlQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2477%2C4407604 Youngstown Vindicator Ohio Associated Press Facts and figures December 31, 1956 8 See also 1956 NFL season History of the NFL championship Bears–Giants rivalry References 2 External links "The Big One: 1956 NFL Championship Game," YouTube.com/ (Video.) 40.827 -73.928 type:event title Championship Game Category:NFL Championship games Category:Chicago Bears postseason Category:New York Giants postseason Category:Sports competitions in the Bronx Category:American football competitions in New York City NFL Championship Game NFL Championship Game Category:1950s in the Bronx Category:Events at Yankee Stadium