1940 National Football League All-Star Game (December)
The 1940 National Football League All-star Game (December) was the professional football league's third all-star game. The game pitted the Chicago Bears, the league's champion for the 1940 season, against a team of all-stars. The game was played on Sunday, December 29, 1940, at Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles, California before an overflow crowd of 21,000,[1] with members of the Stanford and Nebraska football teams also in attendance; the two were scheduled to play in the Rose Bowl, with Nebraska using the All-Star Game to research the Bears' T formation, which was being used by Stanford head coach and former Bears assistant Clark Shaughnessy.[2] The Bears defeated the All-Stars by a score of 28–14.[1]
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| Date | December 29, 1940 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Stadium | Gilmore Stadium, Los Angeles, California | ||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | none selected | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | John Olds | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 21,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| TV in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | not televised | ||||||||||||||||||
The Bears were an 8–5 favorite over the All-Stars after crushing the Washington Redskins 73–0 in the championship game a few weeks prior.[3] Luke Johnsos coached the Bears in place of George Halas, who was hospitalized following an appendectomy.[4] The All-Stars were coached by Ray Flaherty of the Washington Redskins.[3] John Olds was the referee for the game.[4]
Quarterback Ace Parker of the Brooklyn Dodgers was voted into the game, but declined participation due to ankle and shoulder injuries he suffered during the season. His decision sparked a clash with NFL President Carl Storck, who warned him of potential expulsion from the league should he not play until Dodgers owner Dan Topping successfully pulled him out without consequence.[5] Rather than the All-Star Game, Parker decided to play two charity games in Virginia over the following weeks.[6]
References
- "Chicago Bears Defeat Pro All-Stars, 28 to 14". Milwaukee Journal. AP. December 30, 1940. p. L-5. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
- Associated Press (December 29, 1940). "Pro Gridmen Meet In Bowl Clash Today". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- Conklin, Ed (December 29, 1940). "Chicago Bears Face All-Stars on Coast". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 10 (3rd section). Retrieved February 15, 2012.
- "18,500 to See Stars, Bears". Milwaukee Journal. AP. December 29, 1940. p. 3 (Section III). Retrieved February 15, 2012.
- Associated Press (December 16, 1940). "Parker is Excused". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- Associated Press (December 15, 1940). "Ace Parker Excused From All-Star Game". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.