1944 NFL Championship Game
The 1944 National Football League Championship Game was the 12th National Football League (NFL) title game. The game was played on December 17 at the Polo Grounds in New York City,[1] and the attendance was 46,016.[2][3][4] The game featured the Green Bay Packers (8–2), champions of the Western Division versus the Eastern Division champion New York Giants (8–1–1).[5]
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Date | December 17, 1944 | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium | Polo Grounds, New York City | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Ronald Gibbs | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 46,016 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Radio in the United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | Blue | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Harry Wismer | ||||||||||||||||||
Grounds
The Packers were led by longtime head coach Curly Lambeau and its stars were running back Ted Fritsch, end Don Hutson, and quarterback Irv Comp. The Giants were led by head coach Steve Owen. They also had running back Bill Paschal and former Packers quarterback Arnie Herber as well as a dominant defense. The Packers were slight favorites, despite the Giants' 24–0 shutout win four weeks earlier.[6][7] Prior to the game, the Packers had spent over a week preparing in Charlottesville, Virginia[7] The Packers completed their regular season on November 26, the Giants on December 10.
Green Bay scored two touchdowns in the second quarter then yielded one early in the fourth to win 14-7 for their sixth and final league title under Lambeau,[8][9] their first since 1939.[10]
The Packers did not return to the title game for 16 years, and won the following year in 1961, the first of five titles in seven seasons in the 1960s under head coach Vince Lombardi.
Scoring summary
Sunday, December 17, 1944
Kickoff: 2 p.m. EWT (EDT)[6]
- First quarter
- no scoring
- Second quarter
- GB – Ted Fritsch 1 run (Don Hutson kick), 7–0 GB
- GB – Fritsch 28 pass from Irv Comp (Hutson kick), 14–0 GB
- Third quarter
- no scoring
- Fourth quarter
- NY – Ward Cuff 1 run (Ken Strong kick), 14–7 GB
Officials
- Referee: Ronald Gibbs
- Umpire: Carl Brubaker
- Head Linesman: Charlie Berry
- Field Judge: Eugene Miller [1][2]
The NFL had only four game officials in 1944; the back judge was added in 1947, the line judge in 1965, and the side judge in 1978.
Players' shares
The players' shares were the highest to date: each Packer player received about $1,500 while each Giant saw about $900.[10]
References
- "Giants battle Packers today for pro title". Chicago Sunday Tribune. December 17, 1944. p. 1, part 2.
- "Packers win pro title; beat Giants, 14-7". Chicago Daily Tribune. December 18, 1944. p. 19.
- Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 18, 1944). "Packers defeat Giants 14 to 7; win national pro grid crown". Milwaukee Journal. p. 4, part 2.
- Schumacher, Garry (December 18, 1944). "Packers cop pro title with 14-7 triumph over Giants". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 4, part 2.
- "Pro grid summary". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. December 11, 1944. p. 17.
- "Pros battle for grid title". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. December 17, 1944. p. 33.
- Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 17, 1944). "Green Bay 11-5 favorite; Owen sees even chance". Milwaukee Journal. p. 5, part 2.
- "Packers win pro grid title, 14-7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. United Press. December 18, 1944. p. 16.
- Peterson, Leo H. (December 19, 1944). "Breaks help Packers to pro grid title". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 16.
- "Packers' eleven defeats Giants". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. United Press. December 18, 1944. p. 13.