1942 NFL Championship Game

1942 NFL Championship Game

Chicago Bears (Western) (11–0) Washington Redskins (Eastern) (10–1) 6 14 Head coach: George Halas Hunk Anderson Luke Johnsos Head coach: Ray Flaherty
1 2 3 4 Total CHI 0 6 0 0 6 WAS 0 7 7 0 14
Date	December 13, 1942
Stadium	Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.
Favorite	Chicago
Attendance	36,006
Radio in the United States
Network	Mutual
Announcers	Harry Wismer, Russ Hodges, Jack Drees

Griffith  
Stadium

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Location in the United States

The 1942 NFL Championship Game was the tenth title game of the National Football League (NFL), played at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., on December 13, with a sellout capacity attendance of 36,006.^[1][2][3][4]

It matched the undefeated Western Division champion Chicago Bears (11–0) and the Eastern Division champion Washington Redskins (10–1). The Bears were co-coached by Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos (after George Halas had entered the U.S. Navy)^[5] and led on the field by quarterback Sid Luckman. The Redskins were led by head coach Ray Flaherty and quarterback Sammy Baugh.

Chicago had won easily in the summer exhibition game with Washington, but the teams had not met during the 1942 regular season. The Bears were aiming for their third consecutive league title and were favored by three touchdowns,^[6][7][8][9] but were upset 14–6 by the home underdog Redskins.^{[3][4][10][11]}

Tickets were sold out three weeks in advance, and some were being resold for up to fifty dollars.^[8]

This was the second and final NFL title game played at Griffith Stadium and in the city of Washington. The two teams met on the same site two years earlier with a very different result, as the visiting Bears won in a 73–0 rout.

Scoring summary

Sunday, December 13, 1942
Kickoff: 2 p.m. EWT (EDT)

• First quarter
  • no scoring
• Second quarter
  • CHI – Lee Artoe, 52-yard fumble return (kick failed), 6–0 CHI
  • WAS – Wilbur Moore, 39-yard pass from Baugh (Bob Masterson kick), 7–6 WAS
• Third quarter
  • WAS – Andy Farkas, 1-yard run (Masterson kick), 14–6 WAS
• Fourth quarter
  • no scoring

Source:^[4][12]

Officials

• Referee: Ronald Gibbs
• Umpire: Carl Brubaker
• Head Linesman: Charlie Berry
• Field Judge: Chuck Sweeney^[1][2]

The NFL had only four game officials in 1942; the back judge was added in 1947, the line judge in 1965, and the side judge in 1978.

Players' shares

The gate receipts from the sellout were over $113,000, a record, and each Redskin player received about $976 while each Bear saw about $639.^[4]

Next year

At the time, an owners' winter meeting and the annual draft of college players was held around the title game. A year into World War II for the United States and with much of the talent in or entering the military, the meeting focused on whether or not to operate the league in 1943; the decision was to continue, with the 1943 NFL draft postponed until April.^[4][13][14]

References

1. Prell, Edward (December 13, 1942). "Bears meet Redskins today for pro championship". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
2. Prell, Edward (December 14, 1942). "Redskins end Bears' 3 year football reign, 14 to 6". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 23.
3. "Redskins capture pro title, 14 to 6". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. United Press. December 14, 1942. p. 18.
4. Petersen, Leo H. (December 14, 1942). "Magnates delay pro football decision". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 26.
5. "Halas likely on bench". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. December 12, 1942. p. 15.
6. "Redskins banking on Baugh to beat Bears". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. December 12, 1942. p. 15.
7. "Chicago Bears heavily favored to trounce Redskins". Pittsburgh Press. December 13, 1942. p. 2, section 2.
8. "Bears 6 to 1 favorites over Redskins Sunday". Milwaukee Journal. December 13, 1942. p. 1, sports.
9. Feder, Sid (December 13, 1942). "Bears-Redskins game expected to draw record gate". Youngstown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. p. D1.
10. "Sparkling Redskins topple Bears, 14 to 6". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. December 14, 1942. p. 6, part 2.
11. O'Brien, Pat (December 14, 1942). "Washington upsets Chicago, 14-6, to capture professional football loop crown". Youngstown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. p. 8.
12. "Chicago Bears 6 at Washington Redskins 14". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
13. "Pros adjourn parley". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. December 14, 1942. p. 6, part 2.
14. "Pro gridders vote to continue play". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. December 15, 1942. p. 18.

38.9175°N 77.020°W / 38.9175; -77.020