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| Date | December 17, 1933 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Stadium | Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 25,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
The 1933 NFL Championship Play-off Game was the first scheduled championship game of the National Football League (NFL) since its founding in 1920. It was played on December 17 at Wrigley Field in Chicago,[1][2] and the attendance was estimated at 25,000.[3][4]
The game was between the champions of the league's newly created divisions: the Chicago Bears (10–2–1) of the Western Division and the New York Giants (11–3) of the Eastern Division. Chicago gained the home field due to a better winning percentage in the regular season;[5] after this year the home field alternated, with the Eastern Division champion hosting in even-numbered years and the Western in odd.
Chicago scored the winning touchdown with less than two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, capping a 23–21 victory.[3][6][7] It was the Bears' second consecutive championship and third under founder and head coach George Halas.
- ^ Smith, Wilfrid (December 17, 1933). "Pick U.S. champion today: Bears vs. Giants". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
- ^ Dunkley, Charles (December 17, 1933). "Bears meet Giants for pro crown today". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. p. 5B.
- ^ a b Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 18, 1933). "Bears beat Giants in sensational, ripsnorting game, 23 to 21". Milwaukee Journal. p. 6, part 2.
- ^ Kirksey, George (December 17, 1933). "Bears win pro title in thrill-packed game". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 28.
- ^ "Bears and Giants meet Sunday for pro crown". Milwaukee Journal. December 17, 1933. p. 2, sports.
- ^ Smith, Wilfrid (December 18, 1933). "Bears whip Giants, 23-21; world champions". Chicago Tribune. p. 23.
- ^ "Bears win pro grid league title". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (Chicago Tribune). December 18, 1933. p. 14.