1944 NFL Championship Game

1944 NFL Championship Game
DateDecember 17, 1944
StadiumPolo Grounds, New York City
FavoriteGreen Bay by 7 points[1]
RefereeRonald Gibbs
Attendance46,016
Radio in the United States
NetworkBlue
AnnouncersHarry Wismer
Polo  Grounds is located in the United States
Polo  Grounds
Polo 
Grounds
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Location in the United States

The 1944 NFL Championship Game was the 12th National Football League (NFL) title game, played on December 17 at the Polo Grounds in New York City,[2] with an attendance of 46,016.[3][4][5] 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).[6]

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, running back Bill Paschal, former Packers quarterback Arnie Herber, and a dominant defense.

The Packers were slight favorites, despite the Giants' 24–0 shutout win four weeks earlier.[1][7] Prior to the game, the Packers had spent over a week preparing in Charlottesville, Virginia;[7] they had completed their regular season on November 26, while the Giants finished on December 10. If the title game ended in a tie, the teams would share the championship.[1]

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][10] their first since 1939.[11][12]

The Packers did not return to the championship game for sixteen years, and won the following year in 1961, the first of five titles in seven seasons in the 1960s under head coach Vince Lombardi.

  1. ^ a b c "Pros battle for grid title". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. December 17, 1944. p. 33.
  2. ^ "Giants battle Packers today for pro title". Chicago Sunday Tribune. December 17, 1944. p. 1, part 2.
  3. ^ "Packers win pro title; beat Giants, 14-7". Chicago Daily Tribune. December 18, 1944. p. 19.
  4. ^ Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 18, 1944). "Packers defeat Giants 14 to 7; win national pro grid crown". Milwaukee Journal. p. 4, part 2.
  5. ^ Schumacher, Garry (December 18, 1944). "Packers cop pro title with 14-7 triumph over Giants". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 4, part 2.
  6. ^ "Pro grid summary". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. December 11, 1944. p. 17.
  7. ^ a b Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 17, 1944). "Green Bay 11-5 favorite; Owen sees even chance". Milwaukee Journal. p. 5, part 2.
  8. ^ "Packers win pro grid title, 14-7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. United Press. December 18, 1944. p. 16.
  9. ^ Petersen, Leo H. (December 19, 1944). "Breaks help Packers to pro grid title". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 16.
  10. ^ "Packers win 6th pro title by beating Giants, 14-7". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). INS. December 18, 1944. p. 20.
  11. ^ "Packers' eleven defeats Giants". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). United Press. December 18, 1944. p. 13.
  12. ^ Meier, Ted (December 18, 1944). "Green Bay cops pro grid title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 8.