1940 NFL All-Star Game (December)

This article is about the NFL All-Star Game that followed the 1940 season, played on December 29, 1940. For the game that followed the 1939 season, played on January 14, 1940, see 1940 National Football League All-Star Game (January).

1940 NFL All-Star Game (December)
DateDecember 29, 1940
StadiumGilmore Stadium, Los Angeles, California
MVPnone selected
RefereeJohn Olds
Attendance21,000
TV in the United States
Networknot televised

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.[1] The game was played on Sunday, December 29, 1940, at Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles, California before an overflow crowd of 21,000,[2] 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.[3] The Bears defeated the All-Stars by a score of 28–14.[2]

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 earlier.[4] Luke Johnsos coached the Bears in place of George Halas, who was hospitalized following an appendectomy.[5] The All-Stars were coached by Ray Flaherty of the Washington Redskins.[4] John Olds was the referee for the game.[5]

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.[6] Rather than the All-Star Game, Parker decided to play two charity games in Virginia over the following weeks.[7]

  1. ^ "Players Nominated for Pro Bowl Game at L.A." Ventura County Star. United Press. December 10, 1940. Retrieved May 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  2. ^ a b "Chicago Bears Defeat Pro All-Stars, 28 to 14". Milwaukee Journal. AP. December 30, 1940. p. L-5. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  3. ^ "Pro Gridmen Meet In Bowl Clash Today". The Baltimore Sun. Associated Press. December 29, 1940. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b Conklin, Ed (December 29, 1940). "Chicago Bears Face All-Stars on Coast". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 10 (3rd section). Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "18,500 to See Stars, Bears". Milwaukee Journal. AP. December 29, 1940. p. 3 (Section III). Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  6. ^ "Parker is Excused". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Associated Press. December 16, 1940. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Ace Parker Excused From All-Star Game". The Courier-Journal. Associated Press. December 15, 1940. Retrieved January 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.