1942 NFL Championship Game

Background

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, but were upset 14–6 by the home underdog Redskins.

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

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

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

Officials

• Referee: Ronald Gibbs
• Umpire: Carl Brubaker
• Head linesman: Charlie Berry
• Field judge: Chuck Sweeney

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

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.

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.

References

References

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