Freezing Fury in Wrigley

Hello, football friends! Darin Hayes of pigskindispatch.com welcomes you back to the Pig Pen, your portal to gridiron history. Today, we're diving deep into the NFL Championship games before the Super Bowl era, exploring the legendary teams, players, and coaches that shaped the early league. We're thrilled to welcome Tom Pollin, a respected sports historian and lifelong Chicago Bears fan, to discuss the unforgettable 1963 NFL Championship, a monumental victory for his beloved Bears.

✦ A League in Upheaval: The 1963 NFL Landscape

The 1963 NFL season kicked off under a cloud of controversy. Commissioner Pete Rozelle, determined to uphold the integrity of the league, suspended two of its biggest stars—Alex Karras of the Detroit Lions and Paul Hornung of the Green Bay Packers—for betting on NFL games and associating with known gamblers. This decision sent shockwaves through the league, particularly impacting the dominant Packers. Green Bay, under the legendary Vince Lombardi, had just won back-to-back championships in 1961 and 1962, both against the New York Giants. Hornung's absence, while not derailing their season entirely (they still finished 11-2-1), undoubtedly "broke the streak" of their burgeoning dynasty.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears, led by their iconic owner and head coach George Halas, were building their own formidable squad. The Bears were characterized by a "so-so offense but incredible defense," a common refrain for Chicago teams. Their defensive prowess was largely thanks to coordinator George Allen, who Halas was reportedly grooming to be his successor. Allen, a future head coach for the Rams and Redskins, cultivated a defense that set a then-record for fewest points allowed in a season. With five First-Team All-Pros and one Second-Team All-Pro on that side of the ball, the Bears were an immovable object.

The Western Conference race came down to the wire, with the Bears finishing 11-1-2, just edging out the Packers. In the Eastern Conference, the New York Giants, boasting an explosive offense led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Y.A. Tittle, finished 11-3. They narrowly beat out the 10-4 Cleveland Browns for their third consecutive trip to the championship game.

✦ The Clash of Styles: Irresistible Force vs. Immovable Object

The 1963 NFL Championship was billed as a classic battle of contrasts: the Giants' high-octane offense against the Bears' suffocating defense. Y.A. Tittle's Giants had set an NFL record for points scored that season, boasting stars like Frank Gifford, Del Shofner, Joe Walton, Hugh McElhenny, and Alex Webster. Many fans and oddsmakers favored the Giants, hoping to see Tittle finally hoist an NFL Championship trophy after two consecutive losses to the Packers.

However, the Bears' defense was a unit for the ages. It featured Hall of Famers like defensive end Doug Atkins and linebackers Joe Fortunato and Bill George, along with an incredible secondary anchored by Richie Pettibon and Rosie Taylor. Despite the Bears' 11-1-2 record, they entered the game as slight underdogs—a testament to the Giants' offensive firepower and the public's desire to see Tittle finally win. The betting line had the Giants favored by just one point, even though the game was to be played on the Bears' home turf at Wrigley Field.

✦ Wrigley's Deep Freeze: A Home-Field Advantage (and Disadvantage)

The game's setting was Wrigley Field, the Bears' long-time home. Interestingly, Halas famously turned down Commissioner Rozelle's request to move the game to Soldier Field for increased seating and lights, insisting on playing in his team's familiar ballpark.

On game day, December 29, 1963, Chicago delivered quintessential winter football weather: a frigid 11 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff. Despite efforts to keep the field warm with hay and heaters, the playing surface quickly froze solid once the covers were removed. This icy grip on the field significantly hampered the Giants' high-powered offense, particularly their passing game.

The Giants managed the first score with a touchdown pass from Tittle to Frank Gifford. However, the game's turning point began when Bears linebacker Larry Morris delivered a rough hit to Tittle's knee in the first half, and then another more impactful one just before halftime. Tittle, a renowned warrior, had to be heavily bandaged and given Novocaine and Cortisone shots just to return for the second half. He had already thrown a couple of interceptions before the injury, but the compromised knee forced him to throw off his back foot for the remainder of the game, severely limiting his effectiveness.

✦ Defensive Domination and Championship Glory

The Bears' defense capitalized on Tittle's struggles. Despite the Giants' backup quarterback proving ineffective (at one point leading to a third-down punt by Giants coach Allie Sherman to avoid another snap), Tittle bravely battled on. However, the Bears' secondary, particularly Pettibone and Rosie Taylor, completely shut down the Giants' passing game. Del Shofner, a key Giants receiver, was held to very few receptions and even dropped a potential touchdown pass in the cold.

The most pivotal play of the game came in the third quarter when Bears defensive end Ed O'Bradovich intercepted a screen pass from the hobbled Tittle, returning it 24 yards to the Giants' 14-yard line. This setup Billy Wade's second quarterback sneak for a touchdown, giving the Bears a 14-10 lead. The Giants' seven turnovers (five interceptions and two fumbles) compared to the Bears' two fumbles were a stark reflection of Chicago's defensive dominance.

In the dying minutes, Tittle, despite his injury, mounted a two-minute drill, driving the Giants to the Bears' 40-yard line. But his final attempt to find Shofner in the end zone was overthrown, intercepted by Richie Pettibone, sealing the victory for the Bears. The game concluded with the Bears winning 14-10, marking their first NFL Championship since 1946. It was a gritty, defensive masterpiece in sub-freezing conditions, perfectly embodying the tough, hard-nosed football style that defined the 1963 Chicago Bears and cemented their place in NFL history.