1932

The biting December wind whipped through Chicago Stadium, a fitting prelude to the gridiron clash about to unfold. 1932: a year of economic hardship, yet the NFL's popularity surged, culminating in an unprecedented indoor playoff game. The Chicago Bears and Portsmouth Spartans, locked in a tie atop the standings, were forced into this unique contest due to a blizzard that rendered outdoor fields unplayable.

This wasn't just another game; it was a pivotal moment in NFL history. The cramped confines of the stadium, the shortened field, and the modified rules created a spectacle unlike any seen before. This blog post dives into the heart of that legendary matchup, exploring the strategies, the key players, and the lasting impact of the 1932 NFL Playoff game.

Professional football in 1925 had much less structure for scheduling games. Teams wanted additional games for two reasons: to improve their position in the standings and for extra revenue. The sports promoters saw the opportunity to "lend a hand" and were more than happy to invite clubs that had the potential to attract crowds. Promoting games and picking the right opponents for the event was tricky, and they had to endure some ups and downs to get a deal done with the teams and the venue. For many reasons, the start of the 1932 season may have been a low point for the NFL. The Great Depression was in full swing, affecting the revenue of member franchises due to dwindling ticket sales as many people could barely scratch enough coins together to eat, let alone attend a football game. The economic trickle effect caused financial pain for the NFL, resulting in a significant loss of income in conjunction with its franchises and patrons. The League dropped to its lowest level of participating teams ever when only eight franchises took the field under the National Football League banner that year. This low amount of teams occurred only one other time in the League's history, in 1943 amid World War II.

The financial woes had meant the demise of major and recently competitive teams such as the Providence Steam Roller, Frankford Yellow Jackets, and Cleveland Indians. Softening some of this retraction was the addition of the Boston Braves, owned by George Preston Marshall.

-The 1932 NFL Title Contenders Emerge

Despite all the setbacks early on, the season was highly successful as three teams vied for the NFL title that season: the Green Bay Packers, Portsmouth Spartans, and the Chicago Bears.

Green Bay finished the season with a 10-3 record, a great campaign by all accounts, but not when the Spartans and Bears had a higher winning percentage and virtually tied for the best record in the League for 1932. The Bears and the Spartans had met head-to-head twice in the regular season, with both contests ending in a tie.

After some alleged backroom meetings with the NFL hierarchy, the NFL brass decided that a final game to determine a Champ would be played in a unique Chicago at Wrigley Field on December 18, 1932. The title was supposed to be given to the team with the best record, as it had been for over a decade in the young NFL. The season ended with the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans being tied for the top record in the League.

-Let Us Settle This Tie! Says George Halas

It is believed that George Halas challenged the Spartans to play a game to settle the tie; they wanted no part of any Co-Champion bologna. Thus, we had the first NFL Championship! This first postseason game in NFL history had some massive twists and turns to make it quite a remarkable story, even besides the fact that a game was going to be played to determine an NFL Champion. The first odd occurrence was that Spartans star Earl "Dutch" Clark could not play in the game because he had to work. While that may sound wild today, professional players of that era did not make enough to make a living all year. Most had to take off-season jobs to make ends meet, even the superstars like Dutch Clark, who worked as the Head Basketball Coach at Colorado College. His hoops team had a game on December 18, and Dutch couldn't get off work to make the football game in Chicago. The second crazy thing that happened was that due to a freak late-fall blizzard in Chicago, the game had to be moved inside the Chicago Stadium because Wrigley was covered with deep snow and frozen with dangerous sub-zero temperatures. The playing field had to be modified to play inside, so the game was played on a field only 80 yards long and some 30 yards narrower than the regular width the teams played on all season. The last item surrounding the game happened on the contest's only touchdown.

Bronko Nagurski threw a scoring jump pass to Red Grange, but the Spartans argued that Nagurski did not meet the legal forward pass requirement of being 5 yards or more behind the line in those days. The play stood, and the Bears won the NFL title by 9-0.

When all the smoke cleared from the controversial ending to the controversial game, a few things happened. The NFL had its first Championship game, and it was also the first time an NFL title game would be played indoors.

The interest in the NFL impromptu championship game that occurred in 1932 led to a title game being scheduled each year and announcing the birth of the NFL post season. The competitive nature of the historic 1932 season and some changes in local laws provided interest for other cities to gain franchises in the League for the 1933 season. 

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Football Flashback: December 18th, 1932, holds a unique place in NFL history. It was a day that witnessed the birth of a tradition – the NFL Championship Game. Up until that point, the league simply awarded the title to the team with the best record at the season's end. However, fate intervened in 1932, creating a scenario that demanded a more dramatic conclusion.

The season ended with a nail-biting tie at the top of the standings. The Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans (later to become the Detroit Lions) were locked in a statistical deadlock. Legend has it that George Halas, the fiery owner and coach of the Bears, couldn't stomach the idea of co-champions. He reportedly challenged the Spartans to settle the score on the field, and thus, the first-ever NFL Championship Game was born.

This inaugural postseason game wasn't without its share of bizarre twists. One of the Spartans' star players, Earl "Dutch" Clark, couldn't participate because his primary job was coaching basketball at Colorado College. His team had a game scheduled for the same day, and the gridiron had to take a backseat for "Dutch."

Adding to the drama, Chicago was hit by a late-season blizzard that rendered Wrigley Field, the designated venue, unusable. The deep snow and sub-zero temperatures forced a last-minute relocation to the Chicago Stadium, home of the city's ice hockey team. This unexpected change meant a much smaller playing field, measuring a mere 80 yards in length and 30 yards narrower than the standard size.

Despite these unusual circumstances, the game unfolded with all the intensity one would expect from a championship showdown. The only touchdown of the game came courtesy of a controversial play. Bronko Nagurski, the Bears' legendary fullback, launched a jump pass to Red Grange, another iconic player. However, the Spartans vehemently contested the legitimacy of the play, arguing that Nagurski didn't meet the then-existing rule for forward passes, which required the thrower to be at least five yards behind the line of scrimmage. The officials, however, ruled in favor of the Bears, awarding them the touchdown.

With a final score of 9-0, the Chicago Bears emerged victorious, claiming the first-ever NFL Championship title. This historic game, deemed the 82nd Greatest Pro Game Ever Played by NFL.com, laid the groundwork for the league's exciting postseason format we know today. It was a day that highlighted the resilience of the sport, its ability to adapt to unexpected challenges, and the fierce competitive spirit that defines professional football.

While the Spartans fell short in this initial championship bout, their story doesn't end there. As the Detroit Lions, they would continue to challenge for dominance in the years to come, forever linked to this groundbreaking chapter in NFL history. The 1932 championship game wasn't just a spectacle on the field; it was a turning point, a testament to the league's commitment to crowning a true champion through the thrilling crucible of a playoff game.