1946 NFL Championship Game

{{Infobox NFLChamp

|type=nflc

|name=1946

|image=1946-NFL-Championship-program-cover.jpg

|caption=Cover of the 1946 Championship Play-Off Program

|visitor=Chicago Bears

|home=New York Giants

|visitor_coach = George Halas

|home_coach = Steve Owen

|visitor_conf = Western

|home_conf = Eastern

|visitor_abbr = CHI

|home_abbr = NYG

|visitor_record = 8–2–1

|home_record = 7–3–1

|visitor_qtr1=14

|visitor_qtr2=0

|visitor_qtr3=0

|visitor_qtr4=10

|visitor_total=24

|home_qtr1=7

|home_qtr2=0

|home_qtr3=7

|home_qtr4=0

|home_total=14

|date=December 15, 1946

|stadium=Polo Grounds

|city=New York City

|odds=Chicago by 7–10 points

|referee=Ronald Gibbs

|attendance=58,346

|radio=ABC

|radioannouncers=Harry Wismer

|HOFers=Bears: George Halas (owner/coach), Sid Luckman, George McAfee, Ed Sprinkle, Joe Stydahar, Bulldog Turner
Giants: Tim Mara (owner/founder), Wellington Mara (administrator), Steve Owen (coach), Ken Strong

|}}

{{Location map

|USA

|relief = 1

|label = Polo
Grounds

|lat = 40.831

|long = -73.937

|caption = Location in the United States

|position =

|marksize = 5

|float =

|background =

|width = 270

}}

The 1946 NFL Championship Game was the 14th annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), played December 15 at the Polo Grounds in New York City,{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1946/12/15/page/67/article/60-000-to-see-bears-battle-giants-today-for-n-f-l-title |work=Chicago Sunday Tribune |last=Prell |first=Edward |title=60,000 to see Bears battle Giants today for N.F.L. title |date=December 15, 1946 |page=1, section 2}} with a record-breaking attendance of {{nowrap|58,346.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pnYbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0UwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6390%2C4844895 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press |last=Biederman |first=Les |title=Luckman leads Bears to NFL title |date=December 16, 1946 |page=20 }}{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1946/12/16/page/37/article/bears-win-7th-title-24-14-before-58-346 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |last=Prell |first=Edward |title=Bears win 7th title, 24-14, before 58,346 |date=December 16, 1946 |page=1, section 3}}}}

The game matched the New York Giants (7–3–1), champions of the Eastern Division, against the Western Division champion Chicago Bears (8–2–1). The Giants had won the regular season game {{nowrap|14–0}} at the Polo Grounds seven weeks earlier on October 27,{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1946/10/28/page/27/article/cards-win-34-10-giants-whip-bears-14-0 |work=Chicago Daily Tribune |last=Warren |first=Harry |title=Cards win 34-10; Giants whip Bears, 14-0 |date=October 28, 1946 |page=1, section 2 }} but the Bears were seven to ten point {{nowrap|favorites.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bk9QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Tg0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7107%2C389379 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=INS |title=Bears touchdown favorite over Giants in title game |date=December 15, 1946 |page=3B }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PC0aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8iMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4334%2C7700796 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Kuechle |first=Oliver E. |title=Favor Bears in pro play-off today |date=December 15, 1946 |page=1, sports }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pXYbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0UwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3388%2C4284821 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press |last=Biederman |first=Les |title=Bears favored to beet Giants for NFL title |date=December 15, 1946 |page=33 }}}}

This was the fifth and final NFL Championship game played at the Polo Grounds and the fourth of six meetings between the Bears and Giants in the title game.

Tied after three quarters, Chicago won 24–14 for their seventh NFL title,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JRwaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9yQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5400%2C197897 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Kuechle |first=Oliver E. |title=Bears defeat Giants, 24 to 14; attempted bribery uncovered |date=December 16, 1946 |page=4, part 2 }} their fifth victory in eight NFL championship game appearances. The attendance record stood for another nine years, until the 1955 title game in Los Angeles.

Bribery scandal

The day before the game, two of the Giants' players, Frank Filchock and Merle Hapes, were accused of taking bribes to fix the game from Alvin Paris. Mayor William O'Dwyer subsequently informed Jack Mara, Wellington Mara and Bert Bell of the police evidence against the two.{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1946/12/16/page/37/article/lost-honestly-giants-say-bribe-probe-continues |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |last=Fay |first=William |title='Lost honestly,' Giants say; bribe probe continues |date=December 16, 1946 |page=1, section 3 }}

Hours later, the four met at Gracie Mansion, and the mayor interviewed the players one at a time.Robert S. Lyons, On Any Given Sunday: A Life of Bert Bell. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 2010; pg. 201. Under questioning, Hapes admitted that he was offered a bribe, but Filchock denied being offered it.

Several hours later, Paris was arrested, and during his police interview made a full confession to bribing the players: Hapes was suspended by Bell, but Filchock was allowed to play.Lyons, On Any Given Sunday, pg. 202. During Paris' trial weeks later, Filchock admitting taking the bribe under {{nowrap|oath.Lyons, On Any Given Sunday, pg. 203.}}

Scoring summary

Sunday, December 15, 1946

Kickoff: 2 p.m. EST

First quarter
CHI – Ken Kavanaugh 21 yard pass from Sid Luckman (Frank Maznicki kick), 7–0 CHI
CHI – Dante Magnani 19 yard interception return (Maznicki kick), 14–0 CHI
NY – Liebel 38 yard pass from Frank Filchock (Ken Strong kick), 14–7 CHI
Second quarter
No scoring
Third quarter
NY – Steve Filipowicz 5 yard pass from Filchock (Strong kick), 14–14 TIE
Fourth quarter
CHI – Luckman 19 yard run (Maznicki kick), 21–14 CHI
CHI – FG Maznicki 26 yard, 24–14 CHI

Officials

Referee: Ronald Gibbs
Umpire: Carl Brubaker
Head linesman: Charlie Berry
Field judge: William Grimberg

The NFL had only four game officials in {{nfly|1946}}; the back judge was added the following season in {{nfly|1947}}, the line judge in {{nfly|1965}}, and the side judge in {{nfly|1978}}.

Players' shares

The gross receipts for the game, including radio and picture rights, was just under $283,000. Each player on the winning Bear team received $1,975, while Giants players made $1,295 each.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pnYbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0UwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6800%2C4849019 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press |agency=United Press |title=Facts and figures on title game |date=December 16, 1946 |page=20}}