The Fumble (1946 NFL Championship)
From Chicago to the desert: a legacy of survival and rivalry.
The Arizona Cardinals, originally the Chicago Cardinals, were founded in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club and became a charter member of the NFL in 1920.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Polo Grounds, New York City
- Competitors
- Chicago Bears vs. New York Giants
- Outcome
- Bears won 24-14
- Era context
- 1946 NFL Championship Game
Lore & Background
The Cardinals, the Chicago Bears, and the Green Bay Packers (founded 1919, joined NFL in 1921) are the only surviving early members of the NFL. Their rivalry with the Bears dates back to 1921, when the Cardinals defeated the Decatur Staleys (later the Bears) 7–6. The Cardinals' 1925 championship is disputed; owner Chris O'Brien initially refused the title after the Pottsville Maroons were stripped of it.
Reader's Guide
No information about that game is available in the source.
Did You Know?
- The team's name 'Cardinals' came from used maroon uniforms that had faded to a color Chris O'Brien called 'cardinal red'.
- The Cardinals were originally based in Chicago and moved to St. Louis in 1960.
- Duke Slater was one of the few African-American players in the NFL in the 1920s, but other African-American players like Ray Kemp and Joe Lillard also played after 1927.
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