1946 NFL Championship
Bears 24, Giants 14 at the Polo Grounds: a seventh NFL title, played the day after a bribery scandal broke.
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. 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). It was the fourth championship game in the history of the Bears-Giants rivalry. Tied after three quarters, Chicago won 24–14 for their seventh NFL title, their fifth victory in eight NFL championship game appearances.
Quick Facts
- Visitor
- Chicago Bears
- Home
- New York Giants
- Visitor coach
- George Halas
- Home coach
- Steve Owen
- Visitor record
- 8–2–1
- Home record
- 7–3–1
- Visitor total
- 24
- Date
- December 15, 1946
Facts from the source article.
Background
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. Under questioning, Hapes admitted that he was offered a bribe, but Filchock denied being offered it. Paris was arrested and made a full confession to bribing the players: Hapes was suspended by Bell, but Filchock was allowed to play. During Paris' trial weeks later, Filchock admitted taking the bribe under oath. On the field, Ken Kavanaugh caught a 21-yard pass from Sid Luckman and Dante Magnani returned an interception 19 yards for a 14–0 Chicago lead in the first quarter; the Giants tied it at 14–14 in the third quarter before Luckman's 19-yard run and a 26-yard Frank Maznicki field goal settled it.
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