1946 NFL Championship

Lore & Background

The day before the game, two Giants players, Frank Filchock and Merle Hapes, were accused of taking bribes to fix the game from Alvin Paris. Mayor William O'Dwyer informed Jack Mara, Wellington Mara and Bert Bell of the police evidence. Under questioning, Hapes admitted he was offered a bribe, but Filchock denied it. Paris was arrested and confessed to bribing the players; Hapes was suspended, but Filchock was allowed to play. During Paris' trial weeks later, Filchock admitted taking the bribe under oath.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled off Lake Michigan, cutting through the thin wool coats of the spectators packed into Wrigley Field. On the frozen gridiron, the air was thick with steam rising from breath and turf. Sid Luckman took the snap, his eyes scanning a defense that looked more like a brick wall than a group of men. He handed off to Steve Filipowicz, who lowered his shoulder and drove through the line, the crunch of pads echoing louder than the crowd's roar. The Giants' linebackers swarmed, but the Bears held firm, their blue and white jerseys stained with mud and ice. Every yard gained was a battle won in the trenches, a testament to a team that refused to yield even when the field itself seemed hostile.

Reader's Guide

The game was played at the Polo Grounds in New York City on December 15, 1946. The Bears won 24–14. Scoring summary: First quarter – CHI: Ken Kavanaugh 21-yard pass from Sid Luckman (Frank Maznicki kick), 7–0; CHI: Dante Magnani 19-yard interception return (Maznicki kick), 14–0; NY: Liebel 38-yard pass from Frank Filchock (Ken Strong kick), 14–7. Second quarter – No scoring. Third quarter – NY: Steve Filipowicz 5-yard pass from Filchock (Strong kick), 14–14. Fourth quarter – CHI: Luckman 19-yard run (Maznicki kick), 21–14; CHI: FG Maznicki 26-yard, 24–14. Officials: Referee Ronald Gibbs, Umpire Carl Brubaker, Head linesman Charlie Berry, Field judge William Grimberg. Each player on the winning Bears received $1,975; Giants players made $1,295 each.

Did You Know?

• This was the fifth and final NFL Championship game played at the Polo Grounds.
• The attendance record of 58,346 stood for another nine years, until the 1955 title game in Los Angeles.
• The gross receipts for the game, including radio and picture rights, was just under $283,000.