1939 NFL Championship

Lore & Background

The game was held in Milwaukee rather than Green Bay due to team owner Curly Lambeau's belief that a game in Milwaukee would generate greater attendance. The newly-built 'Dairy Bowl' football stadium was dedicated at halftime with the breaking of a bottle of milk. On hand were Wisconsin Governor Julius P. Heil and Milwaukee Mayor Daniel Hoan.

In Their Own Story

The December air at Milwaukee County Stadium bit with a bone-deep chill, but the roar of the crowd swallowed the cold. On the frozen gridiron, Arnie Herber dropped back, his eyes scanning a defense that should have been impenetrable. Instead, the Giants' wall crumbled under Green Bay's relentless assault. A spiral cut through the gray sky, finding Cecil Isbell in stride for another explosive first down. On the sideline, Curly Lambeau offered no celebration—only a stoic nod as his gaze locked onto the scoreboard: 27–0. The contest had ended before the Giants could even blink, a masterclass in a team that refused to let obstacles stand between them and glory.

Reader's Guide

The game took place at the 'Dairy Bowl' stadium, located in the infield of the Milwaukee Mile racetrack at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis. The Packers opened as 8-to-5 gambling favorites, with odds tightening to 7-to-5 as gametime approached. Attendance was 32,379, the highest attended sporting event in the Milwaukee area's history at the time.

Did You Know?

• The Packers scored a touchdown in the first quarter and led 7–0 at halftime, then dominated the second half to win 27–0.
• The gross gate receipts of $83,510.35 set a new record.
• The day before the game, the 1940 NFL draft was held at Milwaukee's Schroeder Hotel.
• The NFL had only four game officials in 1939: referee Bill Halloran, umpire Ed Cochrane, head linesman Tom Thorp, and field judge Dan Tehan.