1936 NFL Championship Game
Packers win fourth NFL title at Polo Grounds, 21–6 over Boston Redskins.
The 1936 NFL Championship Game was the fourth championship game played in the National Football League (NFL). It took place on December 13 at Polo Grounds in New York City, making it the first NFL title game held on a neutral field. The Eastern Division champion Boston Redskins (7–5) were the home team, but their owner George Preston Marshall, the Packers and the league mutually agreed to move the game from Fenway Park to the Polo Grounds due to low ticket sales in Boston. This was the first championship game for both the Redskins and the Western Division champion Green Bay Packers (10–1–1), who were favored. The Packers won 21–6 for their fourth NFL title, all under longtime head coach Curly Lambeau, having previously won league championships awarded by league standing in 1929, 1930, and 1931.
Quick Facts
- Date
- December 13, 1936
- Location
- City Stadium, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Opponent
- New York Giants
- Final score
- Packers 21, Giants 6
- Head coach
- Curly Lambeau
- Key quarterback
- Arnie Herber
Lore & Background
Several days after the game, Marshall announced he would move the team to his hometown of Washington, D.C. for the following season. 61 years later, the Packers would then defeat the Boston team that replaced the Redskins, the New England Patriots, in Super Bowl XXXI.
Reader's Guide
The Green Bay Packers went 10–1–1 during the regular season to secure the Western Division title, while the Boston Redskins went 7–5 to win the Eastern Division. Players played both ways, offensively and defensively, in 1936. Thus, there were only these eleven starters for each squad. Green Bay Packers: LE - Milt Gantenbein, LT - Ernie Smith, LG/K - Paul "Tiny" Engebretsen, C - George Svendsen, RG - Lon Evans, RT - Louis Gordon, RE - Don Hutson ‡, QB † - Hank Bruder, LHB - George Sauer, RHB - Arnie Herber ‡, FB - Clarke Hinkle ‡.
Boston Redskins: LE - Wayne Millner ‡, LT - Turk Edwards ‡, LG - Les Olsson, C - Frank Bausch, RG - Jim Karcher, RT - James Barber, RE - Charley Malone, QB - Riley Smith, LHB - Ed "Chug" Justice, RHB - Cliff Battles ‡, FB - Don Irwin. † - Note: The quarterback in the single-wing offense was sometimes called the "blocking back", the ball was generally shotgun snapped to a halfback or the fullback. ‡ - Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame.
The NFL had only four game officials in ; the back judge was added in , the line judge in , and the side judge in . The following were the four officials who called the 1936 championship game. Referee: Jordie Jordan, Umpire: Bobby Cahn, Head linesman: Maurice J. Meyer, Field judge: William Halloran.
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