NFL Championship Game, 1943
The divisional playoff game pushed the championship game back to its latest ever date, and the late-December Chicago weather caused the game to be dubbed the "Ice Bowl." The Bears were favored by a touchdown, and won by twenty points, 41–21. The crowd was smaller than the previous year's and well off the championship game record of 48,120 set in 1938, but the gross gate receipts of $120,500 set a record. In addition to the gate, radio broadcast rights to the game were sold for $5,000.
The Bears were led by quarterback Sid Luckman while Sammy Baugh was the quarterback for the Redskins. The Redskins were coached by Dutch Bergman. The Chicago win marked the franchise's third championship in four seasons, their fourth since the institution of the NFL Championship Game in 1933, and their sixth championship overall.
Rosters
Starters
Bears | Position | Redskins |
---|---|---|
Jim Benton | Left end | Bob Masterson |
Dom Sigillo | Left tackle | Lou Rymkus |
Dan Fortmann | Left guard | Clyde Shugart |
Bulldog Turner | Center | George Smith |
George Musso | Right guard | Steve Slivinski |
Al Hoptowit | Right tackle | Joe Pasqua |
George Wilson | Right end | Joe Aguirre |
Sid Luckman | Quarterback | Ray Hare |
Harry Clarke | Left halfback | George Cafego |
Dante Magnani | Right halfback | Frank Seno |
Bob Masters | Fullback | Andy Farkas |
Substitutions
Bears substitutions: Pool, Berry, Steinkemper, Babartsky, Mundee, Ippolito, Logan, Matuza, McLean, Luckman, Famighetti, Nagurski, McEnulty, Nolting and Vodicka.
Redskins substitutions: Piasecky, Lapka, Wilkin, Zeno, Fiorentino, Leon, Hayden, Baugh, Seymour, Moore, Gibson, Akins and Stasica.
Officials
- Referee: Ronald Gibbs
- Umpire: John Kelly
- Head Linesman: Charlie Berry
- Field Judge: Eddie Tryon
The NFL had only four game officials in 1943; the back judge was added in 1947, the line judge in 1965, and the side judge in 1978.
Scoring summary
Sunday, December 26, 1943
Kickoff: 2 p.m. CWT (CDT)
- First quarter
- no scoring
- Second quarter
- WAS – Andy Farkas 1 yard run (Bob Masterson kick), 7–0 WAS
- CHI – Harry Clarke 31 yard pass from Sid Luckman (Bob Snyder kick), 7–7 tie
- CHI – Bronko Nagurski 3 yard run (Snyder kick), 14–7 CHI
- Third quarter
- CHI – Dante Magnani 36 yard pass from Luckman (Snyder kick), 21–7 CHI
- CHI – Magnani 66 yard pass from Luckman (kick failed), 27–7 CHI
- WAS – Farkas 17 yard pass from Sammy Baugh (Masterson kick), 27–14 CHI
- Fourth quarter
- CHI – Jim Benton 26 yard pass from Luckman (Snyder kick), 34–14 CHI
- CHI – Clarke 10 yard pass from Luckman (Snyder kick), 41–14 CHI
- WAS – Joe Aguirre 25 yard pass from Baugh (Aguirre kick), 41–21 CHI
Game statistics
Bears | Game Statistics | Redskins |
---|---|---|
12 | First downs | 11 |
44–168 | Rushes–yards | 27–45 |
276 | Passing yards | 182 |
14–27–0 | Passes | 10–22–4 |
66 | Punt return yards | 37 |
5–32 | Punts | 5–48.4 |
21 | Kickoff return yards | 167 |
0–0 | Fumbles–lost | 1–0 |
9–81 | Penalties–yards | 2–20 |
Each player on the Bears took home $1,135 while each member of the Redskins got $754.