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| Date | December 11, 1938 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Stadium | Polo Grounds New York City | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 48,120 | ||||||||||||||||||
The1938 NFL Championship Game was the sixthchampionship game played in theNational Football League (NFL). It was played on December 11 at thePolo Grounds inNew York City,[1] with an attendance of 48,120, a record crowd for a title game.[2][3][4]
The game matched theNew York Giants (8–2–1), champions of the Eastern Division, against the Western Division championGreen Bay Packers (8–3–0).[5][6] The Giants had won the regular season game with Green Bay 15–3 at the Polo Grounds three weeks earlier on November 20,[7] but Green Bay was withouthall of fame endDon Hutson; there was no clear favorite for the title game.[6][8][9]
This was the Giants' fourth championship game appearance, their previous victory was in the famous"Sneakers game" of1934 and they were runners-up in1933 and1935. It was the Packers' second trip, winning in1936. New York also won the1927 NFL title when the championship was awarded to the team with the best season record. Green Bay had similarly won three straight league titles in1929,1930, and1931.
End and future Giants head coachJim Lee Howell blocked a punt after the Packers opening drive to set up aWard Cuff field goal. The Giants blocked a second punt in the first quarter to set up a touchdown run byTuffy Leemans and a 9-0 first quarter lead. The 9 points caused by the two blocked punts would ultimately decide the championship.[10]
At halftime, Packers head coachCurly Lambeau accidentally made a wrong turn going to the team's locker room and walked out of the Polo Grounds, locking himself out. Hurrying to the front gate, Lambeau tried to get back into the Grounds, but the guards at the gate believed Lambeau was a random fan and refused him entry. As Lambeau loudly protested, a couple of sportswriters inside heard the commotion, and identified Lambeau; the guards allowed him back in, by which time halftime was nearly over.
After trailing by two points at halftime, Green Bay took the lead in the third quarter with a short field goal,[4] but New York responded with a touchdown and held on through a scoreless fourth quarter to win, 23–17.[11][12]
With the victory, the Giants became the first team to win two Championship Games since the league was split into two divisions in1933. The two teams met again in the Championship Game thefollowing year inMilwaukee,Wisconsin, with the Packers winning 27–0.Ed Danowski became the first Giants starting quarterback to win two NFL Championships for the team (the other isEli Manning).
The Giants' next title was in1956, and was won atYankee Stadium.
Sunday, December 11, 1938
Kickoff: 2 p.m.EST
The NFL had only fourgame officials in1938; the back judge was added in1947, the line judge in1965, and the side judge in1978.
The victory earned each winning Giant player$504 and each Packer $368.[12]
40°49′52″N73°56′13″W / 40.831°N 73.937°W /40.831; -73.937