Chicago Charities College All-Star Game
College All-Star Football Classic
Program cover for debut 1934 game
Stadium	Soldier Field (1934–1942, 1945–1976) Dyche Stadium (1943–1944)
Location	Chicago (1934–1942, 1945–1976) Evanston, Illinois (1943–1944)
Operated	1934–1976
Sponsors
Chicago Tribune

TheChicago Charities College All-Star Game was apreseasonAmerican football game played from 1934 to 1976 between theNational Football League (NFL) champions and a team of starcollege seniors from the previous year. It was also known as theCollege All-Star Football Classic.^[1]

The game was contested annually—except for 1974, due to that year'sNFL strike—and was played in July, August, or September. In the 42 College All-Star Games, the defending pro champions won 31, the All-Stars won nine, and two were ties, giving the collegians a .238 winning percentage.

The second game, played in 1935, involved the hometownChicago Bears, runner-up of the1934 season, instead of the defending championNew York Giants. TheNew York Jets played in the 1969 edition, although still anAmerican Football League (AFL) team. Once the AFL–NFL Championship was introduced (including for the two seasons before the "Super Bowl" designation was officially adopted and the remaining two seasons before theAFL–NFL merger) the Super Bowl winner was the professional team involved, regardless of which league the team represented.

The game was the idea ofArch Ward, the sports editor of theChicago Tribune and the driving force behindMajor League Baseball'sAll-Star Game.^[1] The game originally was a benefit forChicago-area charities and was played atSoldier Field except for two years duringWorld War II, in 1943 and 1944, when it was held atNorthwestern University'sDyche Stadium inEvanston. Since Dyche Stadium was smaller than Soldier Field, the wartime federal government ordered the venue switch to reduce attendance and by extension the use of fuel and tires for travel.^[2]

The Chicago game was one of several "pro vs. rookie" college all-star games held across the United States in its early years (the1939 season featured seven such games, all of which the NFL teams won in shutouts, and theseason prior featured eight, with some of the collegiate players playing in multiple games).

Chicago's game had the benefit of being the highest profile, with the NFL champions facing the best college graduates from across the country as opposed to the regional games that were held elsewhere; because of this, the game survived far longer than its contemporaries.

The inaugural game in 1934, played before a crowd of 79,432 on August 31, was a scoreless tie between the All-Stars and theChicago Bears. The following year, in a game that includedUniversity of Michigan graduate and futureU.S. presidentGerald Ford, the Bears won 5–0.

The first All-Star team to win was the 1937 squad, coached byGus Dorais, which won 6–0 overCurly Lambeau'sGreen Bay Packers. The only score came on a 47-yard touchdown pass from futureHall of FamerSammy Baugh toGaynell Tinsley.^[3] Baugh'sWashington Redskins lost to the All-Stars the next year, but he did not play due to injury.^[4]

In the 1940s, the games were competitive affairs that attracted large crowds to Soldier Field. The college All-Stars had the benefit of being fully integrated, since the NFL's league-wide color barrier did not apply to the squad, meaningblack players such asKenny Washington (who played in the 1940 contest) were allowed to play in the game. As the talent level of pro football improved (and the NFL itself integrated), the pros came to dominate the series.

The qualifying criteria for the College All-Star squad was loose. The 1945 game featuredTom Harmon, whose professional career had begun in 1941, but had been interrupted by military service.^[5]

The All-Stars last won consecutive games in 1946 and 1947, and won only four of the final 29 games: thePhiladelphia Eagles fell in 1950,^[6] theCleveland Browns in 1955,^[7] and theDetroit Lions in 1958.^[8]

The last All-Star win came in 1963, when a college team coached by legendary quarterbackOtto Graham beatVince Lombardi'sGreen Bay Packers, 20–17.^[9]

In 1949, Ward, who by this time had founded the competingAll-America Football Conference, attempted to have that league's champion, the perennially winning Browns, play that year's game instead of the NFL champion, but after the NFL threatened legal action, theTribune board overruled Ward and renewed its agreement with the NFL.^[10]

By the late 1960s and the 1970s, enthusiasm for the game started to erode as NFL coaches became increasingly reluctant to let their new draftees play in the exhibition game due to their being forced to miss part of training camp, and their draftees being at considerable risk for injury. As early as 1949, these concerns had been raised afterDick Rifenburg suffered a serious knee injury practicing for the game, effectively ending his professional career before it began, and prompting Rifenburg's move into broadcasting.^[11]Dan Rooney, vice president of the Steelers, called the game one that "has turned into a farce" as early as 1970.^[12]

In1974, aplayer's strike and an exodus of stars to theWorld Football League exacerbated this issue, as the NFL went to all-rookie rosters to allow the preseason to be played: with no rookies available to play for the College All-Stars, thegame was cancelled that year.

During most of its run, the College All-Star Game was not particularly unique, since NFL teams frequently played exhibition games against non-NFL competition in its early decades. However, by the 1970s, the NFL was withdrawing from competition against teams that were not members of the league. Following the end of preseason games against teams from theEastern Conference of theCanadian Football League in 1961, the NFL played only three games against non-NFL teams (excluding pre-merger exhibition games against AFL teams and College All-Star Games). The first two of these games, a 1969 split-squad match against aContinental Football League team and a 1972 split-squad match against aSeaboard Football League team, were large blowout wins for the NFL teams, while the third, between theHouston Oilers rookie and practice squad and the San Antonio Toros, was a much closer contest.

The final College All-Star Game took place in1976 during a torrential downpour at Soldier Field on July 23.^[13][14][15] Despite featuring star players such asChuck Muncie,Mike Pruitt,Lee Roy Selmon, andJackie Slater, the All-Stars were hopelessly outmatched by thePittsburgh Steelers, winners of consecutive Super Bowls (IX,X).

The star quarterback for the College All-Stars, Steeler draft pickMike Kruczek ofBoston College, left ten minutes into the first quarter after pulling his left thigh, with backup quarterbackCraig Penrose ofSan Diego State suffering two broken fingers in the second quarter.Jeb Blount ofTulsa played most of the game.^[13][16]

With 1:22 remaining in the third quarter and the Steelers leading 24–0, high winds and lightning prompted All-Stars coachAra Parseghian to call for a time out.

After the officials ordered both teams to their locker rooms, fans invaded the field and began sliding on the turf as the rain continued to fall heavily. Despite the efforts of officials, stadium security and Chicago Police, all attempts to clear the field failed, with a group of drunk fans tearing down the goalposts at the southern end of the stadium. However, by this time, the torrential rain had left parts of the field under 18 inches (45.5 cm) of water, meaning it would have been unplayable in any event.

At 11:01pmCDT, NFL CommissionerPete Rozelle and theTribune announced that the game had been called: the announcement was greeted with jeers, and numerous brawls broke out on the flooded field before order was finally restored.

Joe Washington ofOklahoma was selected as the MVP of the final College All-Star game.^[17]

Chicago Tribune Charities had every intention of staging a 1977 game, however, a combination of factors, including NFL coaches being increasingly reluctant to let their high draft picks play, rising insurance costs, and higher player salaries meant the game was no longer viable or competitive. As such, theTribune announced on December 21, 1976, that the game would be discontinued.^{[15][18][19][20]} The game raised over $4 million for charity during the course of its 42-game run.^[21]

In the 42 College All-Star Games, the defending pro champions won 31, the All-Stars won nine, and two were ties, giving the collegians a .238 winning percentage. The 1976 College All-Star Game remains, as of 2025, the last time an NFL team has played any team from outside the league.

One aspect of the College All-Star Game was later revived: the concept of the league champion playing in the first game of the season was adopted in2004 with theNational Football League Kickoff game. Since then, the first game of the regular season is hosted by the defending Super Bowl champion.

All games played atSoldier Field inChicago, except for the 1943 and 1944 games, which were played atDyche Stadium inEvanston, Illinois.

† Game was called with 1:22 left in the 3rd quarter due to inclement weather.^[13][17]

Listed by number of appearances

• Miami's second consecutive appearance in 1974 was cancelled due to NFL players' strike.

TheMost Valuable Player award was given from 1938 through 1973 and was always awarded to a player on the College All-Stars

• Pro Bowl, the AFC–NFC all-star game
• Playoff Bowl, another discontinued annual NFL game
• Armed Forces Benefit Football Game, a discontinued annual preseason game at Soldier Field
• Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
• College football all-star games

• Bolding, Mark."The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game".mmbolding.com. Archived fromthe original on November 6, 2014 – viaWayback Machine.
• Hibner, John C. (1986)."The Death of an All-star Game"(PDF).The Coffin Corner (1986 PFRA Annual).Professional Football Researchers Association. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on December 18, 2010 – viaWayback Machine.
• "List of game results".HickokSports.com. Archived fromthe original on February 23, 2002 – viaLibrary of Congress Web Archive.

• NFL competitions
• College football all-star games
• Events at Soldier Field
• Amateur versus professional matches

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