1932 Chicago Bears NFL Champions

In 1932, the Chicago Bears were led by the Hall of Fame backfield of Bronko Nagurski and Red Grange.  They finished the season tied for 1^st place with the Portsmouth Spartans (now known as the Detroit Lions).  The NFL had no rules in place for post-season play.  Prior to 1932, the team with the best record would be awarded the championship.  Because the Bears and Spartans had identical records, the league determined they’d have a championship game.  The championship game was to be played at Wrigley Field, home of the Bears.  However, temperatures approaching zero and an ice covered field forced officials to move the game indoors, forever changing professional football.

They made do in the Chicago Stadium where the field wasn't long enough or wide enough.  The goal posts were moved to the goal line, where they’d remain in all future NFL games until 1974.  Because the field lacked substantial sidelines, the ball wasn't reset where the play ended.  Instead, the ball was reset 10 yards from the sideline; a rule change which is still part of the league today.  The game would only see a single offensive score, when Nagurski connected with Grange for a controversial touchdown pass.  At the time, rules dictated that the passer had to be five yards behind the line of scrimmage to attempt a forward pass.  The Spartans contested the touchdown, which appeared to be nowhere close to a legal play.  The score stood however, and, in 1933, the league would drop the five yard requirement.  In the following series the Spartans fumbled in their own end zone and the Bears recovered for a safety-the final score of the game.  The Bears had won the first NFL Championship game by the score of 9-0.

For more information about the historic and unusual game, checkout  Chicago Bears by Law Freedman or the similarly named The Chicago Bears by Richard Whittingham.