What an incredible game! What a treat, to have extensive highlights of a 1940s (their best decade) Bears game. Apparently most of the plays from scrimmage appear to have been shown. But none of the Giants touchdowns is shown; I wonder why? The best athlete on the field, certainly no disappointment after his great first two seasons, 1940 and 1941, and then his stint serving in World War II, was George McAfee (no 5) of the Bears. He really was comparable as a halfback to Willie Galimore and Gale Sayers. In this game, McAfee does everything well, multiple times: intercepts, tackles, runs back punts or kickoffs, rushes with the ball, catches the ball, and blocks in pass protection. It was probably too rough a game back then, with all the penalties and injuries. Of course, Jim Lee Howell is shown and mentioned, as a Giants player, he to become their head coach for many years in the 1950s, with Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry as his offensive and defensive coordinators for much of that time. But also, Don McCafferty is mentioned on the Giants defense, in particular, coming in as a replacement it sounded like, at some point in the 2nd half. This was his only season as a pro football player, but he became an assistant coach for several teams, over many years, and finally he became the head coach of the Baltimore Colts from 1970-1972, and so won Super Bowl V with them. Then he became head coach of the Detroit Lions in 1973, before dying from a heart attack ahead of the 1974 season.

Three of the players in this game went on to coach as head coaches in the NFL. They were Jim Lee Howell (Giants), George Wilson (Lions) and Ray "Scooter" McLean (Packers). Also, another player, Hank Soar, went on to become an American League umpire.

Superb job of synching up audio commentary with vintage footage. THANKS!

Thx for posting this. I enjoyed it!

Between 1946 and 1963, George S. Halas and the Chicago Bears were between NFL World Championships. 17 years. The New York Giants know all too well what it feels like to wait 17 years for a Title. 1990 - 2007.

Filchock of the Giants is accused of not reporting a fixing scheme before the game and they still let him play. It's looks really suspicious how he fumbled the ball away on his very first carry and throws 4 interceptions in the 1st half and 6 in total.

Wow, thanks for posting.

It would be a treat to see modern players wearing the primitive wearing primitive equipment and poor conditions of this era. Many of these players were hard men and veterans of WW2 who had experienced the horror of combat.

Enjoyable! Thanks

Subbed, this film is a HOOT.

The hard luck Giants played in 10 NFL Championship games in a 24 year period from 1939 to 1963 but managed to win only once in 1956

That was very good. Thank you.

Very good job on the narration!

"... attempts a 33 yard field goal...but it's not long enough!" 😂😂😂 LATER: "... it's a punt of 41 yards." 😆

Interesting note to this game - It was learned a day before the game that Giants QB Frank Filchock and RB Merle Hapes were offered big bucks to shave points and keep the game a 10 point spread. Filchok was allowed to play, but not Hapes. Filchok was found not to have accepted money, but was suspended like a Black Sox and never returned to NFL as a player. BTW, the Giants lost by 10.

The Chicago Bears haven't had a great QB since this time period....Sid Luckman.

I did. realize how tight that Bears & Giants relationship they have.

All that misdirection and masses of players made me think of that electric tabletop football game from the 60's.

Why is there no stripe on Luckman's pant?

This is great

Giants using their quarterback on special teams as a kick returner! Boy that wouldn't happen today! Can you imagine Brady or Mahomes having to return kicks and punts. Some head coach would be hung by his heels.

imagine you throw an interception to the other teams quarterback who also plays defense

puffy pants & no face guards but these guys play hard, real men

Wow, that intro went on FOREVER! Cool video nonetheless.

Watch the Giants offensive play that begins at 16:28. it's an end run that gains about 3 or 4 yards, but look at the tackle by George Wilson of the Bears. His right hand covers the entire face of the Giant ball carrier and slams him down. Obviously, that tackle would be a penalty and likely ejection in today's NFL, but back then? Just another tackle.

Sid Luckman is the best quarterback in Chicago Bears history.

I've noted before that Dick Butkus was the greatest Chicago Bear of all time. But...Sid Luckman has to be no. 1. He iced this game with his two final scores. The run in for the TD and the FG kick to put it away...both in the 4th Quarter. That man had ice-water in his veins for sure.

This was played a week before l was born.

Filchock played his heart out, and when called to testify, he was believed.

What a fascinating game. Giants with their four top ball carriers and punters out of the game. Two Cheap shots from the Bears wiped them out on D and O. Not to mention the gambling allegations and the Giant QB who was under suspicion only threw 6 interceptions A bizarre and brutal game.

how great is it to watch a great pro football game where the players just played the game. NO celebrations, or dancing or individual demonstrations. Those days unfortunately are gone.

Game film starts at 6:50 (The intro does go and on)

$2,000 for the winners doesn't sound like much, but when the average annual salary was $2,600 and a home cost $5,000 in '46, that's pretty good for a day's pay.

Wee ally nice job. Articulate and exciting play by play. Lol enough franks

It’s crazy because Duke Dennis was in the stands watching this now he is a famous KZfaqr

Interesting. The rules for being down by contact were different back then. You were allowed to get up and keep running until the other teams stopped you.

Wow! Some form of Single Wing vs the T ...

Football was better before Goodell came along, I'd rather watch this style than the pass happy NFL of now

Had no idea Ed Sprinkle played both sides of the ball.

I was trying to figure out why the Giants were in a spread out short punt formation as their main offense. Seems like they should be in a tight single wing only using the spread Short Punt on certain plays and situations.

Only two divisions and ten teams. They played 11 games each, and the two top teams played in the championship game. Giants didn't have a lot of luck going 4-11 in championship games. They've done much better later, going 4-1 in Super Bowls.

"He was injured on the play. Looks like his shoulder. He may have separated it. " nonchalantly speaking of a separated shoulder. Another time someone may have had a concussion. Amazing how little they talked about injuries back then

Watch the guards playing off the line (to pull?!). QB's punting on 3rd & long as an alternative. Wow. Interestingly, although the players have gotten stronger and faster, the refs aren't any better.

Why is every play in there for us to see except the Giants 2 Td's???

35:44 Ha! camera man on the sideline blinds the player who intercepted the ball with his 4 bulb flash at the 34yrd line

Giants vs Bears IV, The 1946 NFL World Championship Game.

There’s this nfl, and then you look at baseball which hasn’t changed at all

Good stuff. Players werent as big then, but definitely as atheletic.

$2k in 1947 = $23.7k in 2021. (The game was played two weeks before the end of 1946 so I put 1947 into the inflation calculator app.) Each member of Bucs got $150k for the 2021 Superbowl. The 1947 $3.5k bribe is 2021 $41.5k. Neither QB could pass very well. Some of those interceptions were inexcusable.

I really enjoyed this, thanks. Would rather watch this game than baby Brady.

Seems like interceptions galore. Tacklers often head hunting.

At 8:25, the narrator mentions 6ft 6in Jim Lee Howell . The future Giants coach who had Vince Lombardi as his offensive coach and Tom Landry as his defensive coach . Handsome Frank Gifford played for him . Allie Sherman , in time become one his assistant coaches before himself becoming Giants coach .

32:32 *HAS* to be the Single Greatest WTF in sports history.

Hundreds of dollars each then winners and ones losing now much more won

Giants wearing red

If I'd been Hapes, I would've been angry. I would've confronted Filchock and said, "I tell the truth and I don't get to play! You lie, and it was all for nothing because we lost!"

Sneakers Game I

A very comical game … looks like a bad present-day high school game … although rougher …

These wide receivers can't catch a cold😂

Why did the refs karate chop players like that?

Those refs are WAY too close to the action!

I wish they would show this at real speed.

"...one of the Bears is pointing at Kavanaugh, he must have done something wrong on the play..." Yes, because nothing says frank honesty like a participant with skin in the game.

The Bears are shitting themselves in the foot here in the third quarter!

Let's see - no face masks, old/older fashioned offense, goalposts on goal line, dirt, slow game, both teams in dark jerseys with no names on back, seemed to be a shortage of lime to line field with, straight on kickers, quarterbacks with funny numbers, no sliding for qbs, pitiful passing game, no blonde sideline reporters, players exhausted from too few TV timeouts, Tom Brady not in the game, back judge did not have a hat on, 5 defensive linemen, had to hold runner down on the ground, no yellow line for TV, hot dogs 5 cents at concession stand, 10 cents with relish, KO from 40/no fair catch, nobody worried about concussions, no medical tent, qb not mic'd up. Other than that the game remains the same.

19 comment

They fixed the game ? So what, big deal

31:33 sheesh Sid Luckman looking like Justin Fields on that play😬💨💨🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

It was the Giants 8th time (not their 7th time) in 14Years to appear in the Championship Game. 33 34 35 38 39 41 44 46

Da Bears 9x world champs!!!!

It just really goes to show baseball is comparable across half a century, football is not. My alma mater, UMass, just went 2-9, I think. They would beat these guys because they're bigger, stronger, faster, better conditioned. They would win because the 1946 NFL wouldn't know what the hell to do against anything resembling a modern scheme (even though Paul Brown was thinking, thinking...). I think they would lose convincingly against the worst college program in 2021.

Were these guys slower and awkward playing ball compared to today’s players? Or was it the flimsy helmets that made them that way?

no face-mask penalties called. seems as some players played both ways; yes, I know the exact year limited (2) substitution ended in college football.

Sid Luckman is a Hall of Famer, widely considered the best quarterback of his day, iirc. Now, I've been watching pro football since 1968. I saw Namath, Unitas, Jurgensen, Staubach, sweet Marino...I've seen a few. ... ... ... Sid Luckman SUCKS.

Polo Grounds. Better for football than baseball.