YES, VIRGINIA, THERE WAS AN NFL BEFORE THE SUPER BOWL, FROM 1933, WHEN THE LEAGUE DIVIDED INTO TWO DIVISIONS, THROUGH 1965. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THERE WERE NOT DRAMATIC FINISHES, INCLUDING TIES FOR 1ST PLACE, WHICH NECESSITATED PLAYOFFS.
IN THE NFL THERE WERE 10 TIE BREAKER PLAYOFFS BEFORE THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (1941, 1943, 1947, 1950 (2), 1952, 1957, 1958, 1959, AND 1965.
IN THE ALL AMERICA FOOTBALL CONFERENCE THERE WAS ONE IN ITS FOUR SEASONS (1947), AND IN THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE THERE WAS ONE BETWEEN 1960 AND 1965 (1963). A BLOG COULD BE WRITTEN ABOUT EACH OF THESE PLAYOFFS, BUT THAT WILL BE FOR ANOTHER DAY.
THIS BLOG WILL COVER THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES IN THE PRE-SUPER BOWL YEARS. FOR EACH YEAR, THERE WILL BE A LINK TO THE STATISTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GAME, ONE OR MULTIPLE LINKS TO A VIDEO OR VIDEO CLIPS, AND A LINK TO A GAME STORY (EITHER A NEWSPAPER STORY, SOME OTHER STORY, OR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED ARTICLES).
FOR THE EARLY YEARS, THE VIDEO IS SPARSE. IT IMPROVES IN LENGTH AS TIME GOES ON. AMAZINGLY, THERE WAS ONLY ONE GAME (THE 1949 ALL AMERICA CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME) FOR WHICH I WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY VIDEO.
THE VIDEO LINKS GIVEN ARE EITHER FROM COPYRIGHT SOURCES OR LESS THAN 10 MINUTES (WHICH COPYRIGHT DOES NOT COVER UNDER THE "FAIR USE" STANDARD). VIDEOS THAT VIOLATE COPYRIGHT, ARE BOOTLEG VIDEOS, AND ARE ILLEGAL. I WILL NOT LINK TO THEM BUT WILL NOTE WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE. IN MOST CASES THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS, AND IN ALMOST ALL CASES THEY ARE VERY EASY TO FIND, USING VERY BASIC SEARCH STRATEGIES.
NOTE THAT THESE BOOTLEGS COME AND GO, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, BUT WITH THE NUMBER AVAILABLE, YOU SHOULD HAVE NO TROUBLE FINDING THEM.
IN PART 2 OF THIS SERIES, COMING LATER, I WILL DO THE SAME THING FOR THE SUPER BOWL, BEGINNING WITH THE 1966 SEASON AND GOING UP TO LIX, CONTESTED IN FEBRUARY OF 2025. BETWEEN THE TWO POSTS, YOU WILL HAVE AN EYEWITNESS VIEW OF THE GAMES PLAYED BETWEEN THE BEST TEAMS OVER THE LAST 92 SEASONS. ENJOY!
FOR MORE ON THE HISTORY OF THE NFL FROM 1933-1951, SEE MY BLOG:
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VIDEO CLIP 2: IN THE FIRST 6 MINUTES OF THE VIDEO THERE ARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM GIANTS V BEARS CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES IN 1933, 1934, 1956, AND 1963
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THE FAMOUS "SNEAKERS" GAME. NUMBER 3 FOR THE BEARS IS BRONKO NAGURSKI (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME)
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VIDEO CLIP (PACKERS HAVE STRIPES ACROSS THEIR SHOULDERS)
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VIDEO CLIP: THERE ARE BOOTLEG VIDEOS OF GAME HIGHLIGHTS IN MULTIPLE PLACES. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
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F YOU WATCH THE CONVERSION AFTER THE BEARS LAST TD, YOU WILL SEE IT WAS A DROP KICK. THE NEXT DROP KICK EXTRA POINT IN THE NFL WAS BY DOUG FLUTIE (HEISMAN TROPHY) IN 2006.
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VIDEO CLIP (FIRST PART IS IN COLOR AND SOUND, 2ND PART IS IN BLACK AND WHITE AND SILENT)
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LOOK CLOSELY FOR NUMBER 3 OF THE BEARS. IT'S BRONKO NAGURSKI (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME). NAGURSKI FOUGHT OVER SALARY WITH OWNER COACH GEORGE HALAS (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) AND FINALLY QUIT THE TEAM AFTER THE 1937 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. HE BECAME A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER AND WAS AN UNDEFEATED WORLD CHAMPION. IN 1943, THE BEARS WERE SHORT OF PLAYERS DUE TO THE WAR AND HALAS ASKED NAGURSKI TO COME BACK. HE DID AND PLAYED IN 8 GAMES, PLAYING A CRUCIAL ROLE IN A CRITICAL LATE GAME AGAINST THE CARDINALS THAT HELPED CLINCH THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP. HE SCORED A TD IN THIS GAME AND THEN RETIRED FOR GOOD.
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DON HUDSON'S (NFL FILMS) FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, MOSTLY USED AS A DECOY.
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SAMMY BAUGH'S FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. IF YOU WATCH YOU WILL SEE HE WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SHOT GUN QUARTERBACKS, PLAYING MUCH FURTHER BACK THAN MODERN QUARTERBACKS. ONE OF HIS PASSES FROM DEEP IN HIS OWN END ZONE HIT THE CROSS BAR, A SAFETY UNDER THE RULES OF THE TIME, WHICH ENDED UP COSTING THE GAME. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL "ICE BOWL" WITH BRUTAL COLD AND WIND. BAUGH WAS LATER INJURED IN THE GAME AND PLAYED ONLY SPARINGLY IN THE SECOND HALF.
AS BAUGH LED HIS TEAM TO ITS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS ROOKIE YEAR IN 1937, BOB WATERFIELD (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME), IN HIS ROOKIE YEAR, LED THE RAMS TO THEIRS.
THE RAMS MOVED TO LOS ANGELES AFTER WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP. THEY WERE THE FIRST TEAM TO EVER DO THIS IN AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS. THE MOVE BROUGHT INTEGRATION TO THE NFL, AS DAN REEVES (WIKIPEDIA, RAMS OWNER, WAS FORCED TO INTEGRATE BECAUSE THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES WOULD NOT LET HIM USE THE MUNICIPALLY OWNED LA COLISEUM FOR HOME GAMES IF HE DIDN'T.
THE BROWNS' PAUL BROWN (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME), INTEGRATED THE ALL AMERICA FOOTBALL CONFERENCE. THE PERIOD OF SEGREGATION, BEGINNING IN 1933, WAS OVER IN 1946. BROWN INTEGRATED BECAUSE HE WANTED THE BEST PLAYERS HE COULD GET. SEE BELOW FOR THE RESULTS OF THAT.
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https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194612150nyg.htm
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AAFC (ALL AMERICA FOOTBALL CONFERENCE: 1946
VIDEO CLIP: NOTE: IF THE TIME STAMP DOESN'T WORK, THE GAME VIDEO IS AT 38:32 ON THE VIDEO
NOTE IN THE FILM THE BROWNS COACHES STUDYING FILM. HEAD COACH PAUL BROWN PIONEERED FILM STUDY, AS WELL AS SUCH OTHER INNOVATIONS AS THE PASSING POCKET, THE DRAW PLAY, THE TAXI SQUAD, MESSENGER GUARDS BRINGING IN PLAYS, MICROPHONES IN THE QUARTERBACK'S HELMET (BANNE IN THE EARLY 50S), ASSISTANT COACHES, AND THE STRATEGIC USE OF THE FIELD GOAL, AMONG OTHER THINGS. HE WON STATE HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE NATIONAL, AND PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. NOT ONLY WAS HE THE MOST INNOVATIVE COACH IN NFL HISTORY, HE WAS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, LEADING THE BROWNS TO 10 CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND 7 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS. THE LEAGUE TODAY IS A REFLECTION OF HIS GREATNESS.
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VIDEO CLIP 1 (SILENT): THIS IS THE FIRST FULL GAME CHAMPIONSHIP VIDEO I HAVE SEEN. IT APPEARS TO BE A COACHES FILM OF THE GAME. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO UNCOVER ITS PROVENANCE.
VIDEO CLIP 2: THIS IS THE EAGLES 1947 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS. IF THE TIME STAMP DOESN'T WORK ON YOUR DEVICE, THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HIGHLIGHTS BEGIN AT 27:20 ON THE VIDEO
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VIDEO CLIP 1: NOTE: IF THE TIME STAMP DOESN'T WORK, THE GAME VIDEO IS AT 6:35 ON THE VIDEO.
VIDEO CLIP 2: NOTE: IF THE TIME STAMP DOESN'T WORK, THE GAME VIDEO IS AT 18:27 ON THE VIDEO.
NOTE THE REMOVAL OF THE TARP BEFORE THE GAME. PLAYERS FROM BOTH TEAMS WORKED ALONG WITH GROUNDS CREW.
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VIDEO CLIP: THERE ARE BOOTLEG VIDEOS OF GAME HIGHLIGHTS IN MULTIPLE PLACES. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
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I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND ANY VIDEO FOR THIS GAME.
GAME STORY: (COFFIN CORNER: PRO FOOTBALL RESEARCHERS ASSOCIATION, .PDF FORMAT, 1P.)
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THERE ARE ALSO BOOTLEG VIDEOS IN MULTIPLE PLACES OF MUCH MORE OF THIS GAME THAN JUST A FEW PLAYS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
PERHAPS A GAME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN THIS WAS THE BROWNS OPENING NFL GAME AGAINST THE TWO TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION PHILADELPHIA EAGLES. CALL IT, PERHAPS,THE FIRST SUPER BOWL. THE EAGLES WERE EXPECTED TO CRUSH THE NEW UPSTARTS. IT DIDN'T EXACTLY WORK OUT THAT WAY.
VIDEO CLIPS OF THE BROWNS 35-10 SHELLACKING OF THE EAGLES.
INTERESTINGLY, COMMISSIONER BERT BELL (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) CONGRATULATED THE BROWNS ON THE WIN BUT THEN SAID THEY PLAYED LIKE A BASKETBALL TEAM.
HEAD COACH PAUL BROWN (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) REMEMBERED THIS WHEN THE TWO TEAMS MET AGAIN ON THE PENULTIMATE DAY OF THE SEASON IN A MUD AND ICE BOWL BY LAKE ERIE. BROWN TOLD HIS QUARTERBACK, OTTO GRAHAM (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME), THAT IF THE BROWNS SCORED FIRST, HE WAS NOT TO THROW A PASS AS LONG AS THEY WERE AHEAD. SURE ENOUGH, TOM LANDRY (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) INTERCEPTED A PASS AND "TOOK IT TO THE HOUSE" FOR THE FIRST SCORE. THE BROWNS DIDN'T THROW A PASS ALL GAME AND WON AGAIN 13-7.
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VIDEO CLIP: THERE ARE BOOTLEG VIDEOS IN MULTIPLE PLACES. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND
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VIDEO CLIP: BOOTLEG IN MULTIPLE PLACES. EASY TO FIND
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VIDEO CLIP: BOOTLEG IN MULTIPLE PLACES. EASY TO FIND
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THERE ARE ALSO MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS, INCLUDING FULL GAME RADIO BROADCASTS, HIGHLIGHTS, AND RADIO TV SYNCHS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
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THERE ARE ALSO MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
OTTO GRAHAM'S (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) FINAL GAME. 1946-1955. 10 SEASONS, 10 CONFEREENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS, 7 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
THE GREATEST QUARTERBACK OF ALL TIME (IMHO).
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VIDEO CLIP 2: IN THE FIRST 6 MINUTES OF THE VIDEO THERE ARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM GIANTS V BEARS CHAMPIIONSHIP GAMES IN 1933, 1934, 1956, AND 1963
THERE ARE ALSO MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
GAME STORY: NOTES ON A GELID AFTERNOON, BY TEX MAULE (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 7, 1957) (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
GIANTS AGAIN WEAR SNEAKERS, BEARS AGAIN WEAR CLEATS (SEE 1934 ABOVE)
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THERE ARE ALSO MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
GAME STORY: ALL HALE THE LUSTY LIONS, BY TEX MAULE (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 6, 1958) (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
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THERE ARE ALSO MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND
GAME STORY: THE BEST FOOTBALL GAME EVER PLAYED, BY TEX MAUL (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 5, 1959) (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
THE GAME THAT MADE THE NFL.
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VIDEO CLIP: THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
GAME STORY: THE BEST TEAM YOU EVER SAW, BY TEX MAULE (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 4,1960 (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
THE FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME I REMEMBER WATCHING ON TV.
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VIDEO CLIP 1: NOTE: THIS IS THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES OFFICIAL RECAP OF THEIR ENTIRE SEASON. I HAVE SET THE VIDEO TO BEGIN AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. IF IT DOES NOT RESOLVE ON YOUR DEVICE, THE GAME BEGINS AT 26:00 ON THE VIDEO
VIDEO CLIP 2: NOTE: THIS IS ALSO THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES OFFICIAL RECAP OF THEIR ENTIRE SEASON. BUT THIS IS THE 1961 VERSION. I HAVE SET THE VIDEO TO BEGIN AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. IF IT DOES NOT RESOLVE ON YOUR DEVICE, THE GAME BEGINS AT 20:53 ON THE VIDEO
THERE ARE ALSO MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
GAME STORY: A BIG RUN WINS FOR A BIG DEFENSE. BY TEX MAULE (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 9, 1961 (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
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1960: AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE:
GAME STORY: A BIG PASS WINS IN A NEW LEAGUE, BY SI STAFF (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 9, 1961) (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
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THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND
GAME STORY: THE DAY OF DEVASTATION, BY TEX MAULE (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 8, 1962) (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
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https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196212300nyg.htm
VIDEO CLIP: THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND
GAME STORY: THE PACKERS, YES! BY TEX MAULE (SPORTS ILLULSTRATED, JANUARY 7, 1963 (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
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AFTER THIS GAME, LAMAR HUNT (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) MOVED THE TEXANS TO KANSAS CITY. THEY WERE THE SECOND TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TO MOVE AFTER WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP.
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VIDEO CLIP 1: ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING SHORT CLIPS YOU WILL EVER SEE. NOTE THAT WHEN QUARTERBACK Y.A. TITTLE (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) WENT DOWN WITH INJURY, HIS OLD COMRADE FROM 49ER DAYS, HUGH McELHENNY (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) HELPED HIM OFF THE FIELD.
VIDEO CLIP 2: IN THE FIRST 6 MINUTES OF THE VIDEO THERE ARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM GIANTS V BEARS CHAMPIIONSHIP GAMES IN 1933, 1934, 1956, AND 1963
THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
GAME STORY: THE BEARS UPEND THE GIANTS, BY TEX MAULE (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 6, 1964) (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT
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AND THE QUESTION THAT SID GILLMAN (PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) ASKED AFTER THIS GAME WAS MUSED UPON BY PRO FOOTBALL RESEARCHER ED GRUVER IN TWO PROVOCATIVE ARTICLES:
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THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
GAME STORY: UPSET OF THE MIGHTY, BY TEX MAULE (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 4, 1965 (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT) NOTE: THERE MAY BE A GLITCH WITH THIS WAYBACK MACHINE LINK. IF THE STORY DOESN'T APPEAR AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE, SCROLL DOWN UNTIL YOU FIND IT.
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VIDEO CLIP: THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
GAME STORY: FOGGY FEAST FOR BUFFALO'S FAITHFUL, BY EDWIN SHRAKE (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 4, 1965) (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
THE FAMOUS MIKE STRATTON (BUFFALO BILLS WALL OF FAME) "HIT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD, THAT BROKE KEITH LINCOLN'S (WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY HALL OF FAME) RIB AND FORCED HIM OUT OF THE GAME, TAKING MUCH OF THE CHARGERS OFFENSE WITH HIM.
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VIDEO CLIP: THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
GAME STORY: A COOL MASTERPIECE, BY TEX MAULE, (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 10, 1966) (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
FIRST OF 3 CONSECUTIVE NFL CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR GREEN BAY.
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VIDEO CLIP: THERE ARE MULTIPLE BOOTLEGS. THEY ARE EASY TO FIND.
GAME STORY: THE BILLS COME STORMING IN, BY EDWIN SHRAKE (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, JANUARY 3, 1966 (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED VAULT)
