1963 NFL Championship Game
The 1963 NFL Championship Game was the 31st annual championship game, played on December 29 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.[1][2] The game pitted the visiting New York Giants (11–3) of the Eastern Conference against the Chicago Bears (11–1–2) of the Western Conference.[3][4][5][6]
New York Giants
(Eastern)
(11–3)
Originally, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle had asked Bears owner/coach George Halas to move the game to Soldier Field due to its higher seating capacity and lights, and the possibility the game could extend into multiple overtime periods; Wrigley Field did not have lights until 1988.[7]
After Halas declined the request, Rozelle moved the game's starting time up to 12:05 p.m. CST for increased daylight,[8] similar to the situation in 1960 at Franklin Field. The Championship Game was played in temperatures under 10 °F (−12 °C).[3][9]
The Giants were in their third consecutive championship game and fifth in the last six seasons. They lost to the Baltimore Colts in 1958 and 1959, and the Green Bay Packers in 1961 and 1962. The Bears were in their first Championship Game since a loss to the Giants in 1956 at Yankee Stadium, and had last won in 1946, defeating the Giants at the Polo Grounds.
This was the fifth and final NFL Championship Game at Wrigley Field, which hosted the first in 1933, as well as 1937, 1941, and 1943. The Bears won four, with the only loss in 1937.
Tickets were $12.50, $10, and $6.[10][11] NBC paid the league $926,000 for the broadcast rights.[12][13][14]
Background[edit]
The Giants, coached by Allie Sherman, were known for their powerful offense, which scored 448 points in 14 games. They were led by quarterback Y. A. Tittle who threw 36 touchdown passes during the season, then an NFL record. Other contributing players on offense were Pro Bowlers Del Shofner and Frank Gifford. Wide receiver Shofner caught 64 passes for 1,181 yards and 9 touchdowns. Flanker Gifford had 42 receptions for 657 yards and 7 touchdowns. Formerly a star halfback, he had switched to the flanker position in 1962, having sat out the 1961 season following a devastating hit by linebacker Chuck Bednarik in November 1960. The Giants also used a plethora of players at running back, with the main two being Phil King and Joe Morrison. Although neither one had significant individual statistics, they combined for 1,181 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns.
The Giants defense allowed 280 points, ranking fifth overall in the 14-team NFL. This group was led by future Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Sam Huff. Other contributing players on defense were defensive linemen, Jim Katcavage, and John LoVetere; linebacker Tom Scott; and defensive backs Erich Barnes and Dick Lynch.
Meanwhile, the Bears were known for their defense, nicknamed the Monsters of the Midway. Led by defensive coordinator George Allen, this unit yielded 144 points in 14 games. The defensive line consisted of Ed O'Bradovich, Fred Williams, Stan Jones, and future hall of famer Doug Atkins. The linebacking corps was led by Joe Fortunato, Bill George, and Larry Morris, while the defensive backs were led by Richie Petitbon and Rosey Taylor. Accomplishments by the Bears defense during the regular season included making 36 pass interceptions, surrendering only 1 touchdown in two games versus the Green Bay Packers, and not allowing any passing touchdowns in its two games against quarterback Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts. Writers in New York were especially fearful of the trio at linebacker, stating that Tittle had yet to see a group like them all year.[15]
Chicago's offense did not come close to the Giants' in terms of points scored or yards gained. The group only scored 301 points, ranking 10th out of the league's then-14 teams. The offense was led by quarterback Bill Wade, the first overall pick of the 1952 NFL draft. Wade ran a simplified game plan, nicknamed "three yards and a cloud of dust," in which they would play it safe by running the ball or tossing short passes to the ends or backs instead of risking giving up an interception. Wade threw almost as many passes as Tittle in 1963 - 356 vs. 367 - but Y.A. favored longer throws, as evidenced by 8.6 yards-per-attempt vs. Wade's 6.5. Wade's favorite targets were tight end Mike Ditka and wide receiver, Johnny Morris.
The Giants entered the title game as slight favorites.[12][16]
[edit]
The gate receipts for the game were about $500,000 and the television money was $926,000. For the first time, the NFL tried a closed-circuit telecast in the local blackout area, with 26,000 viewing on large screens in four locations: McCormick Place, International Amphitheatre, Chicago Coliseum, and Chicago Stadium;[1][19][20] tickets ranged from $4 to $7.50.[19] Gross receipts were $1,493,954, with $35,402 from the closed-circuit telecast.[21]
Each player on the winning Bears team received $5,899, while Giants players made $4,218 each.[21][22] Both were a record, each a slight increase over the previous year at Yankee Stadium, despite a significantly lower attendance due to the venue.[21]
Riger, Robert. Best Plays of the Year: 1963. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. 1964.
41°56′53″N 87°39′22″W / 41.948°N 87.656°W