1939 NFL Championship Game

1939 NFL Championship Game
DateDecember 10, 1939
StadiumMilwaukee Mile
(State Fair Park)
West Allis, Wisconsin
FavoriteGreen Bay by 10 points[1]
Green Bay 7-to-5[2]
RefereeBill Halloran
Attendance32,379
Wisconsin State Fair Park
Location in the United States

The 1939 NFL Championship Game was the seventh league championship game of the National Football League (NFL), held on December 10 inside the Milwaukee Mile, located at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, a suburb west of Milwaukee.

The New York Giants (9–1–1), the defending champions, played the Western Division champion Green Bay Packers (9–2).[3][4] The teams had met in the previous year's title game in New York City, which the Giants won by six points, but did not play each other in the 1939 regular season.[5] For the title game in Wisconsin, the Packers opened as 8-to-5 gambling favorites to win, with odds said to have tightened to 7-to-5 as gametime approached.[2]

The host Packers scored a touchdown in the first quarter and led 7–0 at halftime.[6] They dominated in the second half to win 27–0 and secure their fifth title—two more than any other franchise.[7][8][9][10] At the time, it was the highest attended sporting event in the Milwaukee area's history.

Location

The game (hosted by the Packers)[11] was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the "Dairy Bowl" stadium, located in the infield of the Milwaukee Mile racetrack).[7][9] The game took place in Milwaukee rather than the team's home city of Green Bay, Wisconsin due to team owner Curly Lambeau's belief that a game in Milwaukee (a larger city more accessible by rail) would generate greater attendance than one in Green Bay. Lambeau's decision paid off, with a sold-out game.[11] The newly-built "Dairy Bowl" football stadium was dedicated at halftime with the breaking of a bottle of milk. On hand were Wisconsin Governor Julius P. Heil and Milwaukee Mayor Daniel Hoan.[12][13]

The day before the game, the 1940 NFL draft was held at Milwaukee's Schroeder Hotel.[11]

Scoring summary

Sunday, December 10, 1939
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. CST[1]

Scoring Play Score
First quarter
GB – Milt Gantenbein 7 pass from Arnie Herber (Paul Engebretsen kick) GB 7–0
Second quarter
  no scoring
Third quarter
GB – Engebretsen 29 yard field goal GB 10–0
GB – Joe Laws 31 yard pass from Cecil Isbell (Engebretsen kick) GB 17–0
Fourth quarter
GB – Ernie Smith 42 yard field goal GB 20–0
GB – Eddie Jankowski 1 yard run (Smith kick) GB 27–0

Statistics

Category New York
Giants 		Green Bay
Packers
First downs 7 10
Yards gained rushing (net) 56 131
Forward passes attempted 26 10
Forward passes completed 9 7
Yards by forward passing 98 99
Yards lost, attempted forward passes 12 8
Yards gained, run back of intercepted passes 27 39
Punting average (from scrimmage) 32 38
Total yards all kicks returned 98 35
Opponents fumbles recovered 0 0
Yards lost by penalties 20 50

Source:[14]

Officials

  • Referee: Bill Halloran
  • Umpire: Ed Cochrane
  • Head linesman: Tom Thorp
  • Field judge: Dan Tehan [5][6]
The NFL had only four game officials in 1939; the back judge was added in 1947, the line judge in 1965, and the side judge in 1978.

Attendance and receipts

The Packers moved the game from Green Bay to the larger metropolitan area of Milwaukee in hopes of increasing attendance. Ultimately, 32,379 paid to watch.[10] At the time, this was the highest attended sporting event in the Milwaukee area.[15] The gross gate receipts of $83,510.35 set a new record.[10]

The title game tickets went on sale at noon on Monday, six days before the game, in both Green Bay and Milwaukee and were nearly sold out in the first 24 hours.[16] Face value prices ranged from $1.10 to $4.40 per seat, the equivalent of $22 to $87 in 2021.[17]

Team shares

The gate was distributed as follows:

  • The Packers took $23,231.06, with their 33 players each receiving $703.97.
  • The Giants took $15,487.37, with their 34 players each receiving $455.57.

Source[10][12]

Team rosters

Source:[5][18]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Stoney McGlynn, "Packers slight favorites to beat Giants," Milwaukee Sentinel, Dec. 10, 1939, p. 18.
  2. ^ a b Steve Snider, "Packers, Giants to Clash for Pro Grid Title Today: 32,000 Pay $80,000 to See Big Game in Milwaukee," Eau Claire [WI] Leader, Dec. 10, 1939, p. 14.
  3. ^ "1939 Green Bay Packers games". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "1939 New York Giants games". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Strickler, George (December 10, 1939). "Packers meet Giants for pro title today". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, part 2. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Strickler, George (December 11, 1939). "Packers win pro title; whip Giants, 27-0". Chicago Tribune. p. 21. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  7. ^ a b McGlynn, Stoney (December 11, 1939). "Bays crush Giants in title game". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 15. Archived from the original on June 16, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  8. ^ Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 11, 1939). "Packers' power and deceptive passing game defeat Giants, 27-0". Milwaukee Journal. p. 6, part 2. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  9. ^ a b Snider, Steve (December 11, 1939). "Pro grid reaches new heights in playoff". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. p. 26. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c d "Green Bay pro champs of gridiron". Reading Eagle. Pennsylvania. United Press. December 11, 1939. p. 15. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  11. ^ a b c "Last NFL Draft in Wisconsin Was Missed Opportunity For City". Kewaunee County Star News. January 10, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Packers earn $703.97 each in title triumph". Chicago Tribune. December 11, 1939. p. 21. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  13. ^ "Green Bay, wins professional football title by defeating Giants". Chicago Tribune. December 11, 1939. p. 30. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  14. ^ "Green Bay Packers grab pro football championship with great ease". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 11, 1939. p. 9. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  15. ^ Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 10, 1939). "32,500 to see Packers play Giants for pro title". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1, sports. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  16. ^ Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 5, 1939). "30,000 seats practically sold out in one day for Packer game". Milwaukee Journal. p. 6, part 2. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  17. ^ "Packer-Giant tickets go on sale; then swish, they're gone". Milwaukee Sentinel. December 5, 1939. p. 13. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  18. ^ "Packer and Giants team rosters". Milwaukee Sentinel. December 10, 1939. p. 2B. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2015.

43°01′12″N 88°00′43″W / 43.020°N 88.012°W / 43.020; -88.012

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