The 1947 National Football League Championship game was the 15th annual championship game, held December 28 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The attendance was 30,759, well below capacity.
[1][2][3][4][5][6]
The game featured the Western Division champion Chicago Cardinals (9–3) and the Eastern Division champion Philadelphia Eagles (8–4). The Eagles had the week earlier defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 21–0 to determine the championship of the east.[7][8] Both the Eagles and Cardinals were making their first appearance in the championship game. The Cardinals had won the regular season meeting in Philadelphia three weeks earlier by 24 points and after a week off, were 12-point favorites to win the title game at home.[1][9] This was the second NFL title game played after Christmas Day, and the latest to date. The temperature at kickoff was 29 °F (−2 °C).[10]
The Cardinals built a 14–0 lead in the second quarter, then the teams traded touchdowns. The Eagles closed the gap to 28–21 with five minutes to go, but the Cardinals controlled the ball the rest of the game on an extended drive to win the title.[2][3][4][5][6]
This was the only NFL title game played at Comiskey Park and the Cardinals' only win. The two teams returned for a rematch in 1948 in Philadelphia, but the Eagles won in a snowstorm. Nearly seven decades ago, the Cardinals have not won a championship since 1947, the longest drought in the NFL. They moved to St. Louis in 1960 and Phoenix in 1988, renamed Arizona in 1994.
The Cardinals' win kept the NFL title in the city of Chicago; the Bears had won the previous season.
Scoring summary
Sunday, December 28, 1947
Kickoff: 1:05 p.m. CST [9]
- First quarter
- Second quarter
- Third quarter
- CHI – Trippi 75 punt return (Harder kick), 21–7 CHI
- PHI – Steve Van Buren 1 run (Patton kick), 21–14 CHI
- Fourth quarter
- CHI – Angsman 70 run (Harder kick), 28–14 CHI
- PHI – Russ Craft 1 run (Patton kick), 28–21 CHI
Officials
- Referee: Thomas Dowd
- Umpire: Harry Robb
- Head Linesman: Dan Tehan
- Field Judge: Henry Haines
- Back Judge: Carl Rebele [2]
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The NFL added a fifth official, the back judge, this season;[11] the line judge arrived in 1965, and the side judge in 1978.
Players' shares
Each player on the Cardinals received $1,132, while the losing Eagles got $754 each.[12]
References
- 1 2 Warren, Harry (December 28, 1947). "Cardinals play Eagles for title today". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
- 1 2 3 Warren, Harry (December 29, 1947). "Cardinals beat Eagles for title, 28-21". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 25.
- 1 2 Biederman, Les (December 29, 1947). "Speed, youth win title for Cards". Pittsburgh Press. p. 18.
- 1 2 Kuechle, Oliver E. (December 29, 1947). "Cardinals trim Eagles, 28-21, to win first pro grid crown". Milwaukee Journal. p. 2, part 2.
- 1 2 Larson, Lloyd (December 29, 1947). "Angsman, Trippi, spark Cards' 28-21 win over Eagles". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 3, part 2.
- 1 2 Liska, Jerry (December 29, 1947). "Sensational runs give Cardinals 28-21 decision over Eagles for N.L. crown". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). Associated Press. p. 10.
- ↑ Biederman, Les (December 22, 1947). "Steelers disappoint in grid playoff". Pittsburgh Press. p. 28.
- ↑ Prell, Edward (December 22, 1947). "Eagles whip Steelers in playoff". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 49.
- 1 2 "Cardinals rule 12-point favorites to beat Eagles". Milwaukee Journal. December 28, 1947. p. 1, sports.
- ↑ "The weather". Chicago Daily Tribune. December 29, 1947. p. 1, part 1.
- ↑ "National League officials to work in crews of six (five)". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. August 19, 1947. p. 6, part 2.
- ↑ "Playoff melon". Pittsburgh Press. December 29, 1947. p. 18.
Coordinates: 41°49′55″N 87°38′02″W / 41.832°N 87.634°W / 41.832; -87.634
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- Founded in 1898
- Played in Chicago (1920–1959), St. Louis (1960–1987), and branded as the Phoenix Cardinals (1988–1993)
- Based in Glendale, Arizona
- Headquartered in Tempe, Arizona
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| | | | Franchise | |
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| | Stadiums | |
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| | Culture | |
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| | Lore | |
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| | Rivalries | |
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| | Division championships (13) | |
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| NFL Championship Game
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| AFL Championship Game
(1960–1969) | |
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| AFL-NFL World Championship Games[1]
(1966–1969) | |
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| Super Bowl[2]
(1970–present)
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| | | 1 – From 1966 to 1969, the first four Super Bowls were "World Championship" games played between two independent professional football leagues, AFL and NFL, and when the league merged in 1970 the Super Bowl became the NFL Championship Game.
2 – Dates in the list denote the season, not the calendar year in which the championship game was played. For instance, Super Bowl XLI was played in 2007, but was the championship for the 2006 season. |
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