1937 Chicago Bears season
Encyclopedia
The 1937
1937 NFL season
The 1937 NFL season was the 18th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Rams joined the league as an expansion team. Meanwhile, the Redskins relocated from Boston, Massachusetts to Washington, D.C....

 Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 season
was their 18th regular season
Regular season (NFL)
The National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...

 completed in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

. The Bears started the season fast, winning their first five games, three of them on the road. After a tie to the Giants and a loss to the Packers, the Bears finished the season strong, winning their last four games. The club was second in scoring offense, behind Green Bay, and led the league in scoring defense.

Season highlights

The Bear offense relied on a rugged rushing attack and a quick-strike passing game. Sixteen of their 21 offensive touchdowns were through the air and the team averaged a league-leading 18.3 yards per completion. Future hall of fame end Bill Hewitt was gone to Philadelphia and Luke Johnsos did not play so coach Halas relied on young Les McDonald and "Eggs" Manske, along with veteran Bill Karr to catch the long ball. Bernie Masterson was still the primary quarterback but rookie Ray Buivid played regularly and showed promise. Ray Nolting led the team in rushing, with Bronko Nagurski and Jack Manders contributing as well. Manders led the league in scoring with 8 field goals and 15 of 20 PATs, finishing with 69 points. The Bears' interior line was their real strong suit, however, with Musso, Stydahar, and Fortmann anchoring the best line in the NFL. Frank Bausch emerged as a top flight center as well. With a consistent offense and a solid defense, the Bears were the class of the West, finishing 2½ games ahead of the Packers and Lions and winning 3 of 4 games against those two teams.

Future Hall of Fame Players

  • Dan Fortmann
    Dan Fortmann
    Dr. Daniel John Fortmann was a professional American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Colgate University and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1936 NFL Draft...

    , Guard
  • George Musso
    George Musso
    George Francis Musso was an American National Football League lineman, playing both offensive guard and tackle as well as defensive middle guard...

    , Tackle
  • Bronko Nagurski
    Bronko Nagurski
    Bronislau "Bronko" Nagurski was a Canadian-born American football player. He was also a successful professional wrestler, recognized as a multiple-time world heavyweight champion.-Youth and collegiate career:...

    , Fullback
  • Joe Stydahar
    Joe Stydahar
    Joseph "Jumbo Joe" Lee Stydahar was an American football offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears from 1936 to 1942 and 1945 to 1946 and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was born and raised about east of Pittsburgh in the small mining community of Kaylor, Pennsylvania in Armstrong...

    , Tackle (rookie from West Virginia University
    West Virginia University
    West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...

    )

Other Leading Players

  • Frank Bausch
    Frank Bausch
    Frank Joseph Bausch was an American football center in the National Football League for the Boston Redskins, the Chicago Bears, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at the University of Kansas....

    , Center (acquired from Boston Redskins)
  • Ray Buivid
    Ray Buivid
    Raymond Vincent Buivid was an American football player who played quarterback for the Chicago Bears. Buivid played for the Marquette "Golden Avalanche" football team in the first Cotton Bowl Classic. In 1936, he finished third in the voting for the Heisman Trophy and was named to Collier's...

    , Back (rookie from Marquette
    Marquette University
    Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...

    )
  • Bill Karr
    Bill Karr
    William Morrison Karr Jr. was an end who played six seasons in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears. Karr attended West Virginia University....

    , End
  • Jack Manders
    Jack Manders
    Jack "Automatic Jack" Manders was a National Football League running back for the Chicago Bears from 1933 through 1940. He is the older brother of Clarence Manders....

    , Fullback / Kicker
  • Edgar Manske
    Edgar Manske
    Edgar John "Eggs" Manske was a former professional American football player who played six seasons in the National Football League. Manske was the last NFL player to play without a football helmet...

    , End (acquired from Philadelphia Eagles)
  • Bernie Masterson
    Bernie Masterson
    -External links:...

    , Quarterback
  • Les McDonald
    Les McDonald
    Lester Bruce McDonald was an American football end in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at the University of Nebraska and was drafted in the first round of the 1937 NFL Draft....

    , End (rookie from University of Nebraska)
  • Keith Molesworth
    Keith Molesworth
    Keith Frank Molesworth was an American football player and coach. He also played and managed in minor league baseball....

    , Halfback
  • Ray Nolting
    Ray Nolting
    Raymond A. Nolting was an American football running back for the Chicago Bears, as well as a college football coach. He played college football at Cincinnati, before spending 6 seasons with the Bears. He rushed for over 2,000 yards, and had over 500 receiving yards before retiring in 1943...

    , Halfback (rookie from University of Cincinnati
    University of Cincinnati
    The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....

    )
  • Gene Ronzani
    Gene Ronzani
    Gene Ronzani was the second head coach of the Green Bay Packers. He coached the Packers from 1951 until 1953. He resigned with two games remaining in the 1953 season and was replaced on an interim basis by the tandem of Hugh Devore and Ray Scooter McLean....

    , Back

Players departed from 1936

  • Bill Hewitt, End (went to Philadelphia)
  • Luke Johnsos
    Luke Johnsos
    Luke Andrew Johnsos, Sr. was an American football player, assistant coach, and head coach for the National Football League's Chicago Bears franchise. He started with the Bears in 1929 at the age of 23 as an All-Pro end. He played eight NFL seasons in Chicago finishing his playing career in 1936...

    , End (did not play for unknown reasons)

Schedule

Date Opponent Location Result Score
Sep. 19 Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

 
East Stadium  Win 14-2
Oct. 4 Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

Forbes Field
Forbes Field
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise...

 
Win 7-0
Oct. 10 Cleveland Rams League Park
League Park
League Park was a baseball park located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was situated at the northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and E. 66th Street in the Hough neighborhood. It was home to the National League Cleveland Spiders, the American League Cleveland Indians, and the Cleveland...

 
Win 20-2
Oct. 17 Chicago Cardinals Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...

 
Win 16-7
Oct. 24 Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...

Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...

 
Win 28-20
Oct. 31 New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 
Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...

 
Tie 3-3
Nov. 7 Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

 
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...

 
Loss 14-24
Nov. 14 Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...

 
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...

 
Win 29-7
Nov. 25 Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...

 
Titan Stadium
University of Detroit Stadium
University of Detroit Stadium, also known as U of D Stadium, Titan Stadium, or Dinan Field, was a stadium in Detroit, Michigan on the campus of the University of Detroit...

 
Win 13-0
Nov. 28 Cleveland Rams  Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...

 
Win 15-7
Dec. 5 Chicago Cardinals  Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...

 
Win 42-28

Standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PTS=Points Scored, OPP=Opponents' Points

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972
NFL Western
Eastern and Western Divisions (NFL) 1933-69
The Eastern and Western Divisions of the National Football League, renamed the American and National Conferences in 1950 and then the Eastern and Western Conferences in 1953, were organized as a result of the disputed NFL championship of 1932...

W L T PCT PF PA STK
Chicago Bears 9 1 1 .900 201 110 W-4
Green Bay Packers
1937 Green Bay Packers season
The 1937 Green Bay Packers season was their 17th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 7-4 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a second-place finish in the Western Conference.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:*...

7 4 0 .636 220 122 L-2
Detroit Lions
1937 Detroit Lions season
The 1937 Detroit Lions season was their eighth in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 8-4, winning only seven games. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season.-Schedule:-Standings:...

7 4 0 .636 180 105 L-1
Chicago Cardinals
1937 Chicago Cardinals season
The 1937 Chicago Cardinals season was their 18th in the league. The team improved on their previous output of 3-8-1, winning five games. Playing their first eight games on the road, they failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 12th consecutive season....

5 5 1 .500 135 165 L-2
Cleveland Rams
1937 Cleveland Rams season
The 1937 Cleveland Rams season was the team's first year with the National Football League and the second season in Cleveland.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:*...

1 10 0 .091 75 207 L-9

Championship Game

The Bears lost to the Washington Redskins at Wrigley Field 28-21. Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...

threw three third quarter touchdown passes to upset the Bears. The Bears quarterbacks were ineffective, completing only 8 of 30 passes for 207 yards. Baugh set several NFL championship game records while completing 17 of 34 passes for 358 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK