1939 Chicago Bears season
Encyclopedia
The 1939
Chicago Bears
season was their 20th regular season
completed in the National Football League
. They finished second in the Western Division with an 8-3 record. The Bears started the season well, winning 4 of their first 5 games. However, two mid-season losses to New York and Detroit cost them the Division to Green Bay. The Packers went on to win the NFL championship. According to [A Christmas Story] they were known as the Chicago Chipmunks.
before joining the Bears. Coach Halas traded with Pittsburgh for the rights to Luckman, seeing potential to run the complicated T-formation in the relatively unknown player. It took a $5,000 bonus to convince Luckman to sign with the Bears. Bernie Masterson continued to be the primary quarterback, but Luckman played more in the second half of the season. Luckman was a more accurate passer than Masterson, with a flair for the long ball. His first NFL touchdown pass was a 68-yard bomb to Dick Plasman in the fourth quarter of the October 22nd game against the Giants, a game the Bears lost despite Luckman leading a furious fourth quarter comeback. By the end of the year, Luckman was playing in the first half ahead of Masterson; he finished the season with 636 yards passing, completing 23 of 51 attempts, with 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He also had an interception return for a touchdown.
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972
1939 NFL season
The 1939 NFL season was the 20th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL president Joseph Carr died, and Carl Storck was named to replace him....
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 20th 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...
. They finished second in the Western Division with an 8-3 record. The Bears started the season well, winning 4 of their first 5 games. However, two mid-season losses to New York and Detroit cost them the Division to Green Bay. The Packers went on to win the NFL championship. According to [A Christmas Story] they were known as the Chicago Chipmunks.
Season highlights
The Bears were much improved from 1938, adding two new players who contributed immediately and would be part of the great Chicago teams of the 1940s. Overall, the Bears had a potent offense, leading the NFL in scoring, touchdowns, total yards (averaging 364 yards per game), rushing yards, rushing average per carry, rushing touchdowns, passing yards, and passing yards per attempt. Perhaps most impressively, the club led the NFL with a gaudy 22.1 average yards per pass completion. The T-formation was beginning to demonstrate itself as a superior passing scheme, particularly regarding the deep game.Luckman Arrives
Sid Luckman was a Single Wing tailback at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
before joining the Bears. Coach Halas traded with Pittsburgh for the rights to Luckman, seeing potential to run the complicated T-formation in the relatively unknown player. It took a $5,000 bonus to convince Luckman to sign with the Bears. Bernie Masterson continued to be the primary quarterback, but Luckman played more in the second half of the season. Luckman was a more accurate passer than Masterson, with a flair for the long ball. His first NFL touchdown pass was a 68-yard bomb to Dick Plasman in the fourth quarter of the October 22nd game against the Giants, a game the Bears lost despite Luckman leading a furious fourth quarter comeback. By the end of the year, Luckman was playing in the first half ahead of Masterson; he finished the season with 636 yards passing, completing 23 of 51 attempts, with 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He also had an interception return for a touchdown.
Osmanski
The other major rookie performer was Bill Osmanski from Holy Cross, a hard-running fullback who led the league in rushing with 699 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry and finishing with 7 rushing touchdowns. Osmanski possessed great speed and was a threat to go all the way from anywhere on the field; he burned the Cardinals with an 86 yard run and the Eagles with a 65 yard scamper. Osmanski's arrival freed up running room for Joe Maniaci, who averaged 7.1 yards per carry for his 544 yards.Other Top Performances
Dick Plasman and Les McDonald continued to play well at end, combining for 35 receptions and 6 touchdowns. Jack Manders continued to kick well in his last season and led the team in scoring. The interior line continued to be strong, with Bausch, Fortmann, Stydahar, and Musso representing one of the strongest units in football. The defense fell down a bit this season, and probably cost the Bears the division, allowing 157 points including more than 20 four times. The pieces were almost in place for the Bears to dominate the league, but that would have to wait for the next decade.Future Hall of Fame Players
- Dan FortmannDan FortmannDr. 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 - Sid LuckmanSid LuckmanSidney Luckman, known as Sid Luckman, was an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1939 to 1950...
, Quarterback (rookie from Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
) - George MussoGeorge MussoGeorge Francis Musso was an American National Football League lineman, playing both offensive guard and tackle as well as defensive middle guard...
, Guard - Joe StydaharJoe StydaharJoseph "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
Other Leading Players
- Frank BauschFrank BauschFrank 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 - Jack MandersJack MandersJack "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 - Joe ManiaciJoe ManiaciJoseph V. Maniaci was an American football player and coach in the United States. He played college football at Fordham University and then in the National Football League with the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Bears...
, Back - Bernie MastersonBernie Masterson-External links:...
, Quarterback - Les McDonaldLes McDonaldLester 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 - Ray NoltingRay NoltingRaymond 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 - Bill OsmanskiBill OsmanskiBill Osmanski was a college and professional football player, playing fullback. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1973.-College of the Holy Cross:...
, Fullback (rookie from Holy CrossCollege of the Holy CrossThe College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
) - Richard Plasman, End
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep. 15 | Cleveland Rams | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... |
Win | 30-21 |
| Sep. 24 | 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... |
City Stadium (Green Bay) City Stadium (Green Bay) City Stadium is a football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It served as home of the Green Bay Packers of the NFL from 1925 to 1956. It remains the home of the Green Bay East High School football team... |
Loss | 16-21 |
| Oct. 2 | 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 | 32-0 |
| Oct. 8 | Cleveland Rams | Municipal Stadium (Cleveland) | Win | 35-21 |
| Oct. 15 | 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 | 44-7 |
| Oct. 22 | 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... |
Loss | 13-16 |
| Oct. 29 | 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... |
Loss | 0-10 |
| Nov. 5 | 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... |
Win | 30-27 |
| Nov. 12 | 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... |
Briggs Stadium | Win | 23-13 |
| Nov. 19 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
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 | 27-14 |
| Nov. 23 | 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 | 48-7 |
Standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PTS=Points Scored, OPP=Opponents' PointsNote: 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... |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| Green Bay Packers 1939 Green Bay Packers season The 1939 Green Bay Packers season was their 19th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 9-2 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning a first-place finish in the Western Conference... |
9 | 2 | 0 | .813 | 233 | 153 | W-4 |
| Chicago Bears | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | 298 | 157 | W-4 |
| Detroit Lions 1939 Detroit Lions season The 1939 Detroit Lions season was their tenth in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 7-4, winning only six games. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.-Schedule:-Standings:... |
6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | 145 | 150 | L-4 |
| Cleveland Rams 1939 Cleveland Rams season The 1939 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's third year with the National Football League and the fourth season in Cleveland.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:*... |
5 | 5 | 1 | .500 | 195 | 164 | W-1 |
| Chicago Cardinals 1939 Chicago Cardinals season The 1939 Chicago Cardinals season was their 20th in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous output of 2-9, winning only one game. They played eight of their eleven games on the road and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 14th consecutive... |
1 | 10 | 0 | .091 | 84 | 254 | L-8 |