1942 NFL season

Last updated

1942 NFL season
1942-NFL-RecordAndRosterManual.jpg
1942 edition of NFL's annual guide
Regular season
DurationSeptember 13 to
December 13, 1942
East Champions Washington Redskins
West Champions Chicago Bears
Championship Game
Champions Washington Redskins
USA Midwest and Northeast.svg
Green pog.svg
Giants
Green pog.svg
Eagles
Green pog.svg
Dodgers
Green pog.svg
Steelers
Green pog.svg
Redskins
Yellow ffff00 pog.svg
Bears
Yellow ffff00 pog.svg
Cardinals
Yellow ffff00 pog.svg
Packers
Yellow ffff00 pog.svg
Rams
Yellow ffff00 pog.svg
Lions
NFL teams: Yellow ffff00 pog.svg West, Green pog.svg East

The 1942 NFL season was the 23rd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, many players left for service in World War II, thus depleting the rosters of all the teams.

Contents

The ten teams of the NFL each played a 11 game schedule during the 1942 regular season, for a league total of 55 contests.

Continuing their Chicago Bears finished the regular season at 11–0, and faced the 10–1 Washington Redskins in the championship game. Washington, which had been embarrassed by a massive 73–0 shutout loss in the 1940 Championship Play-off, got a measure of revenge by spoiling the Bears' hope for a perfect season, winning the rematch 14–6.

Draft

The 1942 NFL draft was held on December 22, 1941, at Chicago's Palmer House Hotel. With the first pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected runningback Bill Dudley from the University of Virginia.

Major changes for 1942

Rules changes

Coaching changes

Stadium changes

Final standings

NFL Eastern Division
WLTPCTDIVPFPASTK
Washington Redskins 1010.9097–1227102W9
Pittsburgh Steelers 740.6365–3167119L1
New York Giants 551.5004–4155139W2
Brooklyn Dodgers 380.2732–6100168L6
Philadelphia Eagles 290.1822–6134239L1
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
NFL Western Division
WLTPCTDIVPFPASTK
Chicago Bears 11001.0008–037684W11
Green Bay Packers 821.8006–2300215W2
Cleveland Rams 560.4553–5150207L1
Chicago Cardinals 380.2733–598209L6
Detroit Lions 0110.0000–838263L11
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

NFL Championship Game

Washington 14, Chi. Bears 6, at Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C., December 13, 1942

Team statistics

These statistics include the 11 regularly scheduled games played by each team and exclude the Championship game. A new league record for passing was set by the Green Bay Packers, with 2,407 yards gained through the air. [1] The Packers also set new records for most passes completed in a season (172) and most touchdowns passing (28). [1] The Washington Redskins, featuring the passing of Sammy Baugh, set a new NFL record for passing accuracy, completing 53.4% of their 257 pass attempts as a team. [1] Also worthy of note is the point differential of the undefeated Chicago Bears, who amassed 376 points (34.1 points per game) while giving up just 84 (7.6 points per game) — both league bests.

RankTeamTotal yards(Rushing) [2] (Passing)PenalizedYards allowedTakeawaysTurnovers
1 Chicago Bears 3,9001,9261,9749051,7034343
2 Green Bay Packers 3,7901,3832,4073123,0764826
3 Washington Redskins 3,1211,5211,6006101,9502630
4 Pittsburgh Steelers 2,6061,9206863832,3833118
5 Philadelphia Eagles 2,5351,1191,4163923,0162828
6 Chicago Cardinals 2,4531,0211,4324002,9723340
7 Cleveland Rams 2,4138761,5373153,5443335
8 Brooklyn Dodgers 2,2191,5057142882,7942634
9 Detroit Lions 2,2061,3218853643,0832856
10 New York Giants 2,1601,2039574372,8773421
Source: Strickler (ed.), 1943 NFL Record & Roster Manual, pp. 74-75. Takeaways = (Interceptions + Fumble recoveries)

Awards

Joe F. Carr Trophy

The Joe F. Carr Trophy was presented annually by the National League as its Most Valuable Player award. For the second year in a row, the award was won by Packer end Don Hutson.

All-National League Team

Given the dominant performance of the 1942 Chicago Bears team, it is unsurprising that five of the players named to the First Team eleven were members of George Halas' club, with a sixth Bear player tabbed for the second team. In addition, four Washington Redskins were accorded All-League honors, with the Green Bay Packers and the Cleveland Rams adding three players each. There were also 34 players included as part of an "Honorable Mention" list. [3]

First Team ————————————————— Second Team
NameTeamPositionNameTeam
Don Hutson Green Bay PackersLE Perry Schwartz Brooklyn Dodgers
Willie Wilkin Washington RedskinsLT Chet Adams Cleveland Rams
Dan Fortmann Chicago BearsLG Riley Matheson Cleveland Rams
"Bulldog" Turner Chicago BearsC Chuck Cherundolo Pittsburgh Steelers
"Monk" Edwards New York GiantsRG Charles Goldenberg Green Bay Packers
Lee Artoe Chicago BearsRT "Bruiser" Kinard Brooklyn Dodgers
Bob Masterson Washington RedskinsRE George Wilson Chicago Bears
Sid Luckman Chicago BearsQB Sammy Baugh Washington Redskins
Cecil Isbell Green Bay PackersLHB Merl Condit Brooklyn Dodgers
Bill Dudley Pittsburgh SteelersRHB Dante Magnani Cleveland Rams
Gary Famiglietti Chicago BearsFB Andy Farkas Washington Redskins

Related Research Articles

The 1964 NFL season was the 45th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season started, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle reinstated Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras, who had been suspended for the 1963 season due to gambling.

The 1963 NFL season was the 44th regular season of the National Football League.

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 to Washington, D.C.

The 1938 NFL season was the 19th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the New York Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Championship Game.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1940 NFL season</span> 1940 National Football League season

The 1940 NFL season was the 21st regular season of the National Football League. The ten teams of the league each played an 11 game schedule, for a total of 55 regular season games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1941 NFL season</span> 1941 National Football League season

The 1941 NFL season was the 22nd regular season of the National Football League (NFL). The league's ten teams each played a regular season schedule of 11 games, for a total of 55 regular season contests. The total attendance for these games was 1,118,616 — an average of 20,338 fans per event. This represented an increase of 9% over the previous season's attendance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1943 NFL season</span> 1943 National Football League season

The 1943 NFL season marked the 24th year of the National Football League. The league contracted to just eight teams, owing to wartime pressures for manpower, with each team playing a regular season schedule of 10 games — 40 contests in all. The season began Sunday, September 19 and culminated on Sunday, December 12, 1943.

The 1944 NFL season was the 25th regular season of the National Football League. The Boston Yanks joined the league as an expansion team. Also, the Triangles-Dodgers franchise changed their name to the Brooklyn Tigers for this one season before merging with the aforementioned Yanks the following year. Meanwhile, both the Cleveland Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles resumed their traditional operations, while the Pittsburgh Steelers merged with the Chicago Cardinals for this one season due to player shortages as a result of World War II. The combined team, known as Card-Pitt, played three home games in Pittsburgh and two in Chicago, and set the 20th century record for lowest punting average by an NFL team with 32.7 yards per punt.

The 1946 NFL season was the 27th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, Elmer Layden resigned as NFL Commissioner and Bert Bell, co-founder of the Philadelphia Eagles, replaced him. Meanwhile, the All-America Football Conference was formed to rival the NFL, and the Rams became the first NFL team based on the West Coast after they relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, to Los Angeles, California. A regular season game was played on Tuesday, the last until the 2010 season, on October 1, between New York and Boston.

The 1950 NFL season was the 31st regular season of the National Football League. The merger with the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) expanded the league to 13 teams. Meanwhile, television brought a new era to the game. The Los Angeles Rams became the first NFL team to have all of its games – both home and away – televised. The Washington Redskins became the second team to put their games on TV. Other teams arranged to have selected games televised.

The Chicago Bears American football franchise is a charter member of the National Football League (NFL), and has played in all of the league's 100 seasons. The team has captured nine NFL championships – eight NFL championships and one Super Bowl – second most all time behind the Green Bay Packers. The franchise has also recorded more victories than any other franchise (739), retired the most uniform numbers (14), and have the most members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (29). The Bears have played in over a thousand games since becoming a charter member of the NFL in 1920.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Benton (American football)</span> American football player and coach (1916–2001)

James Warren "Big Jim" Benton was an American football player. He played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cleveland / Los Angeles Rams and the Chicago Bears between 1938 and 1947. Benton was the first NFL receiver to gain more than 300 yards in a game, a record that stood for 40 years. He was selected for the National Football League 1940s All-Decade Team.

Card-Pitt was the team created by the temporary merger of two National Football League (NFL) teams, the Chicago Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, during the 1944 season. It was the second such merger for the Steelers, who had combined with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1943 to form the "Steagles". The arrangement was made necessary by there being a shortage of numerous players due to World War II military service, and was dissolved upon completion of the season. The war ended before the start of the 1945 season, and both teams resumed normal operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecil Isbell</span> American football player and coach (1915–1985)

Cecil Frank Isbell was an American football quarterback and coach. He played 5 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers, leading them to the NFL Championship in 1939. He retired after the 1942 season to become an assistant coach at his alma mater, Purdue University, and the following year became its head coach for three seasons.

The 1963 Chicago Bears season was their 44th regular season and 12th post-season appearance in the National Football League. The team finished with an 11–1–2 record to gain their first Western Conference championship since 1956, and the berth to host the NFL Championship Game against the New York Giants (11–3–0).

The 1943 season was the Chicago Bears' 24th in the National Football League. The team failed to match on their 11–0 record from 1942 and finished at 8–1–1, under temporary co-coaches Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos. On the way to winning the Western Division, the Bears were, yet again, denied a chance at an undefeated season by the defending champion Redskins in Washington. The Bears had their revenge in the NFL title game and defeated the Redskins at Wrigley Field to claim their sixth league title. It was their third championship in four years, establishing themselves as the pro football dynasty of the early 1940s.

The 1945 Cleveland Rams season was the team's eighth year with the National Football League and the ninth and final season in Cleveland. Led by the brother tandem of head coach Adam Walsh and general manager Chile Walsh, and helmed by future Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Waterfield, the Rams franchise finished 9–1 before winning its first NFL Championship by defeating the Washington Redskins, 15–14, at Cleveland Stadium. Other stars on the team included receiver Jim Benton and back Jim Gillette, who gained more than 100 yards in the title game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland Rams</span> US professional football team from 1936 to 1945, predecessor to Los Angeles Rams

The Cleveland Rams were a professional American football team that played in Cleveland from 1936 to 1945. The Rams competed in the second American Football League (AFL) for the 1936 season and the National Football League (NFL) from 1937 to 1945, winning the NFL championship in 1945, before moving to Los Angeles in 1946 to become the first of only two professional football champions to play the following season in another city.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Strickler (ed.), 1943 NFL Roster and Record Manual, p. 74.
  2. Official NFL stats included yardage agained "by rushing" and "on laterals", which are combined here.
  3. Strickler (ed.), 1943 NFL Roster and Record Manual, p. 98.

Further reading