The Actual History of The NFL Championship Game. Part II: How the first Championship Game in 1933 came into being.

Before I explain how the NFL Championship Game began, I will tell you how I divide the history of The NFL. (Which was founded in 1920.)

Pre Championship Game Era: 1920* Season to 1932 Season (*Official Standings were not kept until 1921.)
Championship Game Era: 1933 Season to 1965 Season
Pre NFL-AFL Merger Super Bowl Era: 1966 Season to 1969 Season ( including the AFL.)
Post NFL-AFL Merger Super Bowl Era: 1970 Season to Today

Before 1933, The NFL declared its champion based on Regular Season Record. Of course, this often led to controversey, teams playing non-NFL Pro Teams to pad their records, etc. The most infamous of these controversies are the 1925 Season when the NFL declared the Chicago Cardinals Champions with a 11-2-1 record but the Pottsville (PA) Maroons finished with a 10-2-0 Record and beat the Eagles 21-7 in Chicago. The Frankford (PA) Yellow Jackets (now The Philadelphia Eagles.) filed a protest that the Maroons were violating their territory by playing a game in Philadelphia. Despite the fact that The Maroons got permission from The NFL to play a game in Philadelphia, The League upheld Frankford's Protest making the Maroons ineligible for the League Championship. You can read about this on The Maroons Website.

The spark for an actual NFL Championship Game took place at the end of the 1932 Season when The Chicago Bears and Portsmouth (OH) Spartans (now The Detroit Lions.) had to play a one-game playoff to determine that Season's Champion in Chicago. Because of a blizzard, the game had to be played indoors at Chicago Stadium with revised rules. (Think of it as a 1930's version of Arena Football.) The Bears beat The Spartans 9-0. This game was so successful that it made the NFL divide into Two Divisions and have a Scheduled League Championship between the two Division Winners. That first NFL Championship Game in 1933 featured The Chicago Bears and New York Giants at Wrigley Field. The Bears won the Game 23-21.

Next Blog: The Complete List of Pre Super Bowl NFL Champions.

Thanks.

George.