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1937 season · Wrigley Field
1937 NFL Championship Game
Washington 28, Chicago Bears 21. December 12, 1937, Chicago, Illinois.
WashingtonChampions
28–21
Chicago BearsDec 12, 1937
DateDecember 12, 1937
VenueWrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance15,878
Head coachRay Flaherty
Starting QBSammy Baugh (single-wing tailback and passer; Riley Smith was listed at quarterback)
The game
Washington's first season in D.C. ended with the franchise's first NFL title. Rookie Sammy Baugh, the team's first-round pick from TCU, passed for 335 yards on a frozen Wrigley Field (24°F at kickoff). Cliff Battles scored first on a 7-yard run, but Jack Manders scored all 14 Chicago points as the Bears led 14–7 at halftime. Baugh threw second-half touchdown passes of 55 and 78 yards to Wayne Millner and 35 yards to Ed Justice for the 28–21 win. Each Washington player received a $225 share of the gate.
Key plays
Cliff Battles 7-yard touchdown run on a reverse (1st quarter)
Wayne Millner 55-yard touchdown catch from Sammy Baugh ties it 14–14 (3rd quarter)
Millner 78-yard touchdown catch from Baugh ties it 21–21 (4th quarter)
Ed Justice 35-yard touchdown catch from Baugh, the 28–21 winner (4th quarter)
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org