1927 Chicago Bears season

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1927 Chicago Bears season
OwnerGeorge S. Halas,
Dutch Sternaman
Head coachGeorge Halas
Home stadiumWrigley Field
Results
Record9–3–2
League place3rd NFL

The 1927 season was the Chicago Bears' 8th in the National Football League. The team was unable to improve on their 12–1–3 record from 1926 and finished with a 9–3–2 record under head coach George Halas earning them a third-place finish in the team standings behind the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers.

Notable games during this season were a split of the season series with the New York Yankees, led by former and future Bear Red Grange, a split of the season's games against crosstown rivals Chicago Cardinals, two wins over the Green Bay Packers, and, oddest of all, a win and a tie over the Frankford Yellowjackets in unusual home-and-away back-to-back games on December 3 and 4.

The Bears also played the eventual champion New York Giants, losing 13–7. Paddy Driscoll, William Senn, and Joey Sternaman again starred for the Bears. Driscoll ran for 5 touchdowns and threw 4 others; Senn had 3 rushing TDs and 2 receiving scores; and Sternaman ran and caught 1 touchdown each, while passing for another. Owner and coach George Halas continued to play well, scoring 3 touchdowns himself, 2 on defense.

Schedule

[edit]
GameDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecapSources
1September 25at Chicago CardinalsW 9–01–0Normal Park4,000Recap
2October 2at Green Bay PackersW 7–62–0City Stadium5,500+Recap[1]
3October 16New York YankeesW 12–03–0Wrigley Field20,000Recap
4October 23Cleveland BulldogsW 14–124–0Wrigley Field20,000Recap
5October 30Dayton TrianglesW 14–65–0Wrigley Field8,000Recap
6November 6Providence Steam RollerT 0–05–0–1Wrigley Field15,000Recap
7November 8at New York YankeesL 6–265–1–1Yankee Stadium10,000Recap
8November 13Pottsville MaroonsW 30–126–1–1Wrigley Field8,000Recap
9November 20Green Bay PackersW 14–67–1–1Wrigley Field6,000Recap
10November 24Chicago CardinalsL 0–37–2–1Wrigley Field6,000Recap
11November 27at New York GiantsL 7–137–3–1Polo Grounds15,000Recap
12December 3at Frankford Yellow JacketsT 0–07–3–2Shibe Park4,000Recap
13December 4Frankford Yellow JacketsW 9–08–3–2Wrigley Field2,500Recap
14December 11Duluth EskimosW 27–149–3–2Wrigley Field2,500Recap
—December 18Cleveland Bulldogscancelled due to weather[2]

Game summaries

[edit]

Game 3: at Green Bay Packers

[edit]

In a Sunday confrontation deemed a "battle royal," Green Bay's Dick O'Donnell of Green Bay snagged a long pass for the first big play of the day.[1] Controversy ensued, however. Next "Dunn shot a pass to Lewellen and it looked very much as if he were a victim of interference as he tried to grab the ball for a touchdown," the representative of the Green Bay Press-Gazette recounted. "The officials ruled the other way, however, and the Bears scrimmaged on their 20-yard line."[1] The football rule that an incomplete forward pass in the end zone resulted in a touchback had bitten the home team hard. The Bears made effective use of their power running game in the second stanza, with reserve right halfback Bill Senn capping the climax of a long drive with a 1 yard plunge.[1] Paddy Driscoll booted the all-important extra-point to give the Bears a 7–0 lead.[3] The Packers' made their bid in the fourth quarter when player-coach Curly Lambeau hit on a 30 yard catch-and-run to end Lavvie Dilweg, which put the ball on the Chicago 30.[1] Another 15 yard strike from Lambeau to Dilweg halved the distance to the end zone, although "the Bears tried to take the ball away from Dilweg and a near riot was averted."[1] Then Dunn hit Lambeau with a pass for an apparent score, only to have it called back for violation of another rule of the day, that all passes must be thrown from at least five yards behind the line of scrimmage.[1] The Packers were undaunted, with Dilweg making a great catch of a Dunn pass to take the ball down to the 2-yard line.[1] Lewellen took two tries to punch the ball through to paydirt.[1] "Joy reined supreme in the Packer camp but not for long however as Purdy, who substituted for Dunn, failed to come even close to making the extra point which would have given the Packers a tie game."[1] A subsequent onside kick attempt failed and the Bears ran out the clock for a 7–6 victory.[1] The Bears made extensive use of substitutes in the contest, with player-coach George Halas sending in capable replacements at key intervals to keep his best players fresh, using a noteworthy 24 players on the day.[1]

Standings

[edit]
NFL standings
WLTPCTPFPASTK
New York Giants1111.91719720W9
Green Bay Packers721.77811343W1
Chicago Bears932.75014998W2
Cleveland Bulldogs841.667209107W5
Providence Steam Roller851.61510588W3
New York Yankees781.467142174L4
Frankford Yellow Jackets693.400152166L1
Pottsville Maroons580.38580163L1
Chicago Cardinals371.30069134L1
Dayton Triangles161.1431557L4
Duluth Eskimos180.11168134L7
Buffalo Bisons050.0008123L5
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Roster

[edit]

Future Hall of Fame players

[edit]

Other leading players

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Chicago Bears Whip Packers, 7 to 6: Battle Royal is Witnessed by Big Crowd," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Oct. 3, 1927, pp. 11-12.
  2. ^ "Final Chicago Pro Grid Tilt Called Off," Kansas City Journal, Dec. 19, 1927, p. 6.
  3. ^ "Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers - October 2nd, 1927," Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1927_Chicago_Bears_season&oldid=1313674868"

    1927 Chicago Bears season
    OwnerGeorge S. Halas,
    Dutch Sternaman
    Head coachGeorge Halas
    Home stadiumWrigley Field
    Results
    Record9–3–2
    League place3rd NFL

    The 1927 season was the Chicago Bears' 8th in the National Football League. The team was unable to improve on their 12–1–3 record from 1926 and finished with a 9–3–2 record under head coach George Halas earning them a third-place finish in the team standings behind the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers.

    Notable games during this season were a split of the season series with the New York Yankees, led by former and future Bear Red Grange, a split of the season's games against crosstown rivals Chicago Cardinals, two wins over the Green Bay Packers, and, oddest of all, a win and a tie over the Frankford Yellowjackets in unusual home-and-away back-to-back games on December 3 and 4.

    The Bears also played the eventual champion New York Giants, losing 13–7. Paddy Driscoll, William Senn, and Joey Sternaman again starred for the Bears. Driscoll ran for 5 touchdowns and threw 4 others; Senn had 3 rushing TDs and 2 receiving scores; and Sternaman ran and caught 1 touchdown each, while passing for another. Owner and coach George Halas continued to play well, scoring 3 touchdowns himself, 2 on defense.

    Schedule

    GameDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecapSources
    1September 25at Chicago CardinalsW 9–01–0Normal Park4,000Recap
    2October 2at Green Bay PackersW 7–62–0City Stadium5,500+Recap[1]
    3October 16New York YankeesW 12–03–0Wrigley Field20,000Recap
    4October 23Cleveland BulldogsW 14–124–0Wrigley Field20,000Recap
    5October 30Dayton TrianglesW 14–65–0Wrigley Field8,000Recap
    6November 6Providence Steam RollerT 0–05–0–1Wrigley Field15,000Recap
    7November 8at New York YankeesL 6–265–1–1Yankee Stadium10,000Recap
    8November 13Pottsville MaroonsW 30–126–1–1Wrigley Field8,000Recap
    9November 20Green Bay PackersW 14–67–1–1Wrigley Field6,000Recap
    10November 24Chicago CardinalsL 0–37–2–1Wrigley Field6,000Recap
    11November 27at New York GiantsL 7–137–3–1Polo Grounds15,000Recap
    12December 3at Frankford Yellow JacketsT 0–07–3–2Shibe Park4,000Recap
    13December 4Frankford Yellow JacketsW 9–08–3–2Wrigley Field2,500Recap
    14December 11Duluth EskimosW 27–149–3–2Wrigley Field2,500Recap
    —December 18Cleveland Bulldogscancelled due to weather[2]

    Game summaries

    Game 3: at Green Bay Packers

    In a Sunday confrontation deemed a "battle royal," Green Bay's Dick O'Donnell of Green Bay snagged a long pass for the first big play of the day.[1] Controversy ensued, however. Next "Dunn shot a pass to Lewellen and it looked very much as if he were a victim of interference as he tried to grab the ball for a touchdown," the representative of the Green Bay Press-Gazette recounted. "The officials ruled the other way, however, and the Bears scrimmaged on their 20-yard line."[1] The football rule that an incomplete forward pass in the end zone resulted in a touchback had bitten the home team hard. The Bears made effective use of their power running game in the second stanza, with reserve right halfback Bill Senn capping the climax of a long drive with a 1 yard plunge.[1] Paddy Driscoll booted the all-important extra-point to give the Bears a 7–0 lead.[3] The Packers' made their bid in the fourth quarter when player-coach Curly Lambeau hit on a 30 yard catch-and-run to end Lavvie Dilweg, which put the ball on the Chicago 30.[1] Another 15 yard strike from Lambeau to Dilweg halved the distance to the end zone, although "the Bears tried to take the ball away from Dilweg and a near riot was averted."[1] Then Dunn hit Lambeau with a pass for an apparent score, only to have it called back for violation of another rule of the day, that all passes must be thrown from at least five yards behind the line of scrimmage.[1] The Packers were undaunted, with Dilweg making a great catch of a Dunn pass to take the ball down to the 2-yard line.[1] Lewellen took two tries to punch the ball through to paydirt.[1] "Joy reined supreme in the Packer camp but not for long however as Purdy, who substituted for Dunn, failed to come even close to making the extra point which would have given the Packers a tie game."[1] A subsequent onside kick attempt failed and the Bears ran out the clock for a 7–6 victory.[1] The Bears made extensive use of substitutes in the contest, with player-coach George Halas sending in capable replacements at key intervals to keep his best players fresh, using a noteworthy 24 players on the day.[1]

    Standings

    NFL standings
    		WLTPCTPFPASTK
    New York Giants1111.91719720W9
    Green Bay Packers721.77811343W1
    Chicago Bears932.75014998W2
    Cleveland Bulldogs841.667209107W5
    Providence Steam Roller851.61510588W3
    New York Yankees781.467142174L4
    Frankford Yellow Jackets693.400152166L1
    Pottsville Maroons580.38580163L1
    Chicago Cardinals371.30069134L1
    Dayton Triangles161.1431557L4
    Duluth Eskimos180.11168134L7
    Buffalo Bisons050.0008123L5
    Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

    Roster

    Future Hall of Fame players

    Other leading players

    References

    1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Chicago Bears Whip Packers, 7 to 6: Battle Royal is Witnessed by Big Crowd," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Oct. 3, 1927, pp. 11-12.
    2. ^ "Final Chicago Pro Grid Tilt Called Off," Kansas City Journal, Dec. 19, 1927, p. 6.
    3. ^ "Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers - October 2nd, 1927," Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1927_Chicago_Bears_season&oldid=1313674868"