Regular season | |
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Duration | September 9 – December 9, 1934 |
East Champions | New York Giants |
West Champions | Chicago Bears |
Championship Game | |
Champions | New York Giants |
The 1934 NFL season was the 15th regular season of the National Football League (NFL). Before the season, the Portsmouth Spartans moved from Ohio to Detroit, Michigan, and were renamed the Detroit Lions.
The season ended on December 9 with the NFL Championship Game played for the new Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy. In this final game the New York Giants defeated the Chicago Bears 30–13 at the Polo Grounds in what has become known as the "Sneakers Game".
The 1934 season reflected the maturation of the NFL, with a split of the league's 10 teams into Eastern and Western divisions for the first time and their "play-off" for a national title and championship trophy. [1] The modern passing game was also born with the elimination of the draconian five yard penalty for an incomplete forward pass, thereby shifting offensive strategic calculations dramatically.
The Cincinnati Reds lost their first eight games, then were suspended for not paying league dues. The St. Louis Gunners, an independent team, played the last three games of the Reds' 1934 schedule in their stead.
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972. |
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N.Y. Giants 30, Chi. Bears 13 at Polo Grounds, New York City, December 9, 1934
Halfback Beattie Feathers of the Chicago Bears rushed for more than 1,000 yards for the first time in league history. [3] This shattered the previous league record by nearly 300 yards. [3]
Arnold "Flash" Heber captured the passing title with 799 yards gained through the air. [3]
Statistic | Name | Team | Yards |
---|---|---|---|
Passing | Arnie Herber | Green Bay | 799 |
Rushing | Beattie Feathers | Chicago Bears | 1004 |
Receiving | Harry Ebding | Detroit Lions | 264 |
The Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy was established as the league's award for the NFL champion, and was awarded through 1967. The host team for the NFL Championship Game would now alternate between the two divisions, with the Eastern Division champion hosting in even-numbered years, and the Western champion hosting in odd-numbered years. [5]