1963 NFL Championship Giants at Bears

[@superbrownbrown]

*This is the last NFL championship the Bears or Giants played for until 1985 and 1986, respectively.*

[@rds990]

Wow....as a 10 yr old kid on the west side of Chicago, I remember listening to this in our living room ON THE RADIO ! It was not on a standard TV station. My dad had to go to Milwaukee to see it.

[@lorenzobeckmann3736]

ditto; me 14 at the time

[@MIKECNW]

Why did he not take you along?

[@buckzx12r]

This is the first time ive se4en film of this game.I was 12 years old,and remember that day so well.Arctic cold,wind,My dad was a lifelong Giant fan.YA Tittle was my idol,and we listened to this game in Chicago on my tansistor radio,because it was blacked out.A truly classic game,and the last game for a lot of my heroes.I am so grateful for the people who made this film.Taht era in football was magic.Ill never forget those players.

[@dape8993]

George Allen, who was then a Bears assistant coach, noticed in film study prior to the game that when the Giants used a screen pass, Jack Stroud, a Giant guard, pulled out early and tipped the play off. Allen instructed his defensive players to look for the tip off. The Morris and O'Bradovich interceptions--which led directly to both Bear TD's--occurred on Giants screen plays.

[@sardu55]

Halas, who had a long record of usually doing the 'not right' thing, continued that after this game when he refused to promote Allen to head coach. He then sued Allen to stop him from taking the same job with the Rams. Allen was considered a top defensive coach at the time and NFL watchers give him a great deal of the credit for this, the Bears last crown for 23 years. Lombardi said it was the best defense he'd seen. Between the scheme and the talent, the Bears defense was hard to beat. And, instead of keeping the person who developed it Halas wouldn't promote him to HC. With the talent the Bears had, soon to be augmented by Sayers and Butkus (and several others) and Allen as coach the team's fortunes would have been much better than they turned out to be. And we can thank Halas for that. It's one of the many reasons why long time Bears fans are so cynical about the team and are having a hard time getting worked up for the current batch of new coaches and a probably future hard luck fail at QB. It seems to be the way it always turns out, except for that one season in the 80s. Another coach, who was once a genius and later not, Paul Brown, did about the same thing with the Bengals and over a young coach: Bill Walsh. Brown thought Walsh was nuts and didn't know offenses. And he ran Walsh off and out to the same place Allen went, California.

[@mikeforte7585]

@@sardu55 ironically Bill Walsh won 2 super bowls against Paul Brown's Bengals...in my opinion the 1965 Bears were better than the 63 Bears but they never over came their slow start...maybe if George Allen was the coach things would have been better and the Bears would have been more competitive in the following years..

[@MaxAmerica.Freedom]

I would rather see this than nfl kids today

[@RobertEWaters]

Because it was played in Chicago, we Bear fans had to listen to this game on the radio!

[@stephenkammerling9479]

If I hadn't been a 12 year old kid at time, I would have simply driven about an hour or two away from Chicago and found a place to watch game. If this video is an accurate example of telecast, it seems there was a lot of trouble with Wrigley Field shadows, and Wrigley had NO lights back then. I always thought NFL was shooting themselves in the foot with that home black out rule.

[@jamesvokral4934]

@@stephenkammerling9479 As a 13 year old Chicago kid I remember listening on the radio and really pissed off this sold out game was not on tv.

[@stephenkammerling9479]

@@jamesvokral4934 It was the kids the insensitive owners were hurting with this ridiculous policy. Adults, if they wanted to watch game could just easily travel about an hour or two until in reach of a TV station that carried game. They could watch in a restaurant or bar or just watch it in a department store TV department.

[@stephenkammerling9479]

@@jamesvokral4934 I was 13 like you at the time, I made myself a year younger in my original comment. To my point on how easy it would have been for adults in Chicago to see game, the game was telecast on WTMJ Channel 4, Milwaukee only 90 miles from Chicago. Many people in Chicago's northern suburbs could get channel 4 and with strong antenna possibly get channel 4 in other parts of Chicago metro area(picture may have been snowy however).

[@stephenkammerling9479]

@@jamesvokral4934 The Wirtz family blacked out Black Hawks games forever inspite of evidence the policy was counterproductive(check Cubs TV history). Finally, Rocky Wirtz took over after his father "Dollar Bill" died. He got rid of black out, and Black Hawks set attendance records and won three Stanley Cups.

[@Buddycoop1]

Wow is this great. Would have loved to seen the game so close up at Wrigley. Good old days.

[@mikeforte7585]

I was luck enough to see this game...the Bears had an awesome defense....

[@Mark-xl1ze]

The Bears' last postseason win until the 1984 NFC Divisional Playoffs. The Giants' last postseason appearance until 1981.

[@davemr6193]

Seems like the giants of that era, were like the bills of the 90's, losing something like five champ games, in a span of six years.

[@GordonWLearn]

I was 16 and was there. A junior at OPRF.

[@davidmeredith4561]

Giants lost in the Championship game in 1958,59,61,62, and 63.

[@tmilwaukee]

You have to admit that the athletes today are so much bigger and faster than in 1963.

[@unclebobunclebob]

Duh.

[@dannysullivan8929]

Some athletes are bigger and faster today than in 1963 that doesn't mean that they're necessarily better. Today's athletes are extremely fortunate to be privy to modern technology, modern medicine, modern training, performance enhancing drugs, steroids, modern machinery, modern equipment, modern supplements, modern surgery, etc etc etc. And even with all those tremendous advantages I would still take many many many athletes in 1963 over today's athletes. ESPECIALLY in baseball. There is not one player in the world today that I would take over Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle in 1963... Not one. The closest one is Mike trout but I would still take Willie and Mickey over Mike trout seven days a week. There is not one hitter today that I would take over Willie McCovey in 1963. Not one. I would take Sandy Koufax over any pitcher today by far and away. I would take Dick Butkus and Jim Brown over any linebacker and running back today...by a wide margin. Can you imagine how much greater Jim Brown and Dick Butkus and Johnny Unitas would be today if they had all the advantages that these modern athletes have? I would take Oscar Robertson in 1963 over any player in the NBA today with the exception of LeBron. My point is bigger and stronger are not necessarily synonymous with better. Look at Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros. He's only 5'6 and 160 lbs and he's one of the greatest players in the world. It goes to show that it's the size of your heart and desire coupled with natural ability and talent, not necessarily the size of your muscles or of your height. Happy New Year.

[@buckzx12r]

But they sure as hell arent as tough!

[@jamesbecker5452]

Doug Atkins was a wrecker in any era.And Bill George.And that was probably tje greatest defensive backfield in Bears history,Pettibon,Mcrae,Whitsell,and Roosevelt Taylor.

[@MichaelForte-jn5pn]

​@jamesbecker5452 u have a valid point...but the NFL rules today have made it impossible to play defense today....Morris's low hits on Title would be illegal today...

[@jamesvokral4934]

As a young Chicago kid, this Bear victory was the first positive thing that happened after JFK was assassinated on November 22 of 1963.. Then the Beatles came in 1964.

[@buckzx12r]

Ye,the country was still in shock,and there was talk this game wouldnt be played.And back then,home games were blacked out.

[@kevinmadden1645]

​You are confusing this game with the Army-Navy game played on 12-7-63.

[@ldfreitas9437]

I saw this game on TV, and was broken hearted that the Giants lost, as I was a big YA Tittle fan and 49er fan. And the next year the Giants were well over the hill, as was Tittle, so a 2-12 record followed for the then oldest team in the NFL, the average age of players 30. Anyway, the Bears would soon age too, with both QBs, Bukich and Wade, both 35 by 1966, Bill George gone to the Rams replaced by Butkus.

[@autismproductions5750]

This was one of the coldest NFL Games played ever.

[@loyaldude10]

topped of course by the 67 ice Bowl. what was game time temp in Chicago?

[@autismproductions5750]

@@loyaldude10 i not sure...

[@chucklynch6523]

Just about all those early to mid 60's NFL titles games were played in cold, nasty weather. That one at Yankee Stadium in 1962 was played in pretty nasty weather too, as was the one in Cleveland in 1964 and the one in Green Bay the next year. If any of them were played in later day Super Bowl venues the winners may have been different, but Lombardi and Halas knew the schedule, and knew the all too predictable weather conditions (something Goodbye Allie didn't) and they did what it took to win under those conditions!!

[@stephenkammerling9479]

@@loyaldude10 Temperature was in single digits, I think around 7, but it was a sunny day. I couldn't watch because of NFL's f****n home black out rule. I'm sure Wrigley Field would have been packed anyway even if game was televised locally. The Bears were the only Chicago team to win a world championship in Wrigley. I'm not sure if they won any others or not. I know they won 73-0 beat down in 1940 against Washington in Washington. Cubs won their recent World Series on road in Cleveland.

[@stephenkammerling9479]

@@loyaldude10 Single digits, but sunny. 1967 Ice Bowl game temperatures were -13. So it was cold on that Sunday between Christmas 1963 and New Years 1964 in Chicago, but there were many games played in NFL that were colder including in Chicago. I remember Green Bay at Chicago late in 2007. PACKER players were huddled around sideline heaters while Bears were kicking their ass(yes, there was once a time when the Bears could beat the Packers). Temperatures were actually in the teens, but there was a brutal wind chill. The Packers would lose an Ice Bowl to NY Giants a few weeks later in Green Bay. That was Brett Favre's last game with Green Bay. He threw a hideous overtime interception that set up Giant win.

[@jerryferko8309]

no young people want to hear this , anybody under 50 years old , THIS WAS FOOTBALL ! y. a. tittle was one real tough ballplayer

[@paganjew0108]

Bears' D was tough BEFORE Butkus. No knock on Butkus he was the best.

[@chandlerlewis3309]

Jerry Ferko I like both eras. I’m 25. You need to stop wishing everything was the same and just enjoy the ride that life brings.

[@chasecook5031]

I'm 19 years old and I totally agree this was before football became a product to inject mediocre commercials more then showing the game of football that isnt any good anyways like there's no real challenge of toughness by going truly toe to toe with an opponent no players are wooses bouncing around like a chicken with his head cut off not being a real man and take the hit and keep trying to move forward and pee at an endzone for celebration like dude do that on your on free time this is a true game thats suppose to be treasured and honored in the way that made it as legendary as it is today thanks to what it use to be right here there's no love for the game only do it for ''da money and da weed''cause they think that makes them cool when in reality itll ruin there lives down the line i totally agree 100%

[@chandlerlewis3309]

Chase Cook ... what? The game is as strategic and wonderful as ever. People are literally retiring because their bodies are taking too much damage so I don’t know how much more physical you want it to be. Rambling about “real man” this and “toughness” that just shows how little you understand about the game.

[@redbaronreborn3372]

He was also a L O S E R never won a championship. He had 6 turnovers in the 1957 playoff game vs Detroit a game in which they lead 24-7 at halftime and blew a 27-7 lead early 4th qt lost 30-27 He had 5 interceptions in this game which a superior Giant team lost 14-10 (5picks)😒 He never should of been allowed to return to this game after lb Larry Morris blew out his left knee,he came back on torn cartilage only to hobble around totally immobile throwing passes with no power behind them He tried playing hero only to be the goat. Sam Huff the great NYG MLB told him to not return after halftime the defense can shutdown the Bears pathetic offense.Giants lead 10-7 but Allie Sherman was loyal to a fault and sent a crippled title back in and he immediately threw the interception that O'Bradovich lumbered down field to set up the bears winning td. NYG win if 1- shofner doesn't drop that td pass and 2- Title sits out the 2nd half!

[@Maurice76746]

Bears defense kicking ass way back then, no kidding.

[@buckzx12r]

Doug Atkins,Bill George,Larry Moris,Joe Fortunato,those guys were killers!

[@mikeforte7585]

@@buckzx12r the 63 Bears had one of the best linebackers group in NFL history.

[@roybernard1132]

Jack Brickhouse and Chris Schenkel were the announcers.

[@edmahl3365]

They identified themselves as Gibbons (announcer) and Pat Summeral (color).

[@rpc717]

Pat Summerall was definitely in there.

[@steveprestegard5151]

On TV?

[@stephenkammerling9479]

If the "Brat Stop" a few miles north of Wisconsin/Illinois border was open back then, it would have been jammed. I don't know if the establishment goes back that far. The place is just off I-94 about30-40 miles south of Milwaukee, definitely in reach of Milwaukee TV. It's a gathering place for both Illinois and Wisconsin fan bases.

[@jackndew2]

I know the place well, used to go to the old place to play foosball and drink legally at 18 years old ('75). Then years later, after the fire and rebuild, played music on that great stage in the 80's and 90's. Have got a lot of great memories about 'The Brat", thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@buckzx12r]

I think they had theater coverage closed circuit back then.

[@stephenkammerling9479]

​@@buckzx12rIt would have been packed if it existed in 1963. You would have been in reach of Milwaukee TV and been able to beat NFL's stupid home black out rule.

[@SheltonWalden]

Last game for Willie Galimore - RIP

[@MichaelForte-jn5pn]

How sad!

[@steven2212]

Classic NFL. Love it. Chicago a West division team.

[@markdukett404]

World champions chicago bears

[@ARIZJOE]

Giants dynasty had faded. Bears caught the Packers and Colts in an off-year. Both these clubs were mediocre. I remember watching this game during a family vacation to Winter Haven, Florida. It was warm, and afterwards my dad and I went outside and threw the football around.

[@stephenkammerling9479]

Both Giants and Bears went into a long stretch of mediocrity or worse after that game. The Bears have only had a few good seasons since 63 title, most notably Super Bowl year of 1985, and the Giants won a few titles in recent years. Both are pretty BAD right now.

[@chucklynch6523]

What an intro, the 2 best teams in the world??? I guess he decided not to ask Sid Gilman, Lance Alworth and Ernie Ladd about that, huh?

[@stephenkammerling9479]

You must be referring to San Diego Chargers who won the AFL.title in 63. 3 seasons later they started playing the Super Bowl, the first one in January 1967 following 1966 season. Green Bay won the first two easily, but as soon as the Packers and Lombardi were out of the way, The AFL teams proved to be pretty good, winning the next two Super Bowls. After Super Bowl IV, the two leagues completed the merger and AFL became the AFC.The NFL owners were being very loud and arrogant back in the sixties. Looking back, I wonder if they were actually scared the AFL teams were pretty good. People tend to get loud and arrogant when trying to cover their insecurities.

[@chucklynch6523]

@@stephenkammerling9479 Exactly, the AFL played a style of football that was not only exciting, but very effective. Years later when interviewed in the locker room after the Cowboys' victory in Super Bowl VI Lance Alworth was asked which was the best team he ever played on, and he quickly responded that the 1963 Chargers were the best!

[@jeremythompson9122]

I beg to differ that these were the two best football teams in the world in 1963. I think the AFL's San Diego Chargers were the best football team in the world in 1963. The Chargers actually challenged the Bears to a World Championship Game after the 1963 season but Halas declined. He knew the best AFL teams were every bit as good as the best NFL teams but he and the rest of the NFL didn't want everyone else to know that. The Cleveland Browns had joined the NFL in 1950 from the "inferior" AAFC and destroyed the defending NFL Champion Philadelphia Eagles 35-10 in Philly in the Browns very first NFL game. Before then the NFL laughed at the Browns and called Paul Brown a high school coach. Nobody was laughing anymore when the Browns made it to the NFL Championship Game every single year from 1950-55 and won 3 of them

[@mikeforte7585]

I would have loved to see that match up...I don't no if Halas had the authority to decide not to play the game on his own...usually the NFL owners would have to approve of a game like that...just my opinion..

[@andrewr62]

I disagree. The 63 Chargers never faced an AFL team anywhere near the the defense of the 63 Bears. George Allen's complex blitz packages were what the doctor ordered against a team like the Chargers. As for the Chargers themselves their defense gave up much more yards and points. Bears offense was steady and not without their weapons like the best tight end in football in Mike Ditka coming of a 1000 yard season.

[@jeffsmith2022]

We shall never know...

[@loyaldude10]

i heard those 63 Chargers were very good, but AFL then wasnt even close to NFL. they would be in a couple years

[@ARIZJOE]

Many knowledgeable people say the Chargers were the better team. It would have been Sid Gillman versus George Allen. Sid wins. Chargers had a talented backfield, Lance Alworth, and a high flying offense. Bears defense tough, but so was Chargers' HOF lineman Ron Mix. I don't know if the whole AFL was on a par with the NFL team in 1963. But this Charger team matched up well with Billy Wade and an anemic Chicago offense.

[@mikevanriel7573]

Guess who was the Bears Defensive Coordinator in 1963?

[@redbaronreborn3372]

George Allen.Who left Halas for the Rams HC job under contract still for the Bears and Halas sued him, was settled out if court. Allen then wore out his welcome in Los Angeles by pissing off owner Carroll Rosenbloom then Jack Kent Cooke hired him as Redskins HC 1 yr after Lombardi died of colon cancer before the 1971 season.He lasted 7 seasons then got his ass fired there too when he traded away every 1st round pick in the 70's for aging washed up players past their prime. After the 1972 season Allen couldn't get by Landry's Cowboys or lost to Minnesota early in playoffs,bottom line Allen was quick to spend his owners $ without much results He even got fired at CBS as a color analyst after just 2yrs because he bad mouthed CBS executives!!!

[@mikeforte7585]

@@redbaronreborn3372 I remember Jack Kent Cooke saying that he gave Allen an unlimited expense account and he exceeded that!!!...ur arguments have good points!!!

[@robertfranzen7604]

George Allen

[@loyaldude10]

@@redbaronreborn3372 well he certainly got results. just didnt win a super bowl. Got the Redskins there in 2d season

[@VolumedMusicMan]

@@redbaronreborn3372 Back in George’s late 60’s Rams days, he dealt with owner Dan Reeves not Carol Rosenbloom (Allen was briefly hired in 1978. Rams played poorly in the preseason, and the players did not like George’s old school rules in wearing a suit and tie. Carol R fired him).

[@brandonmorris92]

I wonder if the Bears and Chargers played in the AFL-NFL World Championship game (before the Super Bowl), who would win?

[@andrewruger22]

13:00 bill wade rushing td

[@rentslave]

"The two best football teams in the world." I dunno. I think that the Chargers would have loved to have had the opportunity to prove otherwise.If Shofner could get that wide open,what could Lance Alworth have done?

[@mikeforte7585]

That would have been a great game...but we'll never know...

[@jamesbecker5452]

The Bears defense was awesome.

[@michaelhancock6686]

55 years tomorrow; too many turnovers & overthrown passes led to Giants demise!

[@chucklynch6523]

Tittle had his knee wrecked by Larry Morris'' hit during Tittle's pass to Frank Gifford that he caught for a touchdown. Tittle was never the same the rest of the game. The Bears 2 TDs were scored off interceptions run back into the red zone. So what did the Maras do after the season? They blamed the defense and got rid of Sam and Little Mo, and the rest is history. I soon became a Jets fan

[@mikeforte7585]

@@chucklynch6523 ur exactly right...

[@victorgiacobbe4453]

DA BEARS 👍

[@tmilwaukee]

Bears win with defense, as usual.

[@mindcontrol4618]

3rd straight title game loss for the giants('61, '62, '63), tittle retired after that '63 season and 3rd straight championship game loss.

[@beebop333]

I think he played in 64

[@mikeforte7585]

@@beebop333 he did the giants finished 2-10-2..

[@stephenkammerling9479]

@@mikeforte7585 It sounds right. Bears went 5-9 in 1964. It was the beginning of a long dark tunnel for both teams. Bears didn't make playoffs until 1977, and didn't win a playoff game until 1984 inspite of Sayers, Butkus, and Payton. I don't know long how long Giants' playoff drought lasted. They won Super Bowl following '86 season, one year after Bears won it. The one constant refrain with Bears was "good defense, good running back, and AWFUL quarterback." That's still true today, though defense is even suspect.

[@WhiteCamry]

Gifford was inbounds @ 47:36

[@davidscanlon1244]

Hate to say it, but that would have been overturned today.

[@mikeforte7585]

Exactly ...

[@dennissavage5069]

Played before global warming Fabulous

[@mikeforte7585]

Love that one!!...

[@tmilwaukee]

Tittle cost them the game. Some bad interceptions.

[@mikeforte7585]

Del Shofner dropped a TD pass in the end zone when the Giants were up 7-0...Doug Atkins joked the even he could have cought that one...he went on to say if Shofner didn't drop that one it would have been tough to come back...Atkins went on to say the Bears were fearful of Frank Gifford and they were having a difficult time covering him...they were glad Tittle didnt throw alot more to him..

[@buckzx12r]

He played half the game with a wrecked knee.Today, theyd have had him in the tent getting evaluated.Nobody was tougher than those players were.

[@mikeforte7585]

@@buckzx12r The low hits Tittle took are outlawed today...I agree he was one tough SOB!..

[@jerryferko8309]

mea culpa to all below......... was not making a big to do ........just a comment....................guys paid a huge price then ..... as all players have over the years , , its the choice they made , and were very fortunate to get to this level , pro sports , a multi billion dollar operations , we all understand that .......we can go on and on about the different decades of pro ball ................just opinions guys , red baron hits on a very good point ......guys are smarter , contracts are huge ...... leave early ............and chandler , not wishing it was the same ........ just liked the game more back then ......

[@phillipsmitj9606]

As a third-generation

[@phillipsmitj9606]

Just a brain fart sorry as I was saying third-generation Chicago