In 1933, the young National Football League held its first ever championship game. Until this point, the champion was decided solely based on regular season record. The Chicago Bears of the Western Division faced off against the New York Giants of the East for the title of NFL champion. This game was awash with spectacular talent, as Bronko Nagurski and Red Grange took the field for the Bears at Wrigley Field against Ken Strong and Red Badgro of the Giants.

     The game started slowly, with two field goals by Chicago kicker Jack Manders pushing the Bears to an early 6-0 lead. The Chicago defense refused to bend, until Giants quarterback Harry Newman tossed a 29-yard touchdown strike to the fleet Badgro. The game went into the half 7-6 in favor of the Giants. A third field goal from the rookie Manders, who also played as a halfback and fullback, returned the lead to Chicago. The Giants would quickly equalize, as their rookie halfback Max Krause bulled through the line for a one yard rushing score. The Bears offense finally broke out of its game-long slump after Krause’s touchdown, as Hall of Famer Bronko Nagurski connected with end Bill Karr for an eight yard touchdown pass.

     Late in the fourth quarter, the Giants clawed back the lead on their own eight yard passing score, as Newman connected with Hall of Famer Ken Strong for his second passing touchdown of the game. With a 21-16 lead and two minutes remaining in the game, the Giants had all but sewn up a championship. The Bears offense, anemic as it was the majority of the game, still had a trump card to play. The Bears executed a trick play with under two minutes to go, as receiver Bill Hewitt caught a jump pass from Nagurski, but before he was tackled Hewitt lateraled the ball to Bill Karr, whose 31 yard sprint gave the legendary George Halas his second NFL Championship trophy as the coach of the Bears. This offered ticket stub from that historic game has been encapsulated and authenticated by PSA/DNA (15591383).

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