The 1944 College All-Star Game
In
a hair-raising spectacle played at Northwestern University’s Dyche
Stadium the Chicago Bears won in a come-from-behind game that thrilled
the crowd of 49,246 spectators. The game was played on August 30, 1944
with Lynn Waldorf of Northwestern as coach of the All-Stars. He had been
an assistant coach in five of the previous charitable classics. Several
of both teams’ players were on loan from military bases around the
country including Ensign Sid Luckman for the Chicago Bears and
Lieutenants Glenn Dobbs, Lou Saban, Charles Jacoby, and Billy
Hillenbrand for the All-Stars.
By the second quarter the collegians had a 14-0 lead with a 4-yard TD
pass from Dobbs of Tulsa University to Creighton Miller of Notre Dame
and a Dobbs fumble which was recovered in the end-zone for a touchdown
by John Tavener of Indiana University. Gary Famiglietti scored from the
3-yard line after a 65-yard drive for the Bears. The Bears were then
able to score a second time on a 12-yard Sid Luckman pass to Jim Benton
which tied the game 14-14 at half-time.
In the third quarter Lou Saban of Indiana University scored from the
1-yard line after a 65-yard drive giving the Stars the lead again. Saban
was responsible for that score as well as
kicking all three of the extra
points. Ray “Scooter” McLean again tied the game for the Bears with a
19-yard sprint for a touchdown.
But
it was in the fourth quarter that the excitement came to a head. The
weather had threatened all evening to rain and by the last quarter the
rains finally came in a “miniature tempest.” One particular player for
the Bears had been obtained only the day before via telegram having just
been released from the Green Bay Packers. Pete Gudauskas, with Sid
Luckman holding, kicked a 13-yard field goal that turned the game in the
Bears favor. Gudauskas had also kicked each of the extra points for the
Bears making his addition to the team well worth the 38 cents paid for
the telegram. The game ended 24-21 and the professional players defeated
the college All-Stars for the sixth time in the eleven game series. The
All-Stars had won three times and two of the games ended in a tie. Glenn
Dobbs, on a quick kick from the line of scrimmage, punted the ball 85
yards for a series record. Dobbs was named MVP for the 1944 game.
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