The 1945 College All-Star Game
On
August 30, 1945 the world was listening as the All-Stars of college
football played against the professional champion Green Bay Packers. The
game was broadcast by 239 radio stations nationally and also by short
wave radio to America’s fighting men around the world. Millions of
listeners were able to hear as Curly Lambeau’s Packer team defeated the
All-Stars with, according to the New York Times, the game’s greatest
pass receiver, Don Hutson. The game was played under the best weather
conditions in its 12-year history and had a sell-out crowd of 92,753 in
attendance at Soldier Field.
Bernie Bierman of the University of Minnesota coached the Stars as he
had done in 1936 when they played to a 7-7 tie against the Detroit
Lions. Sgt. Charlie Trippi of the University of Georgia and star of the
’43 Rose Bowl captained the team and was its eventual MVP. Trippi was
playing in his third College All-Star Game. Many of the games’ players,
both pro and collegiate, still found themselves with military duties
that superseded their private endeavors.
The
first score of the game came on a field goal by Don Hutson in the
opening period and the pros led the rest of the game. The second quarter
found Lt. Bob Kennedy of Washington State trapped and tackled in the
endzone for a safety. The Packers then scored on a 20-yard pass from
Herman Rohrig to Roy “Tex” McKay and with the extra point by Hutson, the
score was 12-0. The only time the All-Stars were able to find the
end-zone came in the second period with a Bob Kennedy pass to Nick
Scollard (St. Joseph’s, Indiana) for 68 yards that ended in a TD.
Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon of Michigan kicked the extra point.
The Packers’ final score in the fourth quarter was the games’ most
thrilling play. Don Hutson intercepted a pass from Perry Moss of
Illinois and returned it 85 yards for a TD. Hutson capped off his
impressive performance by kicking the extra point and ending the game
with the score 19-7.