All-Stars 17

Washington Redskins 14

December 27, 1942

 

On Dec. 27, 1942, the world champion Washington Redskins met the NFL All-Stars before 18,672 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The game netted $75,000 donated to the Merchant Marines Fund. It marked the first time in 5 tries that the All-Stars were able to beat the league champion. It was the only victory for a league all-star team under the old pre-1950's game format. The game was played on a frozen field and was missing one key ingredient. Redskin All-Pro quarterback, Sammy Baugh, missed his flight from Texas and was unable to play, which prompted an investigation by league commissioner, Elmer Layden. The All-Star team, mostly comprised of Chicago Bears players, came to be known as the Bear-All-Stars. Also failing to appear in the game was Green Bay's Don Hutson for the All-Stars due to an injury. The coaches were Heartley "Hunk" Andersen for the All-Stars and Ray Flaherty for the Redskins.

Washington took an early lead after 6 minutes of play in the game when Ki Aldrich return a punt 30 yards for a touchdown. That was all the scoring in the first half as the Redskins mounted a goal line stand and stopped the Stars inside the one yard line as time expired. The Redskins drove the length of the field to the All-Star eight to start the second half. But, Pittsburgh's Bill Dudley intercepted fullback Andy Farkas' jump pass and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown. It was the turning point of the game. In less than five minutes, the All-Stars scored again. Sid Luckman drove the Stars offense, comprised of 8 Bears, to the Skins 2 yard line. A fistfight broke out between Chicago's Lee Artoe and Fred Davis, but officials intervened and no penalties were assessed. The fight erupted between the two again before the next play and Davis was ejected. On the next play, John Petty of the Bears carried it over and the score was 14-7. The Redskins immediately came back to tie the game when quarterback Roy Zimmerman hit Rob Seymour with a thirty yard pass to the All-Stars 15. On 4th and 9 from the 14, Zimmerman hit Seymour at the ten. He brushed off Packer Charley Brock and carried it in to tie the score at 14-14. Early in the 4th quarter, Artoe booted a 44 yard field goal out of Cecil Isbell's hold for the winning margin. The Skins missed a potential game tying field goal in the final 20 seconds. The final score was 17-14.

 

Baugh got in trouble for this one

 

January, 1942 1951

 

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