1932 Chicago Bears season

1932 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	Ralph Jones
Home field	Wrigley Field
Results
Record	7–1–6 (Home: 6–1–2) (Road: 1–0–4)
League place	1st NFL
Playoff finish	NFL Champions

Team photo

The 1932 Chicago Bears season was their 13th regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 7–1–6 record under third year head coach Ralph Jones.

Season Overview

The season started strangely with three consecutive 0–0 ties. After a 0–2 loss to the Packers, the Bears had scored zero points in four games. After that, the offense got on track and the defense stayed incredibly stingy. The Bears were undefeated in their last nine "regular season" games (there was no established playoff system), with six wins, four by shutout, and three ties.

The team that gave the Bears the most trouble were the Portsmouth Spartans. The club tied with the Spartans with identical 6–1 records (ties did not count then and were omitted), so a playoff game was set up to determine a winner. The Bears defeated the Spartans, 9–0 in the first ever NFL postseason game, which oddly enough was played indoors at Chicago Stadium because it was expected to be cold at Wrigley Field and organizers wanted to maximize the attendance and gate revenue.

For the year, the powerful tandem of Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski again paced the Bears as Grange scored 7 touchdowns and Nagurski ran for 4 and also passed for 3 more. Keith Molesworth also contributed with 3 touchdowns on his own while passing for 3 more. Luke Johnsos had probably his finest season, catching two touchdown passes and scoring twice on defense as well. Coach Ralph Jones also found a reliable kicker in Paul "Tiny" Engebretson.

Future Hall of Fame Players

• Red Grange, Back
• Bill Hewitt, End (rookie from University of Michigan)
• Bronko Nagurski, Fullback
• George Trafton, Center

Other Leading Players

• Carl Brumbaugh, Quarterback
• John Doehring, Back (rookie)
• Paul Engebretsen, Guard / Kicker (rookie from Northwestern)
• Luke Johnsos, End
• Joe Kopcha, Guard (back after two years off)
• Keith Molesworth, Back
• Dick Nesbitt, Back

Dermot Rice, Running Back

Players Departed from 1931

• Link Lyman, Tackle (did not play for unknown reasons)

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Location	Result	Score	Record
Sep 25	at Green Bay Packers	City Stadium	Tie	0–0	0–0–1
Oct. 2	at Staten Island Stapletons	Thompson Stadium	Tie	0–0	0–0–2
Oct. 9	Chicago Cardinals	Wrigley Field	Tie	0–0	0–0–3
Oct 16	Green Bay Packers	Wrigley Field	Loss	0–2	0–1–3
Oct 23	Staten Island Stapletons	Wrigley Field	Win	27–7	1–1–3
Oct 30	at Boston Braves	Braves Field	Tie	7–7	1–1–4
Nov 6	at New York Giants	Polo Grounds	Win	28–8	2–1–4
Nov 13	Portsmouth Spartans	Wrigley Field	Tie	13–13	2–1–5
Nov 20	Brooklyn Dodgers	Wrigley Field	Win	20–0	3–1–5
Nov 24	Chicago Cardinals	Wrigley Field	Win	34–0	4–1–5
Nov. 27	at Portsmouth Spartans	Universal Stadium	Tie	7–7	4–1–6
Dec. 4	New York Giants	Wrigley Field	Win	6–0	5–1–6
Dec. 11	Green Bay Packers	Wrigley Field	Win	9–0	6–1–6
Dec. 18	Portsmouth Spartans	Chicago Stadium	Win	9–0	7–1–6

The December 18 game was added to break the tie and is known as the 1932 NFL Playoff Game

Standings

NFL standings
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
Chicago Bears 1	7	1	6	.875	160	44	W3
Green Bay Packers	10	3	1	.769	152	63	L2
Portsmouth Spartans 1	6	2	4	.750	116	71	L1
Boston Braves	4	4	2	.500	55	79	W2
New York Giants	4	6	2	.400	93	113	L1
Brooklyn Dodgers	3	9	0	.250	63	131	L4
Chicago Cardinals	2	6	2	.250	72	114	L5
Staten Island Stapletons	2	7	3	.222	77	173	L1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

¹ The Bears and Spartans records include the result of the 1932 NFL Playoff Game; thus, the Spartans are ranked third behind the Packers.

NFL Playoff Game: Chicago Bears 9, Portsmouth Spartans 0

Further information: NFL Playoff Game, 1932

Awards

• NFL Championship (2)