View source for 1961 NFL Championship Game

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{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox NFLChamp
|type=nflc
|name=1961
|image= 611231-Packers-Giants-championshipprogram.jpg
|caption= Program for the 1961 Championship Game
|visitor=[[1961 New York Giants season|New York Giants]]
|visitor_record = 10–3–1
|visitor_abbr = NYG
|home=[[1961 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]]
|home_record = 11–3
|home_abbr = GB
|visitor_coach = [[Allie Sherman]]
|home_coach = [[Vince Lombardi]]
|visitor_conf = Eastern
|home_conf = Western
|visitor_qtr1=0
|visitor_qtr2=0
|visitor_qtr3=0
|visitor_qtr4=0
|visitor_total=0
|home_qtr1=0
|home_qtr2=24
|home_qtr3=10
|home_qtr4=3
|home_total=37
|date=December 31, 1961
|stadium=[[Lambeau Field|City Stadium]]
|city=[[Green Bay, Wisconsin]]
|odds=Green Bay by {{frac|3|1|2}} points<ref name=fgbmgth/>
|attendance=39,029
|network=[[NFL on NBC|NBC]]
|announcers=[[Lindsey Nelson]], [[Chris Schenkel]]
|radio=[[NFL on NBC Radio|NBC]]
|radioannouncers=[[Ray Scott (sportscaster)|Ray Scott]], [[Jim Leaming]]
| HOFers = '''Packers:''' [[Vince Lombardi]] (coach/gm), [[Herb Adderley]], [[Willie Davis (defensive end)|Willie Davis]], [[Forrest Gregg]], [[Paul Hornung]], [[Henry Jordan]], [[Jerry Kramer]], [[Ray Nitschke]], [[Jim Ringo]], [[Bart Starr]], [[Jim Taylor (fullback)|Jim Taylor]], [[Willie Wood (American football)|Willie Wood]]<br /> '''Giants:''' [[Wellington Mara]] (owner), [[Roosevelt Brown]], [[Sam Huff]], [[Andy Robustelli]], [[Y. A. Tittle]]
|MVP=[[Paul Hornung]] (Halfback/Kicker; Green Bay)
|referee=George Rennix
}}
{{Location map
|USA
|relief     = 1
|label      = <small>Green Bay&nbsp;</small>
|lat        = 44.501
|long       = -88.062
|caption    = Location in the [[United States]]
|position   = left
|marksize   = 5
|float      = 
|background = 
|width      = 290
}}
{{Location map
|USA Wisconsin
|relief     = 1
|label      = <small>Green Bay&nbsp;</small>
|lat        = 44.501
|long       = -88.062
|caption    = Location in [[Wisconsin]]
|position   = left
|marksize   = 5
|float      = 
|background = 
|width      = 160
}}
The '''1961 NFL Championship Game''' was the 29th [[History of the National Football League championship|title game]] of the [[National Football League]]. It was played on December 31 at [[Lambeau Field|"New" City Stadium]], later known<!--August 1965--> as Lambeau Field, in [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]], [[Wisconsin]], with an attendance of 39,029.<ref name=pwchamp>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=42BQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pRAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6685%2C9337 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |title=Packers World Champions! | last = Lea | first = Bud | author-link = Bud Lea |date=January 1, 1962 |page=1M}}</ref><ref name=fandgif>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=42BQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pRAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2928%2C206689 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |title=Facts and figures |date=January 1, 1962 |page=1S}}</ref><ref name=ctgbtsnygo>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1962/01/01/page/93/article/green-bay-37-new-york-0000 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |last=Strickler |first=George |title=Green Bay 37, New York 0! |date=January 1, 1962 |page=1, part 6}}</ref>

The contest was touted as "The Million Dollar Game," owing to the $600,000 in television broadcast rights paid to the NFL by [[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]] combined with a $400,000 gate to be generated through a projected sale of 40,000 tickets at the unitary price of $10 per seat regardless of location in the stadium.<ref>Lindsey Nelson, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6ywtMJT8bs "NBC Pregame Telecast,"] (video), 1:30 mark.</ref>

The game was a match-up of the Eastern Conference champion [[1961 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] (10–3–1) and the Western Conference champion [[1961 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] (11–3).<ref name=sivdodev>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1962/01/08/590441/the-day-of-devastation |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Maule |first=Tex |author-link=Tex Maule |title=Day of devastation |date=January 8, 1962 |page=12}}</ref> The home team Packers were a {{frac|3|1|3}}-point favorite.<ref name=fgbmgth>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QzNWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1-cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1560%2C4595916 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Favored Green Bay meets Gotham in title battle today |date=December 31, 1961 |page=4, sports }}</ref> Packers [[Ray Nitschke]], [[Boyd Dowler]], and [[Paul Hornung]], were on leave from the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]].<ref name=fgbmgth/>  Hornung scored 19 points (a touchdown, three field goals, and four extra points)<ref name=shldpck>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=flspAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BugDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6650%2C99660 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title='Soldier' Hornung leads driving Packers to 37–0 humiliation of New York Giants |date=January 1, 1962 |page=14}}</ref> for the Packers and was named the MVP of the game, and awarded a 1962 [[Chevrolet Corvette (C1)|Chevrolet Corvette]] from ''[[Sport (US magazine)|Sport]]'' magazine.<ref name=prvtplnes>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eDoaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5SYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3588%2C1200376 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |agency=press dispatches |title=Private planes typify Hornung |date=January 4, 1962 |page=14, part 2 }}</ref>

The victory was the first of five NFL titles won in a seven-season span by the Packers and their head coach, [[Vince Lombardi]]. It was the Packers' seventh league title and their first in 17 years.

==Overview==
This was the first NFL championship game held in Green Bay.<ref name=fgbmgth/> The Packers' only other championship home game until then was 22 years earlier in [[1939 NFL Championship Game|1939]], played at the [[Wisconsin State Fair Park|State Fair Park]] in [[West Allis, Wisconsin|West Allis]] outside [[Milwaukee]].  Both teams were eager to shed the "runner-up" label. The Giants were in their third championship game in four years, falling in [[1958 NFL Championship Game|1958]] and [[1959 NFL Championship Game|1959]] to the [[History of the Baltimore Colts|Baltimore Colts]], and the Packers had lost the title game in [[1960 NFL Championship Game|1960]] to the [[1960 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]]. The Giants' last league title was in [[1956 NFL Championship Game|1956]] and the Packers in [[1944 NFL Championship Game|1944]].

Temperature at game time hovered at {{convert|20|F}} and for several days the field had been covered with a [[Tarpaulin|tarp]], topped by a foot (30&nbsp;cm) of [[hay]].  The covering was particularly significant as just two days before, the temperature dipped to {{convert|−15|F}}.  Field conditions were of paramount concern if the teams were to make effective use of the running game.  All the Packers players used cleats and about half of the Giants players, led by head coach [[Allie Sherman]], chose [[Chuck Taylor All-Stars|sneakers]], believing they would grip better on a frozen field. At 6 a.m. on game day, workers began the arduous process of snow and hay removal by hand using baskets, as heavy equipment could have potentially damaged the field.<ref name=two>The Football Encyclopedia, St Martin's Press, New York, NY, {{ISBN|0-312-05089-5}}, p.335</ref><ref name=three>Announcers Lindsay Nelson or Chris Schenkel during CBS's original game broadcast</ref><ref name="four">Green Bay's City Stadium Field Before The Championship Game Retrieved April 10, 2010, from Wisconsin Historical Society, website [http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/]</ref><ref name="five">{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/ |title=Green Bay Packers Team Encyclopedia |website=www.pro-football-reference.com |access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref>

Green Bay had defeated the Giants 20–17 four weeks earlier at [[Milwaukee County Stadium|County Stadium]] in Milwaukee to clinch the Western title before a record crowd of 47,012.<ref name=ptpgctl>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FzwaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NycEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6892%2C2712882|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Johnson |first=Chuck |title=Packers tip Giants, 20-17; cinch title before 47,012|date=December 4, 1961 |page=2, sports}}</ref><ref name=six>{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196112030gnb.htm |title=New York Giants at Green Bay Packers - December 3rd, 1961 |website=www.pro-football-reference.com |access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref>

Injured in late October<!--29-->, Packer right guard [[Jerry Kramer]] was sidelined for the remainder of the season. [[Forrest Gregg]] moved in from right tackle to guard, and [[Norm Masters]] started at right tackle.

==Game summary==
===First quarter===
After both teams exchanged punts, the Giants were on the move to the Green Bay 46-yard line when the Giants end [[Kyle Rote]], who was wide open but looking back into the sun, dropped a long pass from [[YA Tittle|Y. A. Tittle]] at the GB 10.<ref name=pwchamp/>  When the Packers took over for their 2nd possession, end [[Max McGee]] returned the favor by dropping a 50-yard pass from Starr.  However, Starr then hit [[Paul Hornung]] for a 24-yard gain to midfield.  [[Jim Taylor (fullback)|Jim Taylor]], despite having injured a kidney in the Rams game two weeks before,<ref name=three /> and Hornung kept the Packers drive moving to the NY 6-yard line as time expired.<ref name=pwchamp/>

===Second quarter===
Capping a 12-play 80-yard drive, Hornung, the [[NFL MVP|NFL's MVP]] for 1961, slashed outside right tackle for a touchdown on the first play of the 2nd quarter. Hornung's extra-point gave Green Bay a 7–0 lead. The Giants' next two possessions resulted in two Tittle interceptions within two minutes. The first, by [[Ray Nitschke]], led to a [[Bart Starr]] to [[Boyd Dowler]] slant pass in front of the goal post for a 13-yard touchdown. Both Nitschke and Dowler were on leave from [[Fort Lewis (Washington)|Ft. Lewis]] in Washington.<ref name=three /> The second Packer interception, by [[Hank Gremminger]], resulted in a [[Ron Kramer]] 14-yard touchdown from Starr. [[Charley Conerly]] then replaced Tittle at quarterback and most of the Giants had switched to cleats by this time. Conerly hit Kyle Rote with a 35-yard pass to the Green Bay 15, but Bob Gaiters overthrew Rote (who was wide open) in the end zone on a 4th down halfback option pass. With time in the half running down, Hornung gained 24 yards on two carries, then tight end Ron Kramer caught a pass from Starr for 38 yards. Hornung followed with a 17-yard field goal as time ran out, to make the score 24–0 at halftime.

===Third quarter===
In an unusual turn of events, the Packers were given five downs on their first possession of the quarter. On first down, Hornung ran up the middle. Then, on second down, [[Bart Starr]] scrambled for fifteen yards and fumbled the ball away.  But the Packers were flagged for an illegal procedure penalty.  After the Giants refused the penalty, the officials at first gave the ball to the Giants.  But realizing a procedure penalty negates any resulting play, the officials correctly gave the ball back to Green Bay, albeit with a first down instead of second down.  Despite the extra play, Green Bay eventually punted. The following series also resulted in a GB punt, with the Giants [[Joe Morrison]] fumbling and Forrest Gregg recovering for the Packers. Hornung then booted a 22-yard field goal, making it 27–0.

The Packers continued their march toward a championship with hard running by Hornung and [[Tom Moore (running back)|Tom Moore]] (replacing Taylor). Starr completed his third touchdown pass, this one to Ron Kramer in the left corner of the end zone. Kramer fell heavily on the ice after scoring and limped off the field. The Giants went back to Tittle at quarterback again as the quarter ended.

===Fourth quarter===
The veteran Tittle, who led the Giants to two more championship appearances in [[NFL Championship Game, 1962|1962]] and [[NFL Championship Game, 1963|1963]], could do no better than Conerly, throwing an interception to the Packers [[Jesse Whittenton]]. [[Jim Taylor (fullback)|Jim Taylor]], back in the game, promptly rumbled outside the right tackle on a 33-yard run to the Giants' 13. Hornung ended the scoring with a 19-yard field goal. A fourth Tittle interception had the Packers knocking on the goal line again as the gun sounded to end the game. The 19 points that Paul Hornung scored was at the time the most ever in a championship game. One year earlier, in a 12-game season, Hornung scored an incredible 176 points, which remained a record - even though the season had been increased to 16 games - until 2006.

===Scoring summary===
''Sunday, December 31, 1961''<br />
Kickoff: 1 p.m. [[Central Time Zone|CST]]

*'''First quarter'''
**''no scoring''
*'''Second quarter'''
**GB – [[Paul Hornung]] 6-yard run (Hornung kick), 7–0 GB
**GB – [[Boyd Dowler]] 13-yard pass from [[Bart Starr]] (Hornung kick), 14–0 GB
**GB – [[Ron Kramer]] 14-yard pass from Starr (Hornung kick), 21–0 GB
**GB – Hornung 17-yard FG, 24–0 GB
*'''Third quarter'''
**GB – Hornung 22-yard FG, 27–0 GB
**GB – Kramer 13-yard pass from Starr (Hornung kick), 34–0 GB
*'''Fourth quarter'''
**GB – Hornung 19-yard FG, 37–0 GB

<small>Source:</small><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196112310gnb.htm |title=Championship - New York Giants at Green Bay Packers - December 31st, 1961 |website=www.pro-football-reference.com |access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref>

==Officials==
*'''Referee:''' George Rennix (#52)
*'''Umpire:''' James Beiersdorfer (#17)
*'''Head linesman:''' John Highberger (#48)
*'''Back judge:''' [[Chuck Sweeney|Charles Sweeney]] (#22)
*'''Field judge:''' Frank Luzar (#14)<ref name=ctgbtsnygo/><ref name=ppgfstf>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CddaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ImwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7172%2C4615174 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Packers at full strength for title fray|date=December 30, 1961 |page=13}}</ref>

The NFL had five game officials in {{nfly|1961}}; the line judge was added in {{nfly|1965}} and the side judge in {{nfly|1978}}.

==Players' shares==
With 40,000 tickets sold at $10 each and $615,000 in TV revenue, this game was the first NFL Championship to generate $1 million in revenue.<ref name=ppgimdg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NDsaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DCcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1612%2C3160503 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Johnson |first=Chuck |title=Packers play Giants in 'million dollar' game |date=December 31, 1961 |page=2, sports}}</ref><!--The gross receipts for the game, including $xx,000 for radio and television rights, were just over [[United States dollar|$]]xxx,000, slightly below the previous year.--> Each player on the winning Packers team received $5,195, while Giants players made $3,340 each.<ref name=fandgif/><ref name=shldpck/><ref name=three /><ref name=ppgimdg/>

==Vince Lombardi==
This was the fifth shutout in NFL Championship game history and coach Lombardi's first of five championships in seven years.  Lombardi used a strategy in this game that was common in all the Packers championships.  A strategy of fundamentally sound football (the Packers had no turnovers and only 16 yards in penalties) and to beat the opposition at their strength, in this case running the ball at the Giants linemen [[Andy Robustelli]] and [[Rosey Grier]].<ref name=three />  This strategy allowed the Packers to control the game, running 63 offensive plays to only 43 for the Giants.  In [[1959 Green Bay Packers season|1959]], Lombardi (who formerly happened to be the offensive coordinator for the [[New York Giants]]) had taken over a Green Bay franchise that was the worst team in the league in [[1958 Green Bay Packers season|1958]],<ref name=seven>{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1958/ |title=1958 NFL Standings & Team Stats |website=www.pro-football-reference.com |access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref> and in three years turned them into NFL Champions.

==See also==
* [[Giants–Packers rivalry]]
* [[1961 NFL season]]
* [[History of the National Football League championship]]
* [[1961 American Football League Championship Game]]

==Video==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDkqY7n_2LU "1961 NFL Championship Broadcast – New York Giants at Green Bay Packers,"] NBC via YouTube.com <small>(Full game.)</small>
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6ywtMJT8bs "1961 NFL Championship Broadcast – New York Giants at Green Bay Packers,"] NBC via YouTube.com <small>(Extended version, lower quality.)</small>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullRecord.asp?id=6661&qstring=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ewisconsinhistory%2Eorg%2Fwhi%2Fresults%2Easp%3Fpageno%3D5%26keyword1%3D%26keyword2%3D%26keyword3%3D%26search%5Ffield1%3D%26search%5Ffield2%3D%26search%5Ffield3%3D%26boolean%5Ftype1%3Dand%26boolean%5Ftype2%3Dand%26subject%5Fbroad%5Fid%3D28%26subject%5Fbroad%3DRecreation%26subject%5Fnarrow%5Fid%3D563%26subject%5Fnarrow%3DFootball%26decade%3D%26genre%3D%26genre%5Ftext%3D%26wi%5Fcounty%5Fcode%3D%26wi%5Fcounty%5Ftext%3D%26added%5Fwithin%3D%26sort%5Fby%3Ddate%26search%5Ftype%3Dadvanced%26results%5Frelevancy%3D Picture of City Stadium field before '61 Title Game]

{{coord|44.501|-88.062|type:event|display=title}}

{{1961 NFL season by team}}
{{1961 Green Bay Packers}}
{{Green Bay Packers}}
{{New York Giants}}
{{NFL pre-sb}}
{{NFL on NBC}}

[[Category:1961 NFL season|Championship Game]]
[[Category:NFL Championship games]]
[[Category:Green Bay Packers playoff games]]
[[Category:New York Giants postseason]]
[[Category:1961 in sports in Wisconsin|NFL Championship Game]]
[[Category:December 1961 sports events in the United States|NFL Championship Game]]
[[Category:History of Green Bay, Wisconsin]]