1944 Chicago Bears season

The 1944 All-Star football game between the College All-Stars and the Chicago Bears was presented in a similar method to the 1943 game. The selection of coaches and players for the College All-Star team was based on the classic games of the previous years and was not dictated by votes from supporters. At the beginning of August, the coach of the collegiate team was revealed to be Lynn Waldorf from Northwestern. His assistants were Jeff Cravath, Bo McMillin, Wes Fry and Henry Frinka. These coaches were responsible for the largest-ever College All-Star squad of 71 individuals. Many of their players were on furlough from their military service and were therefore in prime fitness. On the 30th of August, this collegiate team would play the Chicago Bears at Northwestern University’s Dyche Stadium.[4]

In the build-up to the match, the All-Stars trained at Dyche Stadium while the Chicago Bears trained at Collegeville, Indiana. On August 22, the Bears “… received a big boost when star quarterback Sid Luckman was able to report to training camp". [5] Luckman had been permitted to return from Sheepshead Bay where he was involved in Maritime Service to participate in the All-Star match. This resulted in the Bears being tipped favourites as a 9-5 in the betting line with the addition of the quarterback. However, the Bears were missing key players of Danny Fortmann, Lee Artoe and Hampton Pool. The match sold out with approximately 50,000 people in attendance that mainly featured fans from Chicago due to travel restrictions in wartime. Broadcasting was nation-wide through the WGN (AM) and Mutual radio networks. [6] The Chicago Bears just managed to win the 1944 All-Star match and Francis J. Powers stated in the Chicago Daily News that it was “Not the crushing Bears of other years, but still the Bears, the National Football League Champions”. [7]

[9]

The 1944 season in the National Football League was the third full competition that coincided with World War II. The rosters of many teams were becoming depleted after players were drafted or volunteered for service.[10] The official program of the Chicago Bears vs. Pittsburgh Steelers on December 3rd, 1944, stated that “The big, bad Chicago Bears may not be as ferocious this year as they have been in the past, but if a popularity contest were to be held by pro football followers throughout the country, they would still vote the Bears the most appealing team”. [11]

The Chicago Bears were unable to replicate their winning season of the previous year in 1943. After losing 19 out of the 28 players from the previous year to leave and serve in World War II, the Bears had difficulty recruiting. One of the Bears’ co-coaches, Luke Johnsos, stated that the club “… signed up anybody who could run around the field twice”. [12]

However, the official program for the match against the Pittsburgh Steelers praised the ability of the Chicago team. It highlighted that "The Bears still can flash the old time power as witness their thundering 28 to 7 upset over the high-flying Philadelphia Eagles only last Sunday when the Eagles were made the favorites. The Bears on their best day, weak or not, can whip any football team in the country. Records go to prove this. Beyond that they are colorful and crowd appealing." [13]

The Chicago Bears had 45 individuals leave the club to serve for their country during World War II. [17] George Halas left his role as Bears coach at the end of the 1942 campaign to join the Navy. At the time of the 1944 season, he operated in the Pacific Ocean where he later received a Bronze Star. [18] In the official program of Bears vs. Steelers on December 3rd, 1944, Halas' Bears received praise that "They have helped the paid-to-play game reach the popular height it now attains, thanks to the astuteness, showmanship and business ability of George Halas".[19] Ed McCaskey, Halas' son-in-law and longtime Chicago Bears executive, also achieved a Bronze Star when fighting in the Army. [20] After George Halas left the Bears to become a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, Luke Johnsos and Hunk Anderson were able to overcome the constraints of the war to win the championship in 1943 and achieve second place in the Western Division in 1944. [21]

Following the 1943 season, Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman volunteered for military service as a marine. As he remained in the United States for his service in 1944, he was allowed to be involved in Bears’ games on weekends. [22] Luckman was responsible for transporting gasoline in a tanker to Europe, as well as transferring soldiers from Britain to France at the time of the invasion of Normandy in June. That season, he was only able to return and participate in seven games.[23] Notably that season, Sid Luckman was able to provide an 86 yard pass to Ray McLean for a touchdown against the Boston Yanks. [24] In the match against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 3rd 1944, a tribute was held for Sid Luckman and the others players serving. [25]

Another two Bears’ Hall of Famers, Joe Stydahar and Dan Fortmann also represented America in the Navy in 1944. Bears’ Hall of Famer Dan Fortmann was born in 1916. When he was 20, he was the youngest starting player in the National Football League. As the son of German immigrants, Fortmann balanced studying medicine at Chicago Medical School with playing football and graduated in 1940. In 1943, he joined the Navy which halted his football career and interrupted his residency. He served for the duration of the 1944 NFL season until the end of the war. Fortmann then finished his residency and became the team physician for the Los Angeles Rams until 1963. [26]

Also at the time of the 1944 season, ex-Bear and professional wrestler Joe Savoldi was employed by the United States government to act as a spy in North Africa, Italy and France. [27]

Ken Kavanaugh, who holds the NFL’s record of 50 touchdown receptions, was serving as an Air Force pilot at the time of the season and conducted 30 bombardment missions across Europe from 1942-1944. [28]

Another notable Bear that was serving in World War II was Young Bussey. Bussey only managed to play one year for Chicago in 1941 before the ex- LSU quarterback became a Lieutenant in the Navy. At the time of the 1944 season, he was serving in the Japanese-occupied Philippines and was killed a year later at the age of 27. [29]

These Chicago Bears that served are recognised at Soldier Field. The Bears and the Chicago Park District decided against placing a sponsor's name at the site which stopped the club from receiving a large sum of money. [30] During World War II, the individuals that served were colloquially referred to as "Doughboy" and at Soldier Field, there is a statue of a Doughboy close to Gate O. [31]