1950 AFL Championship Game

 


 

Just because the league had made it to the end of their first season was not enough for the weather to be fair for the AFL’s inaugural championship game. Davenport, Iowa’s LeClaire Field had winds of 25 mph blowing on an already cold Thanksgiving Day, with field temperatures nearing -10°F with the wind chill. That didn’t seem to stop nearly 30,000 fans packed in like sardines into the stadium to watch their hometown Tri-Cities Hawks host the rival Chicago Hogs for the first AFL championship. It could potentially be a detriment to these two teams, who last played a game where the weather was around 50°F. Needless to say, it was going to be an interesting game between the two powerhouses this year, and many were anticipating a spectacle to end the year on a high note. All of those doubts were quickly put to rest once the game kicked off, to which Tri-Cities returner John McLean nearly returned the opening kick all the way for 6, but was wrapped up at the 21 by Defensive Player of the Year Vincent Kelly. The Hawks would keep their momentum rolling, with QB Gilbert Clay hitting his main man WR Stuart Kane for a 14 yard reception to set up RB Herman Gibbons a few plays later for the first touchdown of the game. However, there would not be much offense for some time, as it then turned into a battle of attrition between the two defenses. The cold didn’t help improve the situation, with both teams committing several turnovers just in the first half. Chicago LB Douglas Marks punched the ball out of Gibbons’ hands and DB Tommy Lane landed on top of the ball for the first turnover of the game. Chicago would only end up with a field goal on that possession, but would lose the ball on another possession, as QB Alfred Walton threw an awful pass intended for WR Nicholas Kramer that ended up in the hands of the Hawks’ S Walter Carey, who got Tri-Cities into solid field position to kick a field goal before the end of the half. 

The Hawks had a shaky 10-3 lead entering the second half, but the Hogs were determined to take down their rival for the first time this season. However, that didn’t come to fruition right away in the second half. The Hogs attempted to get past midfield on their first possession of the second half, but WR Dakota Walter fumbled the ball away while attempting to gain more yards on the play, and LB Herman Garner came out of the scrum with the ball for the Hawks. The third quarter was an absolute mess, as both defenses held strong while both offenses kept punting the ball back and forth to each other in an odd game of hot potato. These antics were finally put to rest when Tri-Cities cut through the Chicago defense enough for K Gene Fitzpatrick to get into scoring range and put one through the uprights to take a 10 point lead early in the 4th quarter. Chicago would struggle on their next drive, but the one after that they finally put it all together. Walton got his act together and put together a fabulous drive, including two passes to Kramer where he blew right past the inexperienced and injury-ridden Hawks secondary that accounted for half the yards on that drive. Walton didn’t connect with Kramer for the touchdown though, as he threw one up the middle to TE Glenn Chambers for 3 yards to put the game within reach. However, it was a bit too late for the Hogs, as the Hawks ran out what was left of the clock, including making 2 crucial 4th down conversions within their own territory from RB Gibbons to hang on to the ball and to the game. As the final seconds wound down, Tri-Cities OL Ernest Love and DL Louis McCormick would hoist head coach Vincent Merritt on their shoulders to celebrate with the rest of the team already on the field in what became an iconic moment for the league and for completing its first successful season. The Hawks’ RB Herman Gibbons would receive the first ever AFL Championship Most Valuable Player award, carrying the team on his back for 37 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown to help lift the Hawks above the Hogs one last time this season. Gibbons was handed a silver trophy commissioned by Hasenkamp for the championship this year and for future years, with the Hawks team engraved at the bottom and more spaces for engravings for teams in the future. While this game and season were a success for the league, it would be the reaction of the other regional leagues in the nation and what the AFL owners were to do in the future. While the future is unknown for the AFL, most would agree that the first season would mark a turning point for professional football and for what was to come.

The tentatively titled "American Football Championship Trophy"

  


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