In , the Portsmouth Spartans appeared in the league championship game, the first playoff game in NFL history, losing to the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

9–0. With a record of 6–1–4 in 1932, the Spartans finished in a tie for the NFL title with the Chicago Bears. It was the first time in history that the season ended with two teams atop the league's standings. (Ties were omitted in calculating winning percentage.) Both games during the season between Portsmouth and Chicago had ended in ties; to determine a sole champion, the league office arranged for the first playoff game in NFL history. The game was originally scheduled to be played at

Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a ballpark on the North Side, Chicago, North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charl ...

, the Bears' home stadium. Due to severe blizzards and sub-zero wind chill throughout the week, the game was moved indoors to

Chicago Stadium Chicago Stadium was an indoor arena in Chicago from 1929 to 1995. When it was built, it was the largest indoor arena in the world with a maximum seating capacity of 26,000. It was the home of the National Hockey League's Chicago Blackhawks and ...

. The arena allowed only an 80-yard field (end lines) that came right to the walls, and the goal posts were moved from the end lines to the goal. The Bears won 9–0, scoring the winning touchdown on a two-yard pass from

Bronko Nagurski Bronislau "Bronko" Nagurski (November 3, 1908 – January 7, 1990) was a Canadian-American professional football player who was a fullback and defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Renowned for his strength and size, Nagurski ...

Red Grange Harold Edward "Red" Grange (June 13, 1903 – January 28, 1991), nicknamed "the Galloping Ghost" and "the Wheaton Iceman", was an American professional American football, football Halfback (American football), halfback who played for the Chicag ...

in the fourth quarter. Attendance for the game was 11,198. With the loss, Portsmouth dropped to third in the final league standings, behind the runner-up

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...

(10–3–1).

Season

Schedule

Standings

Roster

Playoff Game

Chicago Bears 9, Portsmouth Spartans 0

Awards and records

References

External links

1932 Portsmouth Spartans at Pro Football Reference1932 Portsmouth Spartans at jt-sw.com1932 Portsmouth Spatans at The Football Database

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:1932 Portsmouth Spartans Season Portsmouth Spartans Portsmouth Spartans Detroit Lions seasons