A continuation of our series on world championships the Packers have brought home to Green Bay. In case you missed any, read them all right here.
In 1936 the Brooklyn Dodgers played football, the Portsmouth Spartans became the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers secured their fourth NFL title.
In 1933, the NFL divided into eastern and western divisions and the championship was decided by a final head to head matchup of the winner of each division. It was the beginning of the playoff system and in 1936 Green Bay won its first championship under the new structure.
The 1936 season started in shocking fashion as the Bears embarrasses the Packers in week two, winning 30-3. The loss lit a spark in the team and they never lost another game that season including three other matchups against the Bears.
By this time, Johnny Blood was on the downside of his career and a new star, Don Hutson, was rising. The Packers led the league in offensive points and ranked #3 in offensive yardage.
The Packers still had no quarterback but had nine players throw the ball at some point during the season. Arnie Herber did most of the passing and, since he was a tailback, the backfield formation resembled the modern day shotgun.
Herber had two main weapons at each end of the line. Milt Gantenbein at right end and Don Hutson on the left. However, it was really the legs of Clark Hinkle and Bob Monnett that carried the Packer. Monnett ran the ball more than any running back with 104 total carries and his counterpart Hinkle averaged an astounding 4.8 yards a carry in an era where defenses were built primarily to stop the run.
In the championship game, the Packers faced the Boston Redskins. The first half looked like the game everyone expected. The Packers scored first on a 48 yard touchdown from Arnie Herber to Don Hutson. Hutson turned on his famous speed to out-run the defender and tally the Packers’ first score of the contest. In the second quarter, the Redskins methodically marched down field and punched it in from two yards out. The Redskins’ extra point was missed and the teams went in to halftime with the Packers holding a slight edge at 7-6.
The second half was a different story. The Packers scored a touchdown in each of the last two quarters. Herber’s other weapon, Gantenbein, got in the action with a touchdown reception to match Hutson’s first half reception. Then, in the fourth quarter the Packers blocked a punt that Hutson picked up on the two yard line. Monnett finished the Packers’ work by rumbling around the right end for the game’s final touchdown. The Packers’ defense was so dominant in the second half that the Redskins never even got a first down.
With this win the Packers brought home their fourth league championship and continued their legacy.