Highlighted Year: Irv Comp, 1944

Tailback/Defensive Back, Green Bay Packers

Age: 25

2^nd season in pro football & with Packers

College: St. Benedict’s (now Benedictine)

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 214

Prelude:

Comp was a fine all-around athlete who lettered in four sports at little St. Benedict’s College and was chosen by the Packers in the third round of the 1943 NFL draft. With the void left at tailback due to the retirement of Cecil Isbell, Comp split time with Tony Canadeo and proved to be a capable passer, completing 46 of 92 attempts for 662 yards and seven touchdowns while giving up four interceptions. He also ran for 182 yards and three TDs and was impressive in the defensive backfield, intercepting a club-record 10 passes, one of which he returned for a score.

1944 Season Summary

Appeared in all 10 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 177 [1]

Completions – 80 [3]

Yards – 1159 [1]

Completion percentage – 45.2 [4]

Yards per attempt – 6.5 [6]

TD passes – 12 [2, tied with Frank Sinkwich]

Most TD passes, game – 2 vs. Chi. Bears 9/24, vs. Chi. Cards 10/8, at Cleveland 11/12, at Chi. Cards 11/26

Interceptions – 21 [1, tied with John Grigas]

Passer rating – 50.0 [6]

Rushing

Attempts – 52

Yards – 134

Yards per attempt – 2.6

TDs – 2 [19, tied with ten others]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 2

Yards – 16

Yards per catch – 8.0

TDs – 1

Interceptions

Interceptions – 6 [3, tied with Ted Fritsch & Ernie Steele]

Return yards – 54 [13, tied with Ted Williams]

TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 2

Yards – 35

Average per return – 17.5

TDs – 0

Longest return – 18 yards

Punt Returns

Returns – 2

Yards – 32

Average per return – 16.0

TDs – 0

Longest return – 18 yards

Scoring

TDs – 3         

Points – 18

Postseason: 1 G (NFL Championship at NY Giants)

Pass attempts – 10

Pass completions – 3

Passing yardage – 73

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 3

Rushing attempts – 10

Rushing yards – 21

Average gain rushing – 2.1

Rushing TDs – 0

Punt returns – 4

Punt return yards – 55

Average per return – 13.8

Punt return TDs – 0

Packers went 8-2 to finish first in the NFL Western Division. Won NFL Championship over New York Giants (14-7).

Aftermath:

Comp followed up in 1945 by passing for 865 yards and 7 touchdowns with 11 interceptions for the 6-4 Packers, but with star end Don Hutson’s retirement, his performance dropped off significantly in ‘46. He spent three more seasons with Green Bay, through 1949, and was largely fazed out of the offense as it transitioned to the T-formation. Comp did continue to play well on defense, however, and accounted for 14 of his 34 career interceptions from 1947 to ’49. Overall on offense, he passed for 3354 yards and 28 touchdowns and rushed for 519 yards and seven TDs. Adding in two pass receiving touchdowns and two more returning interceptions, he scored a total of 11 TDs.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Joe Aguirre, 1944

End/Placekicker, Washington Redskins

Age:  26 (Oct. 17)

3^rd season in pro football & with Redskins

College: St. Mary’s (CA)

Height: 6’4”   Weight: 234

Prelude:

A pioneering Hispanic pro football player, Aguirre was chosen by the Redskins in the 11^th round of the 1941 NFL draft. He caught 10 passes and kicked two field goals and eight extra points as a rookie. After missing the ’42 season, Aguirre came back to catch 37 passes, which ranked second in the league, for 420 yards (11.4 avg.) and 7 TDs in 1943. He received first-team All-NFL recognition from the New York Daily News.

1944 Season Summary

Appeared in all 10 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 34 [3] 

Yards – 410 [6]

Average gain – 12.1 [14]

TDs – 4 [7, tied with four others]

Kicking

Field goals – 4 [2, tied with Roy Zimmerman]

Most field goals, game – 2 at NY Giants 12/3

Field goal attempts – 8 [2, tied with Roy Zimmerman, Frank Sinkwich & Augie Lio]

Field goal percentage – 50.0 [1, tied with Ken Strong, Roy Zimmerman & Lou Zontini]

PATs – 15 [6]

PAT attempts – 18 [6]

Longest field goal – 43 yards at NY Giants 12/3

Punting

Punts – 2

Yards – 87

Average – 43.5

Punts blocked – 0

Scoring

TDs – 4 [20, tied with seven others]

Field Goals – 4

PATs – 15

Points – 51 [5]

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL:  AP, UPI, INS, NY Daily News, Pro Football Illustrated

Redskins went 6-3-1 to finish third in the NFL Eastern Division while leading the league in passing yards (2021).

Aftermath:

Aguirre followed up in 1945 with fewer catches (16) but led the NFL in field goals (7). He received first-team All-NFL honors from the INS and Chicago Herald American and was a second-team selection of the New York Daily News. Aguirre jumped to the new All-America Football Conference in 1946, following Washington’s coach, Dudley DeGroot, to the Los Angeles Dons. He was a first-team All-AAFC choice of the New York Daily News and second-team pick by UPI in ’46 and had his most productive pass receiving season in 1948 with 38 catches for 599 yards (15.8 avg.) and 9 touchdowns. After being limited to four games and three catches in ’49, and with the demise of the AAFC, Aguirre moved on to Canada in 1950. He led the West (WIFU) in scoring with 57 points for Winnipeg and was named to the WIFU All-Star team. After a second season with the Blue Bombers in ’51, he moved on to Edmonton for 1952 and caught 38 passes for 549 yards (14.4 avg.) with five TDs and was a second-team All-WIFU selection. Spending his last three seasons with Saskatchewan from 1953 to ’55, he became used more as a placekicker and kicked 19 field goals and 25 extra points while leading the WIFU with 85 points. Overall, in the NFL, Aguirre caught 97 passes for 1122 yards (11.6 avg.) and 13 TDs, kicked 13 field goals and 53 PATs, and scored 169 points. In the AAFC, he caught 63 passes for 1040 yards (16.5 avg.) and 16 TDs, kicked four field goals and 33 PATs, and scored 141 points. In Canada, he had 62 catches for 928 yards (15.0 avg.) and 7 TDs, kicked 40 field goals and 119 PATs, and scored 296 points. He received at least some all-league recognition in the NFL, AAFC, and WIFU.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders (NFC/AFC since 1970) in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1944: Bears Rally to Beat College All-Stars

The Chicago Bears, defending NFL Champions, were missing several veteran players due to World War II military service as they faced the College All-Stars on August 30, 1944. Owner/Head Coach George Halas was in the service as well, with assistants Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos acting as co-coaches. Fortunately for them, star QB Sid Luckman (pictured above) was available thanks to a ten-day furlough from the Merchant Marine.

For the All-Stars, coached by Northwestern’s Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf, Tulsa QB Glenn Dobbs was available on a 20-day furlough from the Army. Due to relaxed wartime eligibility rules that allowed underclassmen to play, Dobbs was making his second appearance in the annual contest. Other notable players included HB Charlie Trippi from Georgia, Ohio State tackle Bill Willis, guards Dick Barwegan of Purdue and Bruno Banducci from Stanford, Indiana QB Lou Saban, and HB Steve Van Buren of LSU.

For the second straight year the game was played at Northwestern University’s Dyche Stadium. There were 48,769 fans on hand in rainy conditions for the Wednesday night contest. Chicago got the first break when Charlie Trippi fumbled a punt and HB Ray Nolting recovered for the Bears at the All-Star 36. However, the Bears were unable to capitalize and penalties moved them back to midfield, from where they were forced to punt.

The All-Stars couldn’t move either but Dobbs booted the ball 85 yards on a quick-kick punt that pinned the Bears at their own two yard line. Chicago was forced to punt in turn and Luckman’s kick gave the All-Stars good field position at the Bears’ 33. The All-Stars scored in four plays. Dobbs threw to Notre Dame end John Yonakor for 30 yards to the Chicago three and, after failing to cross the goal line on the next two plays, Dobbs passed to another Notre Dame player, HB Creighton Miller, in the corner of the end zone for a four-yard touchdown. Lou Saban added the extra point.

The Bears were forced to punt again and the All-Stars again drove to a score, helped along by Indiana HB Billy Hillenbrand’s 32-yard punt return. Dobbs completed two passes and, on a third down play, faded back to pass but instead ran 12 yards and, at the one, fumbled but C John Tavener from Indiana recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Saban again added the extra point and the All-Stars held a 14-0 lead.

With the game rapidly getting away from the Bears, the defending champs put together a solid 80-yard drive in response. After HB Ray “Scooter” McLean (pictured at right) ran for 11 yards, Luckman completed two passes, the longest to Nolting for 21 yards as the first quarter ended. The Bears finally got on the board on the fourth play of the second quarter when FB Gary Famiglietti ran for a three-yard TD.

Two minutes later the All-Stars had to punt and Dobbs’ kick was partially blocked. Luckman threw to McLean to advance to the All-Star 14. On a fourth down play from the 12, end Jim Benton caught the game-tying touchdown pass. Pete Gudauskas successfully converted following each score. Each team had another shot to put more points on the board in the second quarter but interceptions blunted the drives.

The halftime featured a tribute to college football players serving in the military during World War II. In the darkened stadium, entertainer Don Ameche took particular note of the six former All-Star participants who had died during the conflict.

The All-Stars took the second half kickoff and went 65 yards to re-take the lead with Hillenbrand in for Dobbs. The drive featured three pass completions and Saban ran for a one-yard TD and added the extra point. The Bears responded with a 64-yard scoring drive of their own. Three Luckman completions, the last to McLean for 16 yards, set up the scoring play as McLean weaved his way to an 18-yard touchdown to again tie the score.

A Chicago punt pinned the All-Stars back at their eight yard line. Dobbs tried another quick-kick, but with a torrential rain falling the kick was partially blocked and the Bears took over at the All-Star 29. With Famiglietti and McLean running effectively, Chicago moved inside the ten yard line before the series stalled. Pete Gudauskas kicked a 14-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter that gave the Bears the lead for the first time.

The All-Stars fought back during the final period and at one point reached the Chicago 38 but Luckman intercepted a pass to snuff out the threat. The Bears held on to win the hard-fought contest by a score of 24-21.

The Bears outrushed the All-Stars (143 to 73) and had the edge in first downs (14 to 9) while the collegians went to the air more times and gained more yards (146 to 128). However, four of their 32 passes were intercepted. Along with a fumble, the All-Stars suffered five turnovers to just two by the Bears. Neither team was able to mount a credible pass rush.

The win was the eighth thus far for the pro teams against three for the collegians and two ties. The Bears were participants for the fifth time and improved their record to 4-0-1.

In the season that followed, the Bears, who had topped the Western Division for four straight years, fell into a tie for second place with Detroit at 6-3-1. Sid Luckman was usually able to get away from his Merchant Marine duties to play on Sundays, but a slow start kept Chicago behind the Packers.

Glenn Dobbs (pictured below), the MVP for the All-Stars, returned to his military duties and played service football before joining the All-America Football Conference, where he played for Brooklyn and Los Angeles. He continued to be a top passer and punter and went on to play in Canada after the AAFC’s demise.

MVP Profile: Frank Sinkwich, 1944

Tailback, Detroit Lions


Age: 24 (Oct. 10)
2nd season in pro football & with Lions
College: Georgia
Height: 5’11” Weight: 195

Prelude:
Winner of the 1942 Heisman Trophy after setting a NCAA season record for total offense (2187 yards), Sinkwich was chosen by the Lions with the first overall pick in the 1943 NFL draft. Directing the single-wing attack under new Head Coach Gus Dorais, he displayed his all-around skills as a runner, passer, and punter.

1944 Season Summary
Appeared in all 10 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing
Attempts – 148 [2]
Completions – 58 [5]
Yards – 1060 [3]
Completion percentage – 39.2 [6]
Yards per attempt – 7.2 [3]
TD passes – 12 [2, tied with Irv Comp]
Most TD passes, game – 4 vs. Chicago Bears 11/19
Interceptions – 20 [3]
Passer rating – 52.0 [5]

Rushing
Attempts – 150 [3]
Yards – 563 [3]
Yards per attempt – 3.8 [12]
TDs – 6 [2]

Kicking
Field goals – 2 [5, tied with Augie Lio]
Field goal attempts – 8 [2, tied with Roy Zimmerman, Joe Aguirre & Augie Lio]
Percentage – 25.0
PATs – 24 [4]
PAT attempts – 30 [4]
Longest field goal – 23 yards vs. Boston Yanks 12/3

Punting
Punts – 45 [2]
Yards – 1845
Average – 41.0 [2]
Punts blocked – 0
Longest punt – 73 yards

Interceptions
Interceptions – 3 [19, tied with fifteen others]
Return yards – 28
TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns
Returns – 6
Yards – 144 [16]
Average per return – 24.0
TDs – 0
Longest return – 31 yards

Punt Returns
Returns – 11 [4, tied with Al Grygo, Ernie Steele & Ward Cuff]
Yards – 148 [4]
Average per return – 13.5 [3]
TDs – 0
Longest return – 25 yards

Scoring
TDs – 6 [8, tied with four others]
Field goals – 2
PATs - 24
Points – 66 [2]

All-purpose yards – 855 [7]

Awards & Honors:
NFL MVP: Joe F. Carr Trophy
1st team All-NFL: AP, UPI, INS, Pro Football Illustrated, NY Daily News

Lions went 6-3-1 to finish in a tie for second in the NFL Western Division with the Chicago Bears – the club’s first winning record since 1939.

Aftermath:
Sinkwich went into the military and missed the 1945 season (he had originally been exempted due to flat feet), and when he returned to pro football it was with the New York Yankees of the AAFC. Having suffered a knee injury while playing football in the service, he saw little action behind tailbacks Ace Parker and Spec Sanders in ’46 and was dealt to the Baltimore Colts during the 1947 season. Ill-suited to playing T-formation quarterback, and unable to return to form from the knee injury, he finished out the year as a halfback and retired.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself).

[Updated 2/15/14]

1944: Packers Beat Giants for NFL Title on Two Fritsch TDs

By 1944, the manpower shortage in the NFL was acute due to World War II. It was apparent in the rosters of the teams that met for the NFL Championship on December 17 at the Polo Grounds in New York. The host Giants had former Packers star tailback Arnie Herber, who had come out of retirement at age 34, as well as one of their own past stars, 38-year-old fullback Ken Strong, back after a five-year absence to primarily handle the placekicking.

New York, under 14th-year Head Coach Steve Owen, went 8-1-1 to narrowly place first in the Eastern Division over the 7-1-2 Eagles. In addition to Herber’s passing, the Giants had FB Bill Paschal, who led the league in rushing (737 yards), carries (196), and touchdowns (9). They also featured wingback Ward Cuff, who ran for 425 yards and tied Philadelphia’s Steve Van Buren for the best average gain per carry at 5.6. 14-year center Mel Hein and All-Pro G Len Younce anchored the line.

Head Coach Curly Lambeau’s Green Bay Packers were a mix of young and old, but their key player remained end Don Hutson, the NFL leader in pass receptions (58), receiving yards (866), scoring (85 points) and, tied with Paschal, touchdowns (9). Second-year tailback Irv Comp led the league in passing yards (1159) and was second in TD passes (12, tied with Detroit’s Frank Sinkwich). The Packers won their first six games on the way to winning the Western Division with an 8-2 record, although one of the losses had been to the Giants a month before.

The Giants were at a disadvantage coming into the title game because Paschal had injured his ankle in the season’s last game, but they did have star tackle Al Blozis available, who had missed most of the year after going into the military but had been granted a pass to be able to play in the championship contest.

There were 46,016 fans present for what promised to be a tough defensive battle. The first quarter was scoreless, but early in the second period the Packers returned a punt to the New York 48 and followed that with two big runs, of 20 yards by HB Joe Laws and 27 yards by FB Ted Fritsch (pictured at top) that put them in a first-and-goal situation at the one. The Giants held on the next three plays, but finally Fritsch plowed into the end zone and, with Hutson’s successful extra point, Green Bay held a 7-0 advantage.

New York’s defense concentrated on disrupting Green Bay’s passing game and, more specifically, Hutson. Late in the second quarter, the great end finally got open and gathered in a Comp pass for a 24-yard gain to the Giants’ 30. Three plays later, with time running out, Hutson ran a crossing pattern that caused the defense to shift along with him. He was successfully being used as a decoy – Comp threw to Fritsch, who had looped out of the backfield and was all alone at the five yard line, easily able to complete the 28-yard touchdown play. Again Hutson added the extra point, and Green Bay led by a 14-0 margin at the half.

The Giants hadn’t been able to move beyond their 35 yard line during the first half, but late in the third quarter they put together a drive featuring a 41-yard pass from Herber to end Frank Liebel that took them into scoring position. Cuff, playing in the tailback position rather than his usual wingback spot, ran for a one-yard touchdown to start the fourth quarter and, with Strong’s PAT, the Green Bay margin was cut to seven points.

The Giants were unable to score again, however, as the Packers played conservatively on offense and, thanks to interceptions and good punts, kept New York from getting close. Late in the game the Giants threatened one last time, but a Herber pass was intercepted by back Paul Duhart at the Green Bay 20 to clinch the 14-7 win for the Packers.


Green Bay outgained the Giants, 237 yards to 199, and in particular outrushed them with 163 yards to 85 for New York. Joe Laws was the leading ground gainer with 74 yards on 13 carries while Ted Fritsch ran for 58 yards on 17 attempts, including a TD and also had the other Packer touchdown on his lone pass reception. Irv Comp (pictured at left) completed just three of 10 passes for 73 yards with the TD and three interceptions. Don Hutson caught two of those passes for 47 yards and, while he didn’t score any touchdowns, played a key role as a decoy.

For New York, Arnie Herber, with inadequate run support and a defense geared to shut down the aerial game, was able to complete just 8 of 22 passes for 117 yards. He had no TDs and was intercepted four times (Laws accounted for three of the pickoffs). Ward Cuff ran for 55 yards on 12 attempts, including a touchdown, and caught two passes for another 25 yards. Bill Paschal, forced to sit out most of the contest, ran the ball only twice, for three yards. Frank Liebel caught three passes for 71 yards.

The championship was the last for the Packers under their founder, Lambeau – after winning six titles (three prior to the advent of division play and the championship game in 1933), Green Bay would not win another until 1961.

The game was also the last for the 6’6”, 250-pound Al Blozis (pictured below). A consensus All-Pro in 1943, he rejoined his infantry unit after the title game. Six weeks later, he was killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge. His number 32 was retired by the Giants.

1944: Steve Van Buren Has First 100-Yard Rushing Performance

In the 1944 NFL player draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected the Honduran-born halfback Steve Van Buren from LSU with their first pick. The Eagles, a perennial losing team since joining the league in 1933, had combined with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1943 due to a shortage of players as a result of World War II and the “Steagles” compiled a 5-4-1 record. With the Eagles back on their own for the ’44 season, innovative Head Coach Earle “Greasy” Neale continued putting the parts together to build a contending team.

The 6’0”, 200-pound Van Buren proved to be a big part of that effort. An outstanding blend of power and speed, he excelled as a kick returner as well as a runner from scrimmage. On November 5, 1944 in a game against the Brooklyn Tigers at Ebbetts Field, he rushed for 129 yards on just 12 carries, including touchdown runs of 44 and 70 yards in the first quarter. It was all the points the Eagles needed – they added one more TD in the second quarter on a 57-yard pass play from QB Roy Zimmerman to HB Mel Bleeker and held on to win easily, 21-7, improving the team’s record to 4-0-1 (Brooklyn finished 0-10 and merged with the Boston Yanks for the 1945 season).

Van Buren ended up with 444 yards rushing on just 80 carries, for a league-leading 5.6 average gain per carry. He also averaged 15.3 yards on 15 punt returns with a 55-yard touchdown and 33.3 yards on eight kickoff returns, again including a TD on a 97-yard return. The 129-yard rushing game remained a record for an Eagles rookie until 2001. It was the first of 19 hundred-yard games in Van Buren’s Hall of Fame career that would see him lead the NFL in rushing four times, twice set the season record, and retire as the league’s career rushing leader.

As for the Eagles, they finished at 7-1-2, losing the Eastern Division title by a half game to the 8-1-1 New York Giants. With Van Buren leading the way, and supplemented by halfbacks Bleeker, Jack Hinkle, Ernie Steele, and Jack Banta, they were the NFL’s best rushing team, both in terms of yards gained (1661) and average gain per carry (3.9). They also scored the most points (267). But while they handed the Giants their only loss, ties with the Giants and Redskins kept them out of the postseason.