1940 Lions-Cardinals

Crazy Packers Fan
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1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by Crazy Packers Fan »

While researching the minus-7 yards game for the Seahawks against the Rams in 1979, I looked for other games where teams had the fewest yards, and I came across this Lions-Cardinals game from 1940.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 150crd.htm

Is this accurate? If it was, it would likely hold a bunch of records, but the data seems incomplete. I would guess it also had something to do with WWII, but even so, 30 combined yards is a very low number. Anyone know anything about this game?
Wendell02
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Re: 1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by Wendell02 »

Crazy Packers Fan wrote:While researching the minus-7 yards game for the Seahawks against the Rams in 1979, I looked for other games where teams had the fewest yards, and I came across this Lions-Cardinals game from 1940.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 150crd.htm

Is this accurate? If it was, it would likely hold a bunch of records, but the data seems incomplete. I would guess it also had something to do with WWII, but even so, 30 combined yards is a very low number. Anyone know anything about this game?
It's accurate, and WWII had nothing to do with it. A huge thunderstorm hit the stadium around kickoff and never stopped, turning the field into a sea of mud. Here is a link to the Meriden Record, which describes the game as "water polo":

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6 ... %2C5542260

In his book The National Forgotten League, Dan Daly has a short segment on this game called The Day the Ball Stood Still. Two interesting things noted. In the fourth period the teams punted on eight consecutive plays. Near the end the PA system announcer revealed, "There are only three minutes of play left", and a spontaneous cheer went up from the stands.
RichardBak
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Re: 1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by RichardBak »

I found it interesting that both teams matched first downs and turnovers: Detroit had 5 FD and 5 TO, and Cards had 2 of each.

The game was played in Buffalo, a neutral site. I can't imagine there were too many die-hard Detroit or Cardinals fans in Buffalo. I wonder how many sat through to the end? I suppose I would, just for the sheer spectacle of it all. I remember playing the last game of our 8th grade season in an incredible driving rainstorm and everybody on both sides had a ball flopping around in the mud all afternoon. And of course, that game ended up 0-0. Had a blast. But man, getting all of that caked mud off our uniforms and bodies and cleats.

Games like these are the reason I hate domes and artificial turf. Football should be played outside in the elements, come hell or high water.
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Todd Pence
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Re: 1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by Todd Pence »

There is no punting data available for this game, so I'm curious about how much the two teams punted. I'm guessing quite a bit. I also wonder if there were any punts on first down. This was still within the timeframe when punting on first down was not considered insane. It was common strategy in the 1920's and 30's when scoring was scarce and defense dominated, for teams in bad field position to punt the ball on first down under the logic that they were more likely to turn it over than to advance it any appreciable distance.

I remember several years ago watching a game between North Carolina State and Notre Dame which was played in an absolute monsoon, and neither team was prepared for the weather conditions. It was disastrous. Seemingly neither team could run more than two or three plays without giving it back to the other. I began to speculate as the game went on and became more and more farcial, that it might not be a bad idea for the teams to consider punting on first down, given the way things were going. Of course, no modern day coach would ever consider such a suggestion, regardless of the situation.
Bob Gill
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Re: 1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by Bob Gill »

RichardBak wrote:The game was played in Buffalo, a neutral site. I can't imagine there were too many die-hard Detroit or Cardinals fans in Buffalo.
If I remember correctly, one of the teams -- Detroit seems to stick in my mind -- was thinking about moving, and Buffalo was one possible site. So this game was played as sort of a tryout for the city, and hardly a fair test as it turned out.

I might be completely wrong about that, though.
RichardBak
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Re: 1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by RichardBak »

From the AP game account (Detroit Free Press, 9/16/40):

"But by the third quarter, both teams were so water-logged the contest devolved into a punting duel between [Whizzer] White and the Cardinals' Beryl Clark, ex-Oklhoma ace. The final period saw eight successive exchanges of punts between the two without a single intervening play."

Also spotted a Freep ad. The D&C steamship line offered Detroiters a special "football fans weekend cruise." For $14.20 per person, you got round-trip transportation, two nights "palatial" lodging in a steamship room, all meals (except Sunday lunch) and a ticket to the game. For an extra 6 bucks you could take your car with you! And to think the other day I dropped 20 bucks just on a large pizza.
Wendell02
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Re: 1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by Wendell02 »

This game is still in the Record & Fact book as tied for second for most combined punts (29). The Cardinals had 16 and the Lions had 13.
Crazy Packers Fan
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Re: 1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by Crazy Packers Fan »

Wendell02 wrote:It's accurate, and WWII had nothing to do with it. A huge thunderstorm hit the stadium around kickoff and never stopped, turning the field into a sea of mud. Here is a link to the Meriden Record, which describes the game as "water polo":

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6 ... %2C5542260

In his book The National Forgotten League, Dan Daly has a short segment on this game called The Day the Ball Stood Still. Two interesting things noted. In the fourth period the teams punted on eight consecutive plays. Near the end the PA system announcer revealed, "There are only three minutes of play left", and a spontaneous cheer went up from the stands.
Thanks so much! I thought weather might be a factor, but I figured since the game was in September, that wouldn't be the case. I wonder if the eight consecutive punts is a record? I know punting on first down was once a thing, but probably never as many as this game.
RichardBak
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Re: 1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by RichardBak »

Can you imagine what it was like punting a waterlogged ball by the 4th quarter, especially 4 times in 8 plays for each punter? Must have been like kicking a concrete block.
BD Sullivan
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Re: 1940 Lions-Cardinals

Post by BD Sullivan »

The promoter of this game had printed on the back of the tickets that, in the event of lousy weather, the game would be played the next night (a Monday). The problem was that Lions owner Fred Mandel Jr. quickly shot down that idea.

Five minutes into the game, they turned on the lights, which made the contest a historic one (see below).

Finally, as always, the "low" prices from 1940 should always be taken with a grain of salt, since the current cost-of-living is roughly 18 times higher than it was 80 years ago. :D
Detroit_Times_1940-09-16_16.png
Detroit_Times_1940-09-16_16.png (10.03 KiB) Viewed 17327 times
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