The 1938 NFL season represents a pivotal moment in the annals of professional football, during which the New York Giants emerged as champions, solidifying their legacy as a dominant force in the league. Throughout this episode, we meticulously dissect the myriad events that unfolded during that historic year, characterized by an intense struggle for supremacy amidst a backdrop of global turmoil. The Giants, under the astute leadership of Coach Steve Owen, showcased an exceptional blend of offense and defense, culminating in a remarkable regular season culminating in an Eastern Division title. Our exploration further delves into the fierce rivalries and significant matchups, including the climactic championship game against the Green Bay Packers, which not only tested the mettle of the teams involved but also captivated the hearts of their fervent supporters. Join us as we traverse this remarkable season, illuminating the grit, determination, and fortitude that defined the New York Giants' championship journey.

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Foreign.

The world teetered on the brink of war.

Swing music filled the airwaves, and the.

Battle for football supremacy was raging on the frozen dirt irons of America.

This wasn't just another season, but a year that redefined the NFL, dominated by the mighty New York Football Giants.

Forget modern offenses and precision passing in 38, it was trench warfare, a brutal test of strength and strategy.

And from the legendary Steve Owen patrolling.

The sidelines to the bone jarring hits of Mel Hyde, the Giants were a force of nature.

But their path to the championship was anything but easy.

Welcome to the Pigskin Dispatch, where we uncover the hidden history of football.

Year in the young league's history.

It was a turning point, a crackling crucible where legends forged and rivalries ignited.

10 teams battle for gridiron supremacy, each.

With unique stories to tell.

Let's step back in time and relive the drama through the lens of the top teams, giant games and players that defined the historic year.

Welcome to the Pig Pen.

This is the Pigskin Daily History Dispatch, a podcast that covers the anniversaries of American football events throughout history.

Your host, Darren Hayes is podcasting from America's North Shore to bring you the memories of the gridiron one day at a time.

Hello my football friends.

This is Darren Hayes of pigskindispatch.com welcome once again to the Pig Pen, your portal deposit of football history.

Eden.

It was a turning point, a crackling crucible where the legends were forged and rivalries were ignited.

Now, 10 teams battled for gridiron supremacy in the league, and each one had a unique story to tell.

So let's step back in time and just relive a little bit of that drama through the lens of the top teams, the giant games and the players that defined the historic year.

And we're going to end it with that championship game that we've been Promising.

Now some rule revisions came out that year.

There was protection in the pocket and the NFL threw its weight behind the quarterback safety with a brand new 15 yard penalty for roughing the passer.

First time that that ever came out in pro football, at least in the NFL, defenders were unleashing your inner linebacker on the quarterback.

Just got a little bit more expensive and costly with the penalties.

There's also no more scrambling for loose balls near the sidelines.

Now if a kickoff for a kickoff, that is if it sailed out of bounds, the receiving team got a sweet deal.

They can take possession where the ball went out of bounce at that time, sometimes with a five yard penalty re kick.

But before when they go out of bounds they had to go out of bounds and try to get possession of it.

Now there was also the double pass penalty.

No more throwing two forward passes in the same play.

So that was the NFL rule revisions there and we had some top teams clashing.

Remember, the league is divided into east and the west at that point, five in each of those divisions.

And in the east, the New York Giants, led by the legendary coach Steve Owen and the indomitable backfield duo of Ken Strong and Tuffy Lehman's were forced to be reckoned with.

And they were battling it out with their longtime foes, the Washington Redskins, who we've talked about a lot here in the last few episodes.

They were at the top of their game with Sammy Baugh and some of the stars of that team.

Over in the west we had the old foes, the Green Bay packers and the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions were up starting and coming on too.

So a three way battle going on in that division.

So here is the rest of the episode from that.

Under the guidance of coach Steve Owen, the team clinched the NFL Eastern title and ultimately captured the NFL championship, solidifying their status as a dominant force in professional football.

The Giants regular season was marked by a balanced attack strategy, a testament to their versatility and adaptability.

With a final record of 8, 2 and 1, they demonstrated their prowess on both sides of the ball.

Their defense was a formidable obstacle for all opponents, allowing the fewest points in the league.

And on offense, the team's balance attack effectively moved the ball down the field and capitalized on scoring opportunities.

Washington led the Eastern Division all the way up going into week number 10, but they lost to the Chicago Bears 317 in week 10, which allowed the Giants to take over the top spot as New York that same week blanked the Cleveland Rams 28 to nothing.

Less than a month later, the stage was set for a Dec.

4 game at the Polo Grounds where the G Men would host their foes from the nation's capital.

This was in essence a game for the Eastern title as The Giants sat at 7, 2 and 1 and the Redskins were perched right behind them with a 622 record going into the contest.

It was a win and in scenario for Washington.

Grounds as 57,461 screaming fans, mainly from.

The Big Apple, witnessed the action.

The Skins were a talented bunch led by star quarterback slinging Sammy vaugh and Bob McChesney, fullback Andy Farkas and fellow fieldmates Ernie Pinkert, Max Krause and Jay Turner.

The Giants counter with a star studded roster of their own featuring quarterback Ed.

Danowski, backs Tuffy Lehmans, Bull Carcass, Ward Cuff, center Melhein and end Jim Lee Howe.

Much of the stat line for the game was misleading as Washington now gained New York 207 yards to 160 in.

Total offense and the visitors tallied 13.

First downs to the home team six times reaching the line to gain.

This is very misleading though as all.

The other numbers in a game heavily lean towards the home team, including the scoreboard.

The Giants defense was outstanding forcing seven D.C.

fumbles that helped propel Big Blue to a 36 to nothing route in the game.

Four of the five New York touchdowns were set up on Redskin miscues and opportune times by the defense and special.

Teams of the Giants.

The scoring was led by Chuck Gilgaca.

Who caught Lehman's pass for a score and also took Bow's interception to the house.

Cuff completed a pick six of his own measuring 96 yards and added more points off his toe in the kicking game.

The Giants successful season climaxed the neat.

Championship game against the Green Bay packers held on December 11th at the Polo Grounds.

Over 48,000 spectators entered the New York City venue gates to root their teams on.

The game was a thrilling contest that showcased both teams talents and determinations to.

Win that coveted title.

The packers had won the Western Division with an 84 record, outlasting the challenges of the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears who were nipping at their heels much of the season.

A couple of weeks earlier, a dramatic win by the pack over the Lions 28, 7 and a regular season meltdown of the Detroit Lions against the Eagles sealed Green Bay's appearance in the title.

Game under head coach Curly Lambeau.

Green Bay featured quarterback Arne Erber and his favorite target, Don Hudson.

Other former bowl gridiron legends such as Cecil Isbell, Ed Jankowski, Andy Irum and Clark Hinkle were also on the Wisconsin team's roster on game day.

Just before the coin toss, Giants star Milheim was presented with a watch by NFL President Joe Carr signifying him as the league's most outstanding player for the season as he was the top of the News Pro All America voting.

This award is on par with a modern NFL Player of the Year honors.

The fans were in for a treat the rest of the way too as the game lived up to the hype in one of the season's most exciting NFL contests.

Staying true to form, the Giants took advantage of their opponents opponents miscues in using opportunities made on defense and maybe even more accurately stated special teams and jumped out to a nine point lead in the first quarter on a Ward cup field goal set up after New York's Jim Lee Howe blocked a Packer punt.

The Giants recovered at the Green Bay 7.

Three straight rushes were stymied by the packers short yardage defense which set up cuffs three pointer a bit later.

Second Cecil Isbel punt was blocked this time by Jim Poole with Howell diving on the loose ball at the Green Bay 26.

After a short pass gained some ground, the Packers D was loosened up for the Tuffy Lehmans show to commence.

Lehmans was handed the leather on multiple plays until he finally twisted and turned for reported four would be tacklers of the packers for a Giants touchdown.

John Gildea's extra point try missed the mark but the first quarter ended with the Giants up nine to nothing.

The second stanza featured a flurry of points between the two teams.

Green Bay got on the board first when Arnie Erber scrambled and launched a 49 yard strike to Carl Molineau who stepped under the goal post and over the goal line to cut the New York lead to two.

The momentum was the packers, who held the Giants on the next series and.

Got the ball back, moving it to midfield before they fumbled it away.

And New York's future Hall of Famer Mel Hein, Mr.

All Pro, all NFL.

Came out of the pile with the Pigs kick.

The Giants scored a touchdown of their.

Own six plays later with a short pass from Danowski to have Bernard, but there was some controversy.

Coach Lambeau would later comment that the officials made a bad call on this pass play, claiming that moving pictures would show that Barnum lost control of the.

Ball as it flew out of the.

Bounds shortly after it touched his hands, making it not a catch but an incomplete pass.

This would have nullified that score.

Isabelle helped packers get back into the game, though, just before the half, leading a drive with his legs and arms that culminated when Paul Miller plunged over.

The goal line behind the block of.

The halftime session was filled with this drama as Curly Lambeau needed clarifications from the officials from the earlier controversial touchdown play.

They were walking off the field and in not following the rest of the team to the Polo Grounds visitors locker room, Lambo got disoriented and made a wrong turn and by some bizarre circumstance found himself outside of the stadium gates.

When he tried to return, the gateskeepers did not recognize him and would not believe his story to let him re.

Enter into the Polo Grounds.

Eventually the commotion of Lambo's pleasure was heard by sports writers who confirmed his identity and old Curly was allowed entrance into the just in time to get back onto the field with his team.

Team showed no ill effects from not having their field boss present in the locker room, though.

The second half started with excitement as Green Bay's Joe Law returned the kickoff to the Packers 31.

Then with a combination of long runs by Clark Hinkle and Bob Monet, moved the drive to the New York 14 before a fourth and less than a half yard brought on the field goal try.

The boot by Paul Ekenbresten was true and the visitors went up by one on the scoreboard.

The game had a controversial fourth quarter play that Lambeau would later point to when an apparent long pass play from Herbert to Gastonbein would move the sticks, was called back by the officials who stated that the receiver was ineligible on the plate due to formation.

The Giants defense held on the next play and gave New York the ball back.

Their drive was stalled and Green Bay would get the ball back with little time left on the scoreboard clock.

The packers were not done though, as the last 11 seconds in regulation Green Bay's offense moved the ball some 40 yards at field position.

This dedication and determination were critical factors in their championship triumph, a cherished chapter and a franchise storied legacy which you can hear these 100 years of highlights here on Pigskin Dispatch every Monday and make sure you catch up on our YouTube channel or on our podcast at your favorite podcast provider.

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Till next time everybody have a great gridiron day.

That's all the football history we have today folks.

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