College All-Star Game

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The College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played annually (except in 1974) from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year. After the Super Bowl began, the Super Bowl winner was the professional team involved, regardless, before the merger, of which league the team represented--thus, the New York Jets played in the 1969 event, though still an AFL team.

The game was the idea of Arch Ward, the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune and the driving force behind the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The game originally was a benefit for Chicago-area charities. The game was always played at Soldier Field in Chicago or at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

The first game, played before a crowd of 79,432 on August 31, 1934, was a scoreless tie between the all-stars and the Chicago Bears. The following year, a game that included the University of Michigan graduate and future president Gerald Ford, the Bears won, 5-0. The first all-star team to win was the 1937 squad, who won on a 47-yard touchdown pass from future Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh to Gaynell Tinsley.

In the 1940s, the games were competitive affairs that attracted large crowds to Soldier Field. But as the talent level of pro football improved, the all-stars had less and less success. The last all-star win came in 1963, when a team coached by legendary quarterback Otto Graham beat Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers, 20-17.

By the 1970's, crowds for the event were dwindling. In addition, NFL coaches were reluctant to part with their new draftees (who would miss part of training camp) for a meaningless exhibition at which the players might be injured.

A player's strike forced the cancellation of the 1974 game. The last game took place during a downpour at Soldier Field on July 23, 1976. Despite featuring stars like Chuck Muncie, Mike Pruitt, Lee Roy Selmon and Jackie Slater, the rookies were hopelessly outmatched by the Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of Super Bowl X. Pittsburgh was leading 24-0 late in the third quarter when the weather conditions made play impossible. The officials called for a delay. The players left the field and were replaced by unruly fans, who tore down the goal posts. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle decided the game would not be restarted. Chicago Tribune Charities Inc., the sponsor of the game, elected not to bring it back for 1977.

The Steelers' win was the 31st for NFL champions in the 43 College All-Star Games. The all-stars won nine, and two ended in ties.