The Chicago Bears

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The Chicago Bears

Like their home city, the Chicago Bears are a legendary team of "broad shoulders" and boundless stamina. One of the original members of the National Football League (NFL), the Bears have captured the attention of football fans since the heyday of radio. An organization built on innovation and achievement both on and off the field, the Bears' remarkable victories earned them the nickname "Monsters of the Midway." Bears players from Red Grange to Walter Payton swell the ranks of the famous in football. By the 1990s the Bears had achieved more victories than any other team in the NFL, and have 26 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 1920, A.E. Staley, owner of the Staley Starch Works in Decatur, Illinois, hired 25-year-old George Halas to organize a professional football team. It was a daunting task. Halas approached his former boss, Ralph Hay of the Canton Bulldogs, with the idea of forming a professional football league. On September 17, 1920, Halas met with 12 other team officials in Ralph Hay's Humpmobile dealership in Canton, Ohio, where they created the American Professional Football Association, the predecessor of the modern National Football League. Of the 13 teams in the original league, only the Bears and Cardinals remain in existence.

The Decatur Staleys—as the Bears were first called—played their first game on October 3, 1920 at Staley Field. The Decatur team was one of only a few to show a profit in the first year of operation. Due to a recession in 1921, Staley was forced to withdraw support for the team; but Halas assumed ownership and transferred the franchise to Chicago. The team selected Wrigley Field as its home. Halas compared the rough and tumble stature of his players to the baseball stars of the Chicago Cubs, and renamed the team the Chicago Bears in January 1922. The team colors, blue and orange, were derived from Halas's alma mater, the University of Illinois.

The first major signing for the team occurred in 1925, when University of Illinois star Red Grange was hired by Halas. Grange proved to be a strong gate attraction for the early NFL organization. Although he only played in several games due to injury, he nonetheless managed to draw a game crowd of 75,000 in Los Angeles. During the 1920s the team was a success on the field and at the gate, posting a winning season every year except one.

The Bears quickly established a reputation as a tough, brawling team capturing many hard-fought victories. New and exciting players typified the team over succeeding seasons. Bronko Nagurski, a tenacious runner requiring several players to take him down, joined the illustrious 1930 lineup. An opposing coach was rumored to have said the only way to stop Nagurshi was to shoot him before he went on the field. Nagurski's two-yard touchdown pass to Red Grange beat Portsmouth in the 1932 championship game, the first football game played indoors at Chicago Stadium. Sidney Luckman was recruited as the premiere T-formation quarterback in 1939. With Luckman at passer, the reinvigorated T-formation decimated the Washington Redskins in a 73-0 title game rout. The Bears became the "Monsters of the Midway," and Luckman the most famous Jewish sports legend. The fighting power of the Bears was strengthened by the addition of unstoppable George "One Play" McAfee at halfback. He could score running, passing, kicking, or receiving. Clyde "Bulldog" Turner was selected as center and linebacker to assist McAfee. Turner proved to be one of the fastest centers in NFL history.

Following up-and-down seasons during the 1950s, the Bears regained notoriety by capturing another NFL title in 1963. This was the first game broadcast on closed circuit television. The recruitment of running back Gale Sayers in 1965 revitalized the Bears' fighting spirit. Sayers was an immediate sensation, setting an NFL scoring record in his rookie year, and rushing records in subsequent years. Sportswriters honored Sayers as the greatest running back in pro football's first half century. Standing in the shadow of Gale Sayers was halfback Brian Piccolo. The two men were the first interracial roommates in the NFL. Piccolo seldom played until Sayers's knee injury in 1968. When Sayers was awarded the George Halas Award for pro football's most courageous player in 1970, he dedicated the award to Piccolo, who was dying of cancer. The bond between Piccolo and Sayers was the subject of the television movie, Brian's Song, as well as several books. The Bears were bolstered by the daunting presence of premiere middle linebacker Dick Butkus, who became the heart and soul of the crushing Bears defense. George Halas announced his retirement in 1968, after 40 seasons, with 324 wins, 15 loses, and 31 one ties. Halas remained influential in the operation of the Chicago Bears and the NFL until his death in 1983.

The Bears played their final season game at Wrigley Field in 1970, and then moved to Soldier Field. Successive coaches Abe Gibron, Jack Pardee, and Neil Armstrong produced mediocre seasons with the Bears during the 1970s. The one bright spot during this period was the recruitment of Walter Payton. Called "Sweetness" because of his gentle manner, Payton led the NFL in rushing for five successive years (1976-1980). After four coaching seasons Armstrong was replaced by former Bears tight end Mike Ditka. Under Ditka's command the Bears began winning again. In 1984, Walter Payton broke Jim Brown's career rushing record, and at the end of 1985 the team posted a 15-1 regular season mark, tying an NFL record. On January 26, 1986, in their first Super Bowl appearance, the Bears trounced New England 46-10, setting seven Super Bowl records, including the largest victory margin and most points scored.

The 1990s were a milestone decade for the NFL Chicago franchise: The team played its 1,000th game in 1993, and was the first team to accumulate 600 victories. Mike Ditka was replaced as head coach by Dave Wannstedt in 1993. Following the 1998 season Wannstedt's contract was terminated, and Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Dick Jauron was named head coach. For almost 80 years, the Chicago Bears have been one of the powerhouse teams in American football. Through all their ups and downs, they have remained true to the city that has been their home—as a tough, proud, all-American sports franchise, whose influence continues to be felt throughout popular culture.

—Michael A. Lutes