Chicago Bears history is long considering they were one of the charter teams of
the NFL in 1920, when the league started. They have played in every season of
the National Football League's history, and have created a legacy in the
professional football. Chicago Bears history records show that they have the
most members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which currently stands at 26
players. They also have over 700 wins in their books, which is the most of any
NFL franchise to date. They have won eight different championships and one Super
Bowl, which puts them second in line to the Green Bay Packers in leading the NFL
with championship wins.
Their former name, which is The Decatur Staleys, is unknown by many and an interesting aspect of Chicago Bears history. In 1920, as a part of the American Professional Football Association, the Staleys were established. George Halas, who was the player-coach of the Staleys, was a leader in the development of the league. Their first season, the team won 10 games and then went on to lose the championship to the Akron Pros. There was no official scheduling at this point, which created chaos and a myriad of different records for each team. During that year, the team also developed a rivalry with the Cardinals, known then as the Racine Cardinals. That rivalry between these two teams still exists to this day.
In 1921, the team moved from Decatur to Chicago, and was given $5,000 to keep the name for another year. This is the year that the Staleys won their first league championship, and also the last year that they were known by this name. In 1922, the name was changed to the Bears as a direct reflection of the baseball team the Chicago Cubs. Bears quickly became a force to be reckoned with in the NFL, although in the beginning of Chicago Bears history, they never won a title due to the fact that a playoff system was not in place. There were often scheduling conflicts that resulted in uneven standings. Early in Chicago Bears history, controversy developed over which team was actually "champion" because of this lack of structure. At this time, professional football was also not held in high regard by Americans, because they remained true to college football, and tended to view professional football as a game about money more than it was about football.
However, George Halas decided to change that, by acquiring Red Grange for $100,000 and taking the Chicago Bears on a road trip for 17 games across the United States. The tour began at Wrigley Field, as they played host to the Chicago Cardinals, and then went on to play 16 other games at other destinations. The trip left them with an 11-4-2 record, and left America with a new impression of professional football and what it could be. Coach Red Grange left to form his own team in 1926. That team only lasted for one season. The next team he established, the New York Yankees, was admitted into the NFL the following year. When he came back to Chicago in 1929, the Bears had another losing season, and owner George Halas retired and gave the position to Ralph Jones.
Chicago Bears history up until 1946, demonstrated a team with a driving force, known as the Monsters of the Midway. They won many championships and were an unmatched team in the NFL. At about this time, they went through a period of time in Chicago Bears history where the team didn't do much. This period was known as the "Rough Years". This went on for 34 seasons, but players like Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus actually did quite well in their own careers during these years. After the arrival of Mike Ditka as the head coach in 1982, the Bears team began to reclaim their fame, slowly at first because of the players' strike that took up the majority of the 1982 season, shortening it for all teams. In 1983, George Halas died of a heart attack, which created the "GSH" logo on the left sleeve of the uniforms. With a season of 8-8, the Bears then improved the following season. Through the rest of the rest Chicago Bears history leading up to the present, the Chicago Bears have had their ups and downs, but have still proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the realm of professional football.
George Halas was and is the heart of the Chicago Bears as
we look back to their inception in 1920.
The team name in 1920 was the Decatur Staleys, then in 1921 changed to
the Decatur Bears and the final change in 1922 to their current name Chicago
Bears. George has participated with
the Bears as a player, coach or owner from 1920 – 1983.
As a player George played from 1920 to 1928, he was the founder of the
original team in 1920. As a coach,
Halas won an astonishing 320 games and 6 NFL Championships.
George Halas was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963.
Another great player associated with that young team in the 30’s was Red
Grange. Red Played for the Bears for
7 seasons and the New York Yankees two seasons.
George Halas acquired Grange to tour of the U.S., playing professional
teams all across the country. The
tour was very successful and was a significant in the development of the NFL.
Red Grange was inducted into the Hall of Fame the same year as George
Halas, 1963. Let’s add another
person to this group. Bronko
Nagurski played his entire 9 year career with the Chicago Bears.
If you get some extra time to research these guys, make sure you include
Bronko. It didn’t matter what
position this guy played, he was renowned for being unbelievably tough.
These quotes speak for themselves; "There was something strange about
tackling Nagurski," said teammate, Red Grange, remembers. "When you hit him at
the ankles, it is almost like getting an electric shock. If you hit him above
the ankles, you are likely to get killed." and another quote "Here's a check for
$10,000, Nagurski," G.A. Richards, owner of the Detroit Lions, once said. "Not
for playing the Lions, because you belong to the Bears, but just to quit the
game and get the hell out of the league. You are ruining my team."
Bulldog Turner made his name by being one of the smartest
players in the league. On defense or
offense, Turner could analyze a formation and execute accordingly to negate the
opposing teams play. He won best all
around center twice and all NFL honors four times in his 13 year career as a
Bear. In addition to his blocking
abilities, Turner was great on defense leading the league in 1942 in
interceptions. Bulldog Turner was
inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966.
The football professionals we just spoke about are part of
the beginnings of the Bears. Many
more Chicago Bears stars are written about, and we have listed some great sites
below to read up on these intriguing individuals.
