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CHICAGO BEARS
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1920 Decatur Staleys; 1921 Chicago Staleys; 1922-present Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears, one of two charter members of the NFL still in existence, have a legendary history. Almost all of the successes on and off the field for the Bears from its beginnings through 1983 can be attributed to George "Papa Bear" Halas. The Bears boast the most members who have earned election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Chicago has won nine NFL championships including Super Bowl XX.
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 The Chicago Bears are one of only two charter members of the National Football League still in existence. Their 1,000-game history started in Decatur, Ill. in 1920 when the Staley Starch Company decided to sponsor a football team. Then on September 17, 1920, the Staleys, with George Halas as their representative, joined the American Professional Football Association, which was renamed the National Football League in 1922. The franchise fee was $100.
In 1921, the Staley Starch Company gave Halas the team, $5,000 and permission to move the team to Chicago if he would agree to keep the Staleys name for a year. The Staleys won the 1921 league championship. A year later, the team was renamed the Chicago Bears.
 From the very start, the Bears were one of pro football's most successful and innovative franchises. They were the first to buy a player from another team -- $100 for Ed Healey from Rock Island in 1922. The Bears signed the fabled collegiate All-America, Red Grange, in 1925 and then showcased him before the first huge pro football crowds.
In 1932, they defeated the Portsmouth Spartans 9-0 to win the championship in the first NFL game to be played indoors. The next year, they inaugurated the NFL championship series by defeating the New York Giants, 23-21.
The Bears kicked off the 1940s with four straight NFL championship appearances. The Bears won three, including the famous 73-0 annihilation of the Washington Redskins in 1940. Despite winning nearly 60 percent of their games in the 1950s, the Bears did not win an NFL title and made only one playoff appearance. They finally broke a 17-year championship drought with a 14-10 win over the New York Giants in 1963.
Almost all of the successes on and off the field for the Bears in the 64-year period between 1920 and 1983 can be attributed to George (Papa Bear) Halas, who served the Bears as an owner, player, coach, general manager, traveling secretary, and in virtually every other capacity imaginable. Halas split his 40-year coaching into four 10-year segments. When he retired after the 1967 season, he ranked as the all-time leader in coaching victories with 324, a record that stood for 27 years.
Halas died on October 31, 1983, but the Bears tradition is carried on today by grandson Michael McCaskey, who served as club president and chief executive officer and is now Chairman of the Board. In its first 74 years, the team compiled a 586-384-42 overall record. Chicago qualified for the playoffs 21 times, won 19 division titles, eight NFL championships and Super Bowl XX.
The Bears also have the proud distinction of listing the most long-time team members as Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinees. Such names as Red Grange, Bronko Nagurski, Sid Luckman, Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton, Bulldog Turner, Danny Fortmann and Halas himself are true legends not only of the Bears, but of pro football itself.
For their first 51 seasons in Chicago, the Bears played in Wrigley Field, the famous home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Since 1971, with the exception of one season in 2002 during the stadium's renovation, they have played in Soldier Field in downtown Chicago.
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Firsts, Records, Odds & Ends
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Franchise Granted:
September 17, 1920 as the Decatur Staleys, Charter Member, NFL
First Season:
1920 Moved to Chicago, 1921; changed nickname to Bears, 1922
Stadium:
Soldier Field
Chairman of the Board:
Michael McCaskey
President and Chief Executive Officer:
Ted Phillips
Secretary:
Virginia Halas McCaskey
General Manager:
Jerry Angelo
Head Coach:
Lovie Smith
Super Bowl Championship:
XX
NFL Championships:
1921, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1963
NFC Championship:
1985
NFL Western Division Championships:
1933, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1956, 1963
NFC Central Division Championships:
1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2001
NFC Northern Division Championship:
2005
All-Time Record:
(At Start of 2006 Season)
671-495-42
Retired Uniform Numbers:
#3 Bronko Nagurski, #5 George McAfee, #7 George Halas, #28 Willie Galimore, #34 Walter Payton, #40 Gale Sayers, #41 Brian Piccolo, #42 Sid Luckman, #51 Dick Butkus, #56 Bill Hewitt, #61 Bill George, #66 Bulldog Turner, #77 Red Grange.
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 First Game: A 20-0 victory over Moline, 10/3/20.
First Winning Season: 1920 (10-1-2).
First Championship Season: 1921
First Player Deal: The Bears purchased tackle Ed Healey's contract from the Rock Island Independents for $100, 11/27/22.
First Player Drafted: T Joe Stydahar, 1936.
First Bears Elected to the Hall of Fame: HB Red Grange, Owner/Coach/E George Halas, FB Bronko Nagurski, 1963 Charter Members.
First To Pass 400 Yards In A Game: Sid Luckman, 433 yards vs. the New York Giants, 11/14/43.
Longest Run From Scrimmage: Bill Osmanski rushed 86 yards vs. the Chicago Cardinals, 10/15/39.
First to Rush 100 Yards In A Game: Bronko Nagurski, 124 yards vs. the Portsmouth Spartans, 11/26/33 (the first year official statistics were recorded).
First 1,000-Yard Rusher: Beattie Feathers became the first back in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. He gained 1,004 yards in 1934.
Most Career Rushing Yards: Walter Payton, 16,726 yards (1975-1987).
Most Career Passing Yards: Sid Luckman, 14,686 yards (1939-1950).
Most Career Receptions: Walter Payton, 492 receptions (1975-1987).
All-Time Leading Scorer: Kevin Butler, 1116 points (1985-1995).
First Super Bowl Appearance: A 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX, 1/26/86.
Most Lopsided Win: A 73-0 victory over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship game.
Last Player To Play Without A Helmet: End Dick Plasman played without a helmet as late as the 1940 NFL Championship game. He was the last NFL player to do so.
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