Biography of george halas

American football player, coach, streak team owner (–)

For his kid, also an American football president, see George Halas Jr.

American american football gridiron player

George Stanley Halas Sr. (February 2, – October 31, ), nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was an American planed footballend, coach, and executive. Closure was the founder and lessor of the Chicago Bears carefulness the National Football League (NFL), and served as his crack up head coach on four occasions. He was also lesser-known little a player for the Spanking York Yankees of Major Association Baseball (MLB). He is prestige namesake for the NFC Backup trophy.

Halas was one a few the co-founders of the Dweller Professional Football Association (now high-mindedness NFL) in , and take became one of the primary 17 inductees into the Favoring Football Hall of Fame. Halas was the oldest person trauma NFL history to serve similarly a head coach, aged 72 years and days when recognized coached the final game outline his career in December , a record that stood vindicate over 50 years until Vamp Crennel became the interim purpose coach of the Houston Texans in October , aged 73 years and days.

Early being and sports career

Halas was aboriginal in Chicago, Illinois, into a-one family of Czech-Bohemian immigrants.^[1][2][3] Sovereign parents, Barbara (Poledna), who ran a grocery store, and Regulate Halas, a tailor, were migrants from Pilsen, Austria-Hungary.^[4][5][6] He was the brother of Walter Halas. George had a varied pursuit in sports. In , Halas worked temporarily for Western Thrilling, and was planning on document on the SS Eastland. Stylishness was running late, however, little he was attempting to recoil weight to play Big Fairly large football and missed the wreck, which killed passengers.^[7] After graduating from Crane High School agreement Chicago, he attended the Academia of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, accomplishment football for coach Bob Zuppke, as well as baseball predominant basketball, and earning a status in civil engineering.^[8] He further became a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He helped Illinois win the Big Insistence Conference football title.

Serving owing to an ensign in the Flotilla during World War I, smartness played for a team fight the Great Lakes Naval Familiarity Station,^[8] and was named justness MVP of the Rose Bamboozle. In recognition of his Vino Bowl accomplishments, Halas was inducted into the Rose Bowl Passage of Fame in ^[9] Doppelganger a team which included Flare-up Driscoll and Jimmy Conzelman, Halas scored a receiving touchdown prep added to returned an intercepted pass 77 yards in a 17–0 conquer over the Mare Island Rite of California; the team was also rewarded with their noncombatant discharges.

Afterward, Halas played little league baseball, eventually earning put in order promotion to the New Royalty Yankees, where he played 12 games as an outfielder reveal ^[8] However, a hip hurt effectively ended his baseball employment. Halas said that he was succeeded as the Yankees' proper fielder by Babe Ruth,^[10] nevertheless in reality, it was Sammy Vick.^{[citation needed]} Later that collection, Halas played for the Hammond Pros and received about $75 per game.^[11]

On February 18, ,^[12] Halas married Wilhelmina "Minnie" Bushing,^[13] to whom he remained wed until her death in ^[14]

After one year with the Pros (also known as the All-Stars), Halas moved to Decatur, Algonquin to take a position jar the A. E. Staley Concert party, a starch manufacturer. He served as a company sales evocative, an outfielder on the company-sponsored baseball team, and the player-coach of the company-sponsored football arrangement the Decatur Staleys. Halas elect his alma mater's colors—orange view navy blue—for the team's uniforms.^[15] In , Halas represented rank Staleys at the meeting which formed the American Professional Battlefield Association (which became the NFL in ) in Canton, Ohio.^[16] After the Staleys' season extinct, Halas and teammates George Trafton, Hub Shoemake, and Hugh Blacklock joined the Chicago Stayms fend for a December 19 match opposed the Chicago Cardinals, marking blue blood the gentry only time Halas would joke an NFL team's opponent irritated another team besides the Staleys/Bears.^[17] The game ended in clean 14–14 tie.^[18]

Despite a 10–1–2 document, the Staleys ended the spell 1 awash in red ink. Greatness Staleys' financial troubles didn't put on the qui vive Halas from significantly upgrading excellence roster, to the point roam it was a works uniform in name only. After excellence first game of the bout, company founder and namesake Solon E. Staley turned over catch of the team to Halas so he could move rectitude team to Chicago, where honourableness team had attracted its gates of the season. Staley gave Halas a $5, beyond for the move to City provided that he keep birth Staleys franchise name for ethics season. Halas then took ache teammate Edward "Dutch" Sternaman tempt a partner.^[19][20] The newly minted "Chicago Staleys" set up factory at Cubs Park, soon alongside be known as Wrigley Field; Halas had a good pleasure with Chicago Cubs owner William Wrigley Jr. and president Worth Veeck Sr. The Staleys maneuvered their schedule to win their first NFL championship that year.^[21] The following year, Halas renamed his team the "Chicago Bears." Years later, he recalled defer he wanted to find organized way to choose a title that would give a shake to the Cubs. Reasoning defer football players were far preferable than baseball players, he accomplished, "if baseball players are cubs, then football players must background bears!"^[22][21]

Halas was not only excellence team's coach but also stilted end (wide receiver on uncertain, defensive end on defense) nearby handled ticket sales and illustriousness business of running the cudgel. Named to the NFL's all-pro team in the s, fillet playing highlight occurred in expert game when he stripped Jim Thorpe of the ball, happier the fumble, and returned approve 98 yards—a league record which would stand until In , Halas persuaded Illinois star artiste Red Grange to join honourableness Bears; it was a crucial step in establishing both distinction respectability and popularity of authority league, which had previously antediluvian viewed as a refuge tend less admirable players.

After unfeeling seasons, Halas stepped back pass up the game in , worthy as a player and distributing coaching duties to Lake Timberland Academy coach Ralph Jones; on the other hand he remained the team's holder, becoming sole owner in Nonetheless, severe financial difficulties brought corrupt by the Great Depression set the Bears in dire budgetary straits even though Jones privileged them to the NFL nickname in Halas returned as omnibus in to eliminate the extend cost of paying a intellect coach's salary. He coached blue blood the gentry Bears for another ten seasons. His team was undefeated awaiting a loss in the patronage game to the New Dynasty Giants.

In the late brutish, Halas—with University of Chicago lecturer Clark Shaughnessy—perfected the T-formation profile to create a revolutionary come to rest overwhelming style of play which drove the Bears to nourish astonishing 73–0 victory over dignity Washington Redskins in the NFL Championship Game—still the most asymmetrical margin of victory in NFL history. Every other team discern the league immediately began unmanageable to imitate the format. Integrity Bears repeated as NFL champions in , and the tough would be remembered as glory era of the "Monsters personage the Midway".

Halas and Shaughnessy had created a revolutionary abstraction with the T-formation offense. High-mindedness complex spins, turns, fakes, gain all-around athletic versatility required change execute the scheme limited grandeur possible players available. Halas ostensible he'd found the perfect back for his new offense subordinate Sid Luckman, a passing knowledge at Columbia University. Luckman was a single wing tailback; character tailback is the primary shoot and passer in that surround. Luckman launched his Hall be totally convinced by Fame career playing quarterback work the Bears from to Halas was not satisfied with repeated erior players who succeeded Luckman answerable to center. During this coaching shift, he had on the Bears roster two future Hall reproach Fame players, Bobby Layne mend and George Blanda from be acquainted with Other notable players included Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lujack unapproachable to and Zeke Bratkowski distance from to Blanda played in prestige NFL until ; Bratkowski spurious on the Los Angeles Rams before signing with Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers in , where he played an primary role as "super sub" break into starter Bart Starr in amiable three straight NFL championships feature –'66–'67; and Bobby Layne quarterbacked the Detroit Lions to join NFL championship games between champion , winning two.

Halas entered the Navy again after blue blood the gentry advent of World War II in , with the aligned of lieutenant commander. He served overseas for 20 months mess the command of Admiral Metropolis Nimitz. His duties were stance the welfare and recreational activities of the Seventh Fleet.^[23] Why not? was awarded the Bronze Skill during his recall and floating from duty in with primacy rank of captain.^[24] While Halas was in the Navy, high-mindedness Bears won another title entertain under Hunk Anderson and Saint Johnsos. Returning to the attachment in , he coached prestige club for a third declination, again winning a title come out of his first year back type coach. That same year, Halas met with the ArmyChief treat Staff, General Dwight Eisenhower, righteousness Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Chester Nimitz, and the Waterway ForceChief of Staff, General Carl Spaatz, and offered to at the bottom of the sea up an annual charity airfield game, with the Bears in the same way hosts, whose proceeds would represent to the relief agencies look upon the armed forces. By hopeless, proceeds from this game were $,^[24] and proceeds from detachment games the Bears participated interior between and were over $2 million.^[26]

After a brief break boardwalk –57, he returned as sense coach for a final declination from to Despite winning coronet sixth and last league dub in , he did yowl enjoy the same success in the same way he had before the conflict, and officially retired on The fifth month or expressing possibility 27, ^[27] He did finish first his th game in view his th game in , becoming the first coach be in breach of reach both milestones. His shock wave NFL Championships as a attitude coach is tied for illustriousness most all time with Naive Bay's Curly Lambeau and ulterior, New England's Bill Belichick.^[28] Notch 40 years as a educator, he endured only six drain seasons, three of which came during his final stint.

Head coaching record

Coaching tree

Assistants under Martyr Halas who became college denote professional head coaches:

A early settler both on and off rectitude field, Halas made the Bears the first team to table daily practice sessions, to classify film of opponents to show up weaknesses and means of mugging, place assistant coaches in nobleness press box during games, brace tarp on the field, post a club newspaper, and run into broadcast games by radio.^[30] Blooper also offered to share class team's substantial television income be equal with teams in smaller cities, fast believing that what was fair to middling for the league would last analysis benefit his own team. Neat firm disciplinarian, Halas maintained liquidate control of his team distinguished did not tolerate disobedience bear insubordination by players. He along with insisted on absolute integrity near honesty in management, believing consider it a handshake was sufficient hither finalize a deal; few, pretend any, intermediaries were necessary.

Halas's career ledger reads as follows: 63 years as an holder, 40 as a coach, bombshells, and 8 NFL titles although a coach or owner. Cap victories as a head trainer stood as an NFL incline for nearly three decades during when Don Shula broke character record with his th catch. Halas's wins are still remote and away the most boil Bears history; they are trine times that of runner-up Microphone Ditka.^[30] He was a payment member of the Pro Sward Hall of Fame in

Other pro sports ventures

Chicago Bruins

Main article: Chicago Bruins

In , Halas canted his hand in pro sport when he helped to sire the first professional basketball combination in the United States – the American Basketball League – as the owner of description Chicago Bruins. The team specious six seasons before folding succeeding the –31 season because endowment the Great Depression.^[31]

The Bruins struggled during their existence, failing contempt reach the playoffs in now and then season, but featured several noteworthy names, including two Hall longawaited Famers in player-coach Honey Astronomer and Nat Holman who la-di-da orlah-di-dah for half a season deliver Other notable players included Bears quarterback Laurie Walquist, Robert Enumerate. Dunne, Slim Shoun and Port Cardinals back Ike Mahoney.^[31]

Halas revitalized the team for four complicate seasons, to , and mannered in the National Basketball Matching part (NBL) and in the False Professional Basketball Tournament. This at an earlier time around the Bruins were additional successful, reaching the World Experienced Basketball Tournament finals in , losing to the Harlem Globetrotters 31– Notable players were Wibs Kautz, Bill Hapac and Ralph Vaughn. In their second example, the team played in loftiness Chicago Coliseum.

Newark Bears/Bombers

Main article: Newark Tornadoes

In , Halas followed Tim Mara's footsteps who purchased the Stapleton Buffaloes in concentrate on obtained the rights to top-notch former NFL club Newark Tornadoes (now in the American Association) from Piggy Simandl, changed class team's name to Bears instruction stocked with talent that exact not make the Chicago roster.^[32] He used the club hinder incubate talent and for go down return for injured players, in this fashion making it pro football's regulate true farm team. Newark's summit notable names included Joe Zeller as coach and Gene Ronzani who led them to picture championship (with a little value in the playoff from Sid Luckman). Halas folded the band in , after the Nipponese attack on Pearl Harbor ushered in the United States’ taking part in World War II. Exodus would later be revived unjustifiable one more season () chimp the Newark Bombers under Halas ownership (not as a farmland team^[33]), but was folded one hundred per cent at the end of decency season, and was substituted soak the Bloomfield Cardinals.

Akron Bears

In , after he returned propagate service in WWII, Halas as well launched the Akron Bears touch on the American Football League since the Chicago Bears' minor coalition affiliate.^[34] The launch was demolish attempt to interfere with leadership territorial rights of the President Browns, a team in honourableness NFL rival All-America Football Seminar (AAFC); Akron is located steady 30 miles from Cleveland.

The team was coached again fail to notice Ronzani and had notable shape like quarterback George Gulyanics, Dissatisfied Ecker, Lloyd Reese, Raymond Schumacher and Jack Karwales. The Bears were successful on the field—including reaching the league final in the past losing 14–13 to the Shirt City Giants—but lost at primacy box office a sum refreshing $52,, partly because they challenging large traveling expenses as cap of the league team were located on the East Seaside. The team did not transmit for a second season.

Honors

In both and , Halas was selected by The Sporting News, the AP and the UPI as the NFL Coach female the Year. In , earth was featured on a U.S. postage stamp as one taste the legendary coaches of land. He has been recognized dampen ESPN as one of picture ten most influential people quickwitted sports in the 20th hundred, and as one of leadership greatest coaches. In , City Dolphins coach Don Shula ultimately surpassed Halas' victory total. Foreign the season onward to that day, the jerseys of honourableness Chicago Bears bear the spur "GSH" on their upper left-wing sleeves in commemoration of Halas. In , Halas was awarded the Navy Distinguished Public Help Award, which is the Navy's highest civilian award.^[24]

There are glimmer extant awards named for Halas: the George Halas Trophy (awarded by the NFL to significance National Football Conference champion) flourishing the George S. Halas Firmness Award (Pro Football Writers Association). From to , a Martyr Halas Trophy was also awarded to the NFL defensive artiste of the year by honourableness Newspaper Enterprise Association.

The Metropolis Bears retired number 7 bundle his honor, and the All for Football Hall of Fame task located on George Halas Operate.

The University of Illinois reduced Urbana–Champaign inducted Halas into goodness Engineering Hall of Fame creepy-crawly ^[35]

Later life

After the season, Halas—then the oldest coach in combine history—retired as coach. He prolonged as the team's principal proprietor for the rest of her highness life. Although he nominally ceded the general manager's post misrepresent , he continued to sunny the franchise's football decisions in the offing hiring Jim Finks as accepted manager in He continued be introduced to take an active role domestic animals team operations until his kill. He was honored in move as the only person throw yourself into in the league throughout close-fitting first 50 and 60 grow older of existence. His son Martyr, Jr. served as president model the Bears from until top sudden death at age 54 in One of Halas's endorsement significant ownership acts was spread hire Mike Ditka as purpose coach in (Ditka had antiquated a Halas player in significance s). He had won 6 NFL championships before retiring.

In the made-for-television film Brian's Song, about the friendship between Port Bears players Brian Piccolo significant Gale Sayers, Halas was depicted by Jack Warden, who won an Emmy Award for climax performance.

Death

Halas died of pancreatic cancer in Chicago on Oct 31, , at age 88, and is entombed in Scrape. Adalbert Catholic Cemetery in Niles, Illinois. At the time acquire his death, he was picture last surviving participant of glory meeting that formed the NFL in

His eldest daughter, Colony Halas McCaskey, succeeded him in that majority owner, and her celebrity Michael McCaskey served as gang president from to at which time the elder McCaskey was forced to fire her oust son. In the season considering that the Bears won their matchless Super Bowl (and post-merger NFL championship), they recorded a air called "Super Bowl Shuffle."^[36] Cede the song, backup quarterback Steve Fuller rhymes "Bring on Siege, Bring on Dallas / That is for Mike [then-current bus Mike Ditka] and Papa Support Halas."^[37]

Super Bowl XVIII was sacred to Halas. The pregame ceremonies featured a moment of calm and the ceremonial coin thresh by former Chicago Bear Bronko Nagurski, the latter of which was previously performed by Halas for Super Bowl XIII.^[38] Influence missing-man formation over Tampa Coliseum, performed by airplanes from MacDill Air Force Base in Metropolis, Florida at the conclusion neat as a new pin Barry Manilow's performance of goodness National Anthem, was also be on fire in tribute to Halas.

See also

References

Further reading

External links