Chicago Bears

Lore & Background

Originally named the Decatur Staleys, the club was established by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur, Illinois, as a company team. The company hired George Halas and Edward "Dutch" Sternaman in 1920 to run the team. The team moved to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys. In 1922, Halas changed the team name from the Staleys to the Bears. The team moved into Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise. The Bears derived their nickname from their city's baseball team (bears' young are called "cubs"). Halas liked the bright orange-and-blue colors of his alma mater, the University of Illinois, and the Bears adopted those colors as their own, albeit in a darker shade of each. The Staleys/Bears dominated the league in the early years. Their rivalry with the Chicago Cardinals, the oldest in the NFL (and a crosstown rival from 1920 to 1959), was key in four out of the first six league titles. The Bears' rivalry with the Green Bay Packers is one of the oldest and most storied in American professional sports, dating back to 1921. In the first NFL Championship, the Bears played against the New York Giants, defeating them 23–21. The teams met again in the 1934 NFL Championship where the Giants, wearing sneakers, defeated the Bears 30–13 on a cold, icy day at the Polo Grounds. From 1940 to 1947, quarterback Sid Luckman led the Bears to victories in four out of the five NFL Championship Games in which they appeared. One famous victory was their 73–0 victory over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship Game.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled off the lake, biting through wool jerseys at Soldier Field. It was a cold December night in 1934, and the Chicago Bears were unbeaten. The Giants huddled close, breath visible in the freezing air. As Mel Hein fielded the punt, the roar of the crowd faded into a singular focus. He ran, dodging shadows on the frozen turf, crossing the goal line to silence the Windy City.

Reader's Guide

The Bears play their home games at Soldier Field. The team headquarters, Halas Hall, is in Lake Forest, Illinois. The Bears practice at adjoining facilities there during the season, and began hosting training camp at Halas Hall in 2020 after major renovations. The Bears have won nine NFL Championships, including Super Bowl XX in the 1985 season under head coach Mike Ditka. They appeared in their second Super Bowl during the 2006 season, which they lost to the Indianapolis Colts.

Did You Know?

• The Bears are one of two remaining franchises from the NFL's founding in 1920, along with the Arizona Cardinals.
• The Bears hold the NFL records for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the most retired jersey numbers.
• The Bears' 73–0 victory over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship Game is still an NFL record for lopsided results.
• The Bears played home games at Wrigley Field through the 1970 season.