Post by Coach Campbell on Feb 19, 2006 12:00:49 GMT
HALAS, GEORGE S. ("Papa Bear") ( 2 February 1895, Chicago-31 October 1983, Chicago). A college and professional football player, coach, and owner, he was the son of first-generation Bohemian immigrants Frank J. and Barbara (Poledny) Halas. The elder Halas operated a grocery store and a saloon. Within their west side Chicago neighborhood the Bohemian community revolved around St. Vitus Catholic Church and the Sokol (social and athletic center). George graduated from Crane Tech High School in 1913 and earned a B.S. in civil engineering in 1918 from the University of Illinois, where he excelled as a three-sport athlete. In 1920 as a player/coach of the Decatur Staleys, he attended the initial organizing meeting of the APFA (American Professional Football Association) in Canton, Ohio. At Halas' suggestion the organization was renamed the National Football League (NFL) in 1922. He became co-owner of the Staleys that year, moved them to Chicago, and renamed them the Bears. Halas would coach the Bears for forty seasons in several stints ( 1920-29, 193342, 1946-55, 1958-67), winning eight NFL championships ( 1921, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1963). Halas made the Bears an expression of his personality, the "Monsters of the Midway," a rough, tough outfit that hammered its opponents into submission. Halas' adaptation of the T formation was adopted by the rest of the league and became the basic offensive formation at all levels of football. As an inventive coach and shrewd entrepreneur, Halas made numerous other contributions to pro football. His signing of University of Illinois halfback Harold "Red" Grange provided the NFL with its first superstar and brought much needed attention to pro football, providing credibility and financial stability. His other innovations included daily practice sessions, using classroom instructions and game films, broadcasting games on the radio, using spotters in the stands to suggest plays, hiring full-time assistant coaches, coast-to-coast barnstorming tours, and using a tarpaulin on the field for protection against bad
