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Chicago Bears

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CHICAGO FOOTBALL

 

The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). They are currently the National Football Conference Champions, after winning the 2006 NFC Championship Game.
The Bears have won nine Professional American Football league championships (eight NFL Championships and Super Bowl XX), trailing only the Green Bay Packers, who have twelve. The Bears have the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with 26 members.
The club was founded in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919 and moved to Chicago in 1921. The team played home games at Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side through the 1970 season. With the exception of the 2002 season, they have played their home games at Chicago's Soldier Field every year since 1971. The stadium is located next to Lake Michigan and was recently remodeled in a modernization that has attempted to bring stadium amenities expected by today's fans to a historic Chicago building. The team has a fierce, long-standing rivalry with the Packers, whom they have played in over 170 games. (Wikipedia)

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2007 Season Schedule 

Click the score for full results

Preseason Schedule & Results

WK........ DATE.................. OPPONENT.......... TV......... TIME (ET)

1........... Sat, Aug 11......... at Houston......... --........ 8:00 PM....W..20-19

Pursuit

2........... Mon, Aug 20....... at Indianapolis.... --........ 8:00 PM....W..27-24

Touchdown

3........... Sat, Aug 25......... San Francisco......--........ 8:00 PM....W..31-28

Reaching

4........... Thu, Aug 30........ Cleveland........... --........ 8:00 PM....L..19-9

tackle

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Regular Season Schedule & Results

WK........ DATE.................. OPPONENT.......... TV......... TIME (ET)

1........... Sun, Sep 9.......... at San Diego...... --......... 4:15 PM

2........... Sun, Sep 16........ Kansas City........ --......... 4:15 PM

3........... Sun, Sep 23........ Dallas................ --......... 8:15 PM

 

4........... Sun, Sep 30........ at Detroit........... --......... 1:00 PM

5........... Sun, Oct 7.......... at Green Bay...... --......... 8:15 PM

6........... Sun, Oct 14........ Minnesota.......... --......... 1:00 PM

7........... Sun, Oct 21........ at Philadelphia... --......... 4:15 PM

8........... Sun, Oct 28........ Detroit............... --......... 1:00 PM

9........... BYE WEEK

 

10......... Sun, Nov 11........ at Oakland......... --......... 4:15 PM

11......... Sun, Nov 18........ at Seattle............ --......... 8:15 PM

12......... Sun, Nov 25........ Denver............... --......... 1:00 PM

13......... Sun, Dec 2.......... NY Giants........... --......... 4:15 PM

14......... Thu, Dec 6.......... at Washington.... --......... 8:15 PM

15......... Mon, Dec 17....... at Minnesota...... ESPN.... 8:30 PM

16......... Sun, Dec 23........ Green Bay.......... --......... 1:00 PM

17......... Sun, Dec 30........ New Orleans...... --......... 1:00 PM

Chicago Bears 2007 Draft Results 

CHICAGO BEARS

2007 NFL Draft
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RD..... PK(OVR)..... NAME....................... POS...... SCHOOL

1....... 31(31)........ Greg Olsen................ TE........ MIAMI (FLA.)

2....... 30(62)........ Dan Bazuin............... DE........ CENTRAL MICHIGAN

3....... 30(93)........ Garrett Wolfe............ RB......... NORTHERN ILLINOIS

3....... 31(94)........ Michael Okwo........... OLB....... STANFORD

4....... 31(130)...... Josh Beekman........... OG........ BOSTON COLLEGE

5....... 30(167)...... Kevin Payne.............. DS......... LOUISIANA MONROE

5....... 31(168)...... Corey Graham........... DC........ NEW HAMPSHIRE

6........None

 

7....... 11(221)...... Trumaine McBride..... DC........ MISSISSIPPI

7....... 31(241)...... Aaron Brant.............. OT......... IOWA STATE

Current Roster 

  • OFFENSE

    #..... Name....................... Pos.. Age.. Hgt.... Wgt... Yr.... School

    14... Brian Griese............... QB... 32... 6-3.... 214... 10... Michigan

    8..... Rex Grossman............ QB... 26... 6-1.... 217.... 5.... Florida

    18... Kyle Orton.................. QB... 24... 6-4.... 223.... 3.... Purdue

    32... Cedric Benson............. RB... 24... 5-11.. 220.... 3.... Texas

    37... Jason McKie................ RB... 27.... 5-11.. 243... 6... Temple

    29... Adrian Peterson........... RB... 28.... 5-10.. 210.. 6.... Georgia So.

    25... Garrett Wolfe.............. RB... 22..... 5-7... 186.. R.... No. Illinois

    80... Bernard Berrian.......... WR... 26..... 6-1... 180.. 4.... Fresno St

    16... Mark Bradley.............. WR... 25..... 6-1.... 200.. 3.... Oklahoma

    81... Rashied Davis............. WR... 28..... 5-9.... 180.. 3.... San Jose St

    18... Mike Hass................... WR... 24..... 6-0.... 208.. 1.... Oregon St

    23... Devin Hester............... WR... 24..... 5-11.. 189.. 2..... Miami (FL)

    87... Muhsin Muhammad....... WR.. 34..... 6-2.... 215.. 12 ...Michigan St

    88... Desmond Clark............. TE... 30..... 6-3.... 254... 9... Wake Forest

    85... John Gilmore................ TE... 27..... 6-5.... 257... 6.... Penn St

    82... Greg Olsen................... TE... 22..... 6-5.... 254... R.... Miami (FL)

    57... Olin Kreutz................... C.... 30..... 6-2.... 292.. 10.. Washington

    65... Patrick Mannelly............ OT... 32...... 6-5.... 265.. 10... Duke

    69... Fred Miller.................... OT... 34...... 6-7.... 320.. 12... Baylor

    78... John St. Clair................ OT... 29...... 6-5.... 315... 8.... Virginia

    76... John Tait...................... OT... 32...... 6-6.... 312... 9.... BYU

    67... Josh Beekman............... OG... 24...... 6-2.... 325... R... Boston Coll.

    74... Ruben Brown................ OG... 35....... 6-3... 300... 13... Pitt

    63... Roberto Garza............... OG... 28....... 6-2... 300... 7.. Tex A&M-K

    60... Terrence Metcalf............ OG... 29....... 6-3... 318.... 6... Mississip
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    DEFENSE

    #..... Name...................... Pos.. Age.. Hgt..... Wgt... Yr.... School

    97... Mark Anderson........... DE... 24.... 6-4..... 255... 2..... Alabama

    96... Alex Brown................ DE... 28.... 6-3..... 260.... 6.... Florida

    93... Adewale Ogunleye....... DE... 29... 6-4..... 260.... 7.... Indiana

    91... Anthony Adams........... DT... 27... 6-0..... 297.... 5.... Penn St

    98... Dusty Dvoracek........... DT... 26... 6-3..... 303.... 1.... Oklahoma

    91... Tommie Harris............ DT... 23... 6-3..... 300.... 4.... Oklahoma

    71... Israel Idonije............... DT... 26... 6-6..... 275.... 4.... Manitoba

    97... Darwin Walker..............DT... 30... 6-3..... 294.... 8.... Tennessee

    94... Brendon Ayanbadejo..... LB.... 30... 6-1..... 228.... 5.... UCLA

    55... Lance Briggs................ LB... 26.... 6-1..... 240.... 5... Arizona

    92... Hunter Hillenmeyer....... LB... 26.... 6-4..... 238.... 5... Vanderbilt

    58... Darrell McClover........... LB... 25.... 6-2..... 226.... 3... Miami (FL)

    62... Michael Okwo............... LB... 22.... 5-11.... 232.... R... Stanford

    54... Brian Urlacher............... LB... 29.... 6-4..... 258.... 8... New Mexico

    52... Jamar Williams.............. LB... 23.... 6-0..... 234.... 1... Arizona St

    59... Rod Wilson.................... LB... 25... 6-2...... 230.... 2... S Carolina

    35... Corey Graham............... CB... 22... 6-0..... 195..... R... New Hamp

    24... Ricky Manning Jr............ CB... 26... 5-9..... 188..... 5... UCLA

    26... Trumaine McBride.......... CB... 21... 5-9..... 185..... R... Mississippi

    33... Charles Tillman.............. CB... 26... 6-1..... 196..... 5... LA-Lafay.

    31... Nathan Vasher............... CB... 25... 5-10... 180...... 4... Texas

    40... Adam Archuleta.............. S..... 29....6-0..... 223..... 7... Arizona St

    30... Mike Brown.................... S..... 29... 5-10... 207..... 8... Nebraska

    38... Danieal Manning.............. S..... 24... 5-11... 201.... 2... Abil Christ

    36... Brandon McGowan........... S...... 23... 5-11... 205.... 3... Maine

    44... Kevin Payne.................... S...... 23.... 6-0.... 212.... R... LA Monroe
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    SPECIAL TEAMS

    #..... Name........................ Pos.. Age.. Hgt..... Wgt... Yr.... School

    9..... Robbie Gould................ K..... 24.... 6-1.... 181... 3..... Penn St

    4..... Brad Maynard................ P.... 33.... 6-1.... 186... 11.... Ball St

Head Coach 

Lovie Smith
Pos: Head Coach

Regular Season: 29-19
Postseason: 2-2
Experience: 3 years

Career Record
YEAR...... TEAM................... G..... W..... L.... T.... PCT.... POST W... POSTL

2006...... Chicago Bears...... 16... 13.... 3.... 0... .813.... 2........... 1

2005...... Chicago Bears...... 16... 11.... 5.... 0... .688.... 0........... 1

2004...... Chicago Bears...... 16... 5..... 11... 0... .313.... --......... --

CAREER.. 3 years................. 48... 29... 19... 0... .604.... 2........... 2

Born: May 8, 1958, Big Sandy, TX
College: Tulsa

2006 NFC North Standings 

NFC North.... W... L.... T.... PF..... PA..... Home.... Road..... AFC.... NFC...... DIV

Chicago....... 13.. 3.... 0... 427... 255.... 6 - 2..... 7 - 1..... 2 - 2.. 11 - 1...5 - 1

Green Bay..... 8.... 8.... 0... 301... 366.... 3 - 5..... 5 - 3..... 1 - 3... 7 - 5..... 5 - 1

Minnesota.... 6.... 10.. 0... 282... 327.... 3 - 5..... 3 - 5..... 0 - 4... 6 - 6..... 2 - 4

Detroit......... 3.... 13.. 0... 305... 398.... 2 - 6..... 1 - 7..... 1 - 3... 2 - 10... 0 - 6

2006 Stat Leaders 

TEAM LEADERS

PASSING
................................ CMP-ATT...... YDS....... TDS....... INT

R. Grossman............. 262-480....... 3193..... 23......... 20

B. Griese.....................18-32.......... 220....... 1........... 2
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RUSHING
...................................RUSH........... YDS....... AVG...... TDS

T. Jones........................296............ 1210..... 4.1........ 6

C. Benson.....................157............ 647....... 4.1........ 6

A. Peterson.....................10............ 41......... 4.1........ 2
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RECEIVING
....................................REC............ YDS....... AVG ...... TDS

M. Muhammad..............60............. 863....... 14.4...... 5

B. Berrian......................51............. 775....... 15.2...... 6

D. Clark.........................45............ 626....... 13.9...... 6

R. Davis.........................22............ 303....... 13.8...... 2
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RETURNING
.......................... KOR.. YDS... AVG... LG... TD.. PR... YDS... AVG... LG.. FC.. TD

D. Hester............ 20.... 528... 26.4... 96... 2.... 47... 600... 12.8... 84.. 12... 3

B. Berrian............ 0...... 0....... 0.0..... 0..... 0.... 2..... 7....... 3.5..... 7.... 0..... 0

D. Wesley............ 0...... 0....... 0.0..... 0..... 0.... 1..... 0....... 0.0..... 0.... 0..... 0

Total:.................. 59... 1373.. 23.3... 96... 2.... 50... 607... 12.1... 84.. 12... 3

Past Seasons 

YEAR....... W....... L....... T....... PF....... PA

2006....... 13..... 3....... 0....... 427..... 255

2005....... 11..... 5....... 0....... 260..... 202

2004....... 5....... 11..... 0....... 231..... 331

2003....... 7........ 9...... 0........ 283..... 346

2002....... 4....... 12..... 0....... 281...... 379

Bears History 

1920's

Originally named the Decatur Staleys, the club was established by the A. E. Staley Company of Decatur, Illinois in 1919 as a company team. This was the typical start for several of the early professional football franchises. The company hired George Halas and Edward "Dutch" Sternaman in 1920 to run the team, and turned full control of the team over to them in 1921. However, official team and league records cite Halas as the founder as he took over the team in 1920 when it became a charter member of the NFL.
Along with the Arizona Cardinals (originally from Chicago themselves), the Bears are one of only two charter members of the NFL still in existence. The team relocated to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys. Under an agreement that was reached by Halas and Sternaman with Staley, Halas purchased the rights to the club from Staley for US$100.
The Bears dominated the league in the early years. Their rivalry with the Cardinals, the oldest in the NFL (and a crosstown rivalry from 1920 to 1959), was key in four out of the first six league titles (see History of the Chicago Bears). During the league's first six years, the Bears lost twice to the Canton Bulldogs (who took two league titles over that span) and split with their crosstown rival Cardinals (going 4-4-2 against each other over that span), but no other team in the league defeated the Bears more than a single time. Over that span, the Bears posted an incredible 34 shutouts.
The Bears' rivalry with the Green Bay Packers is one of the oldest, fiercest and most storied in American professional sports, dating back to 1921. In one infamous incident that year, Halas got the Packers expelled from the league in order to prevent them signing a particular player, and then graciously got them re-admitted after the Bears had closed the deal with that player.
In 1922, Halas changed the team name from the Staleys to the Bears. The team moved into Wrigley Field, which was home to the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise. As with several early NFL franchises, the Bears derived their nickname from their city's baseball team. 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 blue is a Navy Blue, and the orange is Pantone 1665, similar to burnt orange). (Wikipedia)

History continued 

1920's to 1940's

The franchise was an early success under Halas, capturing the NFL Championship in 1921 and remaining competitive throughout the decade. In 1924 the Bears claimed the Championship after defeating the Cleveland Bulldogs on December 7, even putting the title "World's Champions" on their 1924 team photo. But the NFL had ruled that games after November 30 did not count towards league standings, and the Bears had to settle for second place behind Cleveland.[5] Their only losing season came in 1929.
During the 1920s the club was responsible for triggering the NFL's long-standing rule that a player could not be signed until his college's senior class had graduated. The NFL took that action as a consequence of the Bears' aggressive signing of famous University of Illinois player Red Grange within a day of his final game as a collegian.[6]
After the financial losses of the 1932 Championship season, Halas' partner Dutch Sternaman left the organization. Halas maintained full control of the Bears until his death in 1983. He also coached the team off-and-on for forty seasons, an NFL record. In the 1932 "Unofficial" NFL Championship, the Bears defeated the Portsmouth Spartans in the first indoor American football game at Chicago Stadium.
The success of the playoff game led the NFL to institute a championship game. In the very 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[7] defeated the Bears 30-13 on a cold, icy day at the Polo Grounds. (Wikipedia)

History Continued 

1940-1970

From 1940-1947, quarterback Sid Luckman led the Bears to victories in four out of the five NFL Championship Games in which they appeared. The team acquired the University of Chicago's discarded nickname "Monsters of the Midway" and their now-famous helmet "C", as well as a newly-penned theme song that declared them "The Pride and Joy of Illinois". One famous victory during that period was their 73-0 victory over the favored Washington Redskins at Griffith Stadium in the 1940 NFL Championship Game; the score is still an NFL record for lopsided results.[8] The secret behind the one-sided outcome was the introduction of a new offensive formation by Halas. The T-formation, as Halas named it, involved two running backs instead of the traditional one in the backfield. Luckman's success at the quarterback position for the Bears has not been matched, as he still holds club records for passing.[9]
After declining throughout the 1950s, the team rebounded in 1963 to capture their 8th NFL Championship, which would be their last until 1985. The late 1960s and early 1970s produced notable players like Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, and Brian Piccolo, who died of Embryonal carcinoma in 1970. The American television network ABC aired a movie about Piccolo in 1971 entitled Brian's Song, starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams in the roles of Piccolo and Sayers respectively; Jack Warden won an Emmy Award for his performance as Halas. The movie was later released for theater screenings after first being shown on television.
Halas retired as coach in 1967 and spent the rest of his days in the front office. He became the only person to be involved with the NFL throughout the first 60 years of its existence. He was also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's first induction class in 1963. As the only living founder of the NFL at the February 1970 merger between the NFL and the American Football League, the owners honored Halas by electing him the first President of the National Football Conference, a position that he held until his death in 1983. In his honor, the NFL named the National Football Conference Championship trophy as the George Halas Memorial Trophy. (Wikipedia)

History Continued 

1970's to Present

After the merger, the Bears finished the 1970 season with a last-place finish in the division, a repeat of their placing in the 1969 season. In 1975 the Bears drafted Walter Payton from Jackson State University with their first pick, and he made an immediate impact on the football landscape. He won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in the 1977-78 season.[10][11] Payton would go on to eclipse Jim Brown's NFL career rushing record in 1984 before retiring in 1987, and would hold the mark until 2002, when Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys surpassed it.[12] Payton's career and great personality would capture the hearts of Bear fans, who called him "Sweetness". He died from a rare liver cancer in 1999 at the age of 45.
From 1977 through 1985 the club's official cheerleaders were the Honey Bears, who were hired by then General Manager Jim Finks. They cheered at Soldier Field during all Bears home games and performed at halftime for the viewing public. The group's founder and choreographer, Cathy Core, was contacted by Finks on the topic of organizing the cheerleading squad, but as she didn't believe that Finks was actually calling she hung up. When she later found out the call was genuine, she apologized.[13]
The idea of a cheerleading squad was thought up by Halas himself, who called them "dancing girls".[13] Halas was quoted as saying that the Honey Bears would be around as long as he was alive.[13] After his death in 1983, his heirs in the McCaskey family decided to end their relationship with the Honey Bears, declining to renew their contract following the Bears' championship season of 1985. Word has it that as long as the McCaskey family owns the team, the Honey Bears will remain a memory.[13] (Wikipedia)

History Continued 

1980's and beyond

On November 1, 1983, a day after the death of George Halas, his oldest daughter, Virginia McCaskey, took over as the majority owner of the team. Her husband, Ed McCaskey, succeeded her father as the Chairman of the Board.[14] Their son Michael became the third president in team history.[15] Mrs. McCaskey holds the honorary title of "secretary of the board of directors", but the 82-year-old matriarch has been called the glue that holds the franchise together.[16] Mrs. McCaskey's reign as the owner of the Bears was not planned, as her father originally earmarked her brother, George "Mugs" Halas, Jr. as the heir apparent to the franchise. However, he died of a massive heart attack in 1979, and four years later she inherited the team upon George Halas' death. Her impact on the team is well-noted as her own family has dubbed her "The First Lady of Sports", and the Chicago Sun-Times has listed her as one of Chicago's most powerful women.[17Mike Ditka, a tight end for the Bears from 1961 to 1966, was hired to coach the team in 1982. In the 1985 season the fire in the Bears-Packers rivalry was relit when Ditka used 350-plus pound lineman "Refrigerator" Perry as a truly "wide" receiver in a touchdown play at Lambeau Field, flagrantly taunting the Packers. The Packers have also one-upped the Bears from time to time over the years, such as the "Instant Replay Loss" game of 1989,[18].
The Bears won their ninth NFL Championship, first since the AFL-NFL merger, in Super Bowl XX after the 1985 season in which they dominated the NFL with their then-revolutionary 46 defense and a cast of characters that recorded the novelty rap song "The Super Bowl Shuffle". The season was notable in that the Bears had only one loss, the "unlucky 13th" game of the season, a Monday night affair in which they were defeated by the Miami Dolphins. At the time, much was made of the fact that the 1972 Dolphins are the only franchise in history (through the 2006 season) to have an undefeated season and post-season. The Dolphins came close to setting up a rematch in the Super Bowl, but lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC title game. "The Super Bowl Shuffle" was videotaped the day after that Monday night loss in Miami. (Wikipedia)

History Continued 

Closer to Present

After the 1985 Championship season, the Bears remained competitive throughout the 1980s but failed to return to the Super Bowl under Mike Ditka. Since the firing of Ditka at the end of the 1992 season, the Bears have only made the playoffs five times-winning only two games. The club has also gone through three coaching changes since 1993. Dave Wannstedt was the head coach from 1993 through 1998. Dick Jauron succeeded Wannstedt after the 1998 season. After having his contract extended through 2004 after the Bears went 13-3 in 2001, Jauron was fired at the end of the 2003 season. Before the Bears hired Jauron in January 1999, Dave McGinnis (Arizona's defensive coordinator, and a former Bears assistant under Ditka and Wannstedt) backed out of taking the head coaching position. The Bears scheduled a press conference to announce the hiring before McGinnis agreed to contract terms.[19] Incidentally, soon after Jauron's hiring, Mrs. McCaskey fired her son Michael as president, replacing him with Ted Phillips and promoting Michael to chairman of the board. McCaskey's reign as president has been viewed as a disaster with mishap after mishap.[20] Phillips, the current Bears president, became the first man outside of the Halas-McCaskey family to run the team.[21] (Wikipedia)

History Continued 

Recent History

Lovie Smith, hired by the franchise on January 15, 2004, is the third and current (as of 2007) post-Ditka head coach. Joining the Bears as a rookie head coach, Smith brought the highly successful Tampa 2 defensive scheme with him to Chicago. Before his second season with the Bears, the team rehired their former offensive coordinator and then Illinois head coach Ron Turner to improve the Bears' struggling offense.[22] In 2005, the Bears won their division and reached the playoffs for the first time in four years. Their previous playoff berth was earned by winning the NFC Central in 2001. The Bears improved upon their success the following season, by clinching their second consecutive NFC North title during week thirteen of the 2006 season, winning their first playoff game since 1995, and earning a trip to Super Bowl XLI.[23] However, they fell short of the championship, losing 29-17 to the Indianapolis Colts. Following the 2006 season, the club decided to give Lovie Smith a contract extension through 2011, at roughly $5 million per year. This comes a season after being the lowest paid head coach in the National Football League. [24]
The club has played in over a thousand games since becoming a charter member of the NFL in 1920. Through the 2006 season, they lead the NFL in overall franchise wins with 686 and have an overall record of 686-499-42 (going 670-482-42 during the regular season and 16-17 in the playoffs).[25] (Wikipedia)

Retired Numbers 

The Bears have retired 13 jersey numbers, most in the NFL and two behind baseball's New York Yankees with 15. Both clubs are short of the NBA's Boston Celtics 21 retired numbers.

3 Bronko Nagurski, RB-T (1930-37; 43)

5 George McAfee, RB-DB (1940-41; 45-50)

7 George Halas, E (1920-29)

28 Willie Galimore, RB (1957-63)

34 Walter Payton, RB (1975-87)

40 Gale Sayers, RB (1965-71)

41 Brian Piccolo, RB (1966-69)

42 Sid Luckman, QB (1939-50)

51 Dick Butkus, LB (1965-73)

56 Bill Hewitt, E (1932-36)

61 Bill George, LB (1952-65)

66 Clyde "Bulldog" Turner, C-LB (1940-52)

77 Harold "Red" Grange, RB-DB (1925; 29-34)

Uniforms Through Time: 1920's 

In the early days of the American Professional Football Association, the predecessor of the NFL, uniforms are primitive. Brown leather helmets offer little protection, and many players refuse to wear them. Pants are made of brown canvas; jerseys are made of wool. For the Bears' uniform colors, team founder George Halas chooses navy and orange - the same as his alma mater, the University of Illinois. Strips of material are sewn onto the front of the players' jerseys to help them hold onto the football, which is fatter and harder to handle than the modern version. The player's number is on the back of the jersey only.

Late in this decade the team appears to have reversed the coloring of the jersey, making orange the dominant color with navy striping. Unfortunately, no jerseys from this era are known to exist.

1930's 

he 1930s are a decade of radical change for the Bears uniform. By 1932, numbers are added to the front of the jersey. As early as 1933, the team uses an orange jersey with navy numerals, and black arm stripes, and wears it from time to time through the end of the decade. The jersey was so "loud" that stories are told about crowds in New York booing the jersey. In 1934, the team wears white helmets.

In 1936, the team unveils a uniform described years later by an NFL publication as "an early version of psychodelia." Bruising fullback Bronko Nagurski and his mates wear a dark helmet with three orange stripes from front to back, a white jersey with 14 navy and orange alternating stripes on the sleeves and shoulders. The socks look like something the Munchkins would wear in the Land of Oz, with alternating navy and orange stripes from the ankle to the knee. The look lasts just one year.

1940's 

In this decade the Bears revolutionize professional football with the T-formation offense, but get back to basics with the uniform look. Except for some preseason games, the orange jersey is gone. For the first half of the decade, the team wears a black jersey with orange numerals, and adds striping on the pant leg much like today's look. The now-familiar three-stripe socks also debut.

By 1949, the team introduces what will become its distinctive uniform number font style for the next half-century, with classic "rounded" numerals in white on the navy jersey.

1950's 

In this decade, little about the Bears uniform changes. Some slight modifications are made in the size and shape of the jersey numbers. In 1956, "TV numbers" are added to the jersey sleeves.

1960's 

In 1962, a white stylized "C" decal - a "simple but elegant design" - is added to both sides of the helmet.

In 1964, after running back Willie Galimore and receiver John Farrington are killed in an automobile accident in training camp, the team wears a black armband on the left jersey sleeve for the season.

In 1969, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the NFL, all teams wear a commemorative patch on the left shoulder for the season.

1970's 

In 1970, the players' names are added to the back of the jerseys.

Earlier in the decade, the stripes disappear from the navy "home" jersey, but return after a couple of seasons. Likewise, the white "road" jersey goes with block font numbers, but the classic rounded numerals return after a couple of seasons.

In 1973, the all-white "C" on the helmet is changed to orange with a white border.

In 1979, after team president George "Mugs" Halas, Jr. dies on the last day of the regular season, the team wears a black armband on the left jersey sleeve for a wild card playoff game.

1980's 

In 1983, after team founder George Halas dies, the team wears on the jersey a memorial patch with his initials "GSH" on a football background. The next year, the monogram is moved to the left jersey sleeve. In 1984, the team begins wearing navy pants with the white jersey for road games.

1990's 

In 1994, to celebrate the NFL's 75th season, the Bears wear "throwbacks" uniforms for three games. The look is based on the team's uniform in 1925-26, with orange vertical stripes on navy jerseys, and tan pants.

In 1999, after Walter Payton dies, the team wears on the jersey a memorial patch with his uniform number -- 34 - on a football background.

2000 to Present 

In 2001, the team commemorates three decades at Soldier Field with a commemorative "Salute to Soldier Field" patch on the home jersey.

In 2002, for one game only, the players wear navy jerseys with navy pants for the first time in the team's history.

In 2003, after Chairman Emeritus Edward W. McCaskey dies, the team wears a helmet decal with his initials "EWM" in navy on an orange shamrock.

In 2004, for a Thanksgiving Day game, the team wears a "classic" uniform - orange jersey with navy numbers bordered in white, and the all-white "C" helmet decal.

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More Bears Links 

SI.com - Chicago Bears
SI.com - NFL - Chicago Bears Team Page - The lastest news, scores, stats as well as truth and rumors and Fantasy news from around the web.
Home Page - Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears Home Page
NFL.com - Chicago Bears
NFL'S Bears page
ESPN - Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears schedule, players, stats, photos, rumors, and highlights on ESPN.com.
Bears Tickets
How to buy Bears tickets

Some Bears E-Bay stuff to tickle your fancy 

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eBay

Chicago Bears Apparel 

NFL Team Logo Lunch Bag

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)

Dallas Cowboys Team Logo Writing Pen w/case

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)

Chicago Bears Books 

The Time Traveler's Wife

Amazon Price: $11.20 (as of 07/19/2008)

The House on Mango Street

Amazon Price: $8.76 (as of 07/19/2008)

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Amazon Price: $11.20 (as of 07/19/2008)

The Chicago Manual of Style

Amazon Price: $34.65 (as of 07/19/2008)

Chicago Bears News 

Bears news from Yahoo

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Suggestions 

General Comments are next

carmine

Great lens - Your lens rocks!



metal roofing

Posted May 13, 2008

jeffwend

Very nice Bears lens, I hope my Lions can give you a good match this year.

I'd like to see some youtube vids on the Bears draft picks or some preseason highlights.

Posted August 29, 2007

fatheadfan

Terrific Bears lens with great info, please stop by Life Size NFL PLayer and Team Decals for giant Chicago Bears team logos and player wall decals.

Posted August 23, 2007

Ess-ell

I wish that I could have made the background black or blue or something so it doesn't look so generic.

Posted July 25, 2007

What's your take on the Bears? 

Good? Bad? Why?

Janusz

Your hard work has paid off :) Great Lens!.

Posted August 08, 2007

Interesting and informative lens on the Chicago Bears. Well put together!I voted 5 stars - I invite you to check out mine too, and rate it for me! Live Streaming Video

Posted August 08, 2007

AdriennePetersen

Wonderful lens, really shows your love of the Chicago Bears! Come visit me sometime!

Posted August 08, 2007

LuckySeven

Great lens, must have taken a long time.

Posted August 06, 2007

jmurphy

too...much...chicago...bears...head...will...explode

Posted August 05, 2007

TJ Housh

This is quite a nice website. I'm sure whoever made it spent a lot of time on it. The history is very comprehensive and suuuper interesting. The only way this website could be better is if it were about the Bengals. Otherwise, good job. Whaaaaaaat?

Posted July 25, 2007

Ess-ell

This is the coolest most awesome-tastic filled website ever on the face of the earth, all should bow to it, muhahahahaha. YAY!

Posted July 23, 2007

Doo Doo Face

This is dumb, yet at the same time it made my work day go about 2 minutes more quickly. Sweet.

Posted July 23, 2007

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