More Chicago Bears Information

The Bears franchise was founded as the Decatur Staleys in 1920 by A. E. Staley of the Staley Starch Company. On September 17, 1920, George Halas and representatives from 11 other teams met in Canton, Ohio, and organized the American Professional Football Association -- precursor to the NFL. Halas assumed ownership of the team in 1921 with his co-head coach, Dutch Sternaman. They moved the team to Chicago's Cubs Park (renamed Wrigley Field in 1926). The club won the new league's first title in 1921, and a year later Halas and Sternaman renamed the team the Bears.

A new era began in 1930 when another star running back, Bronko Nagurski, joined the team. Chicago earned back-to-back NFL titles in 1932 and 1933. Under Halas, the team strung together an NFL-record 18 consecutive victories from 1933 through 1934. The Bears went undefeated in the 1934 regular season as rookie running back Beattie Feathers became the first player ever to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season. After holding all 13 regular-season opponents to 16 or fewer points, the Bears fell to the New York Giants in the NFL Championship Game, 30-13.