George Stanley Halas

Halas, George Stanley (1895–1983), founder, owner, and coach of the Chicago Bears (originally called the Decatur Staleys), one of the founding teams of the National Football League (NFL). After serving in the U.S. Navy and playing a season of professional baseball with the New York Yankees, Halas founded and played end for the Bears (1920–29). As coach (1933–42, 1946–55, 1958–68) he helped develop modern football strategy and led the team to 6 NFL championships. He was inducted to the NFL Hall of Fame in 1963.