Halas’s Players from Pillars of the NFL by Patrick McCaskey

This post was published in Pillars of the NFL by Patrick McCaskey and is Copyright Sporting Chance Press:

Halas’s Players 

Halas had seen many of the top players in action himself. He also traveled to see others in whom he was interested. As professional football developed, Halas continued to look out for good recruits. He was drawn to tough competitive men who played aggressively. 

Abe Gibron 

One of Paul Brown’s best guards on the early 1950s Cleveland championship teams, Abe Gibron, was 5-foot-11, but he weighed 250 pounds. He was a force—quick off the ball and a strong blocker who played for the Bears in 1958-1959. He would be hired back to coach the Bears from 1972-1974. 

Beattie “Big Chief” Feathers 

In his first year with the Bears in 1934, halfback Beattie Feathers became the first player to rush for over 1,000 yards. Feathers injured his shoulder early in his career and some believe that the injury kept him from having a Hall of Fame career.

Bill George 

Bill George played the middle guard position when he joined the Bears in 1952. On pass plays, the middle guard would make contact with the offensive center and then drop back and cover. George decided that on a passing play, he would drop back before the play was underway. In this way he was able to fill the space better and disrupt the shortest of passes in the middle. Essentially, George’s middle guard position morphed into the middle linebacker position. Hall of Famer George had all the skills to cover a huge part of the field, defend against the pass and the run, pursue plays to the outside, and play with an aggression and force that became the prototype for others who followed him—Butkus, Singletary, and Urlacher. George played for the Bears from 1952-1965. 

Bill Hewitt 

Bill Hewitt, Hall of Fame end, played for the Bears from 1932-1936. Exceptional on both offense and defense, when the Bears had the ball in critical situations, Hewitt especially enjoyed trick plays that fooled unsuspecting defenders. 

Bill Osmanski 

Bears’ first round draft choice in 1939, Bill Osmanski, was one of the best fullbacks in the league. Off to the war in 1944-1945, Osmanski returned for the 1946-1947 seasons before he retired. 

Bill Wade 

Bill Wade was the Bears’ quarterback during the early to mid 1960s and a teamleader throughout his tenure in Chicago. Although a leading passer in many categories in 1961 and 1962, Wade and the Bears played a very conservative, mistake-averse game in their championship run in 1963. Bob Wetoska Bob Wetoska played tackle for the Bears during the 1960s. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Wetoska was a natural guard, but he played tackle most of the time. He created holes for Gale Sayers and pass blocked for Bill Wade.  

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In Pillars, each chapter is devoted to one of the 10 greatest coaches in NFL history.  Each chapter includes various sections like "Halas's Players" in part reproduced here, which provides a representative sampling of the men who served under the great coach.