The Origins of the Pillars of the NFL

A couple weeks ago the Bears-Packers Thursday Night Game featured some interesting footage at the beginning of the broadcast called The Original Ringers. A mini-bio on Halas and Lambeau in their very early days:  Halas's working for the Staley Starch Company which started the Decatur Staley/Bears and Lambeau's connection to Green Bay and the  Acme Meat Packing company started the Packers. The roughly 2-minute piece was a nice lead-in to the game and gave viewers a little slice of abbreviated history.

The history and creation of these teams and the roles of Halas and Lambeau is something we covered in our classic book called Pillars of the NFL by Patrick McCaskey. I am very proud of this book and for the place it holds in the literature of football. People no longer buy the best books on sports subjects, but I honestly believe this has to be one of the best--easy to access information  and covering some history (like Guy Chamberlin's career), which is rarely covered. 

Football History

Pillars of the NFL: Coaches Who Have Won Three or More Championships examines the football lives of the greatest coaches in NFL history--those won the most NFL Championships. Who were the greatest coaches in NFL history? How did they succeed? Some coached in the early days of professional football and some later, but all made vital contributions. Pillars of the NFL looks at these interesting and important coaches: Bill Belichick, Paul Brown, Guy Chamberlin, Weeb Ewbank, Joe Gibbs, George Halas, Chuck Noll, Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, and Bill Walsh.

Pillars sheds light on the early lives, backgrounds, playing years, and teams of these great coaches. Contributions to the game are examined, photos and illustrations enhance the presentation. Peering into the rich history of professional football: Bill Belichick creates a dynasty in New England using old-school ideas and modern methods. Vince Lombardi establishes an unrivaled passion for football in Green Bay. Paul Brown conquers the city of Cleveland and then Cincinnati. Chuck Noll wakes up a sleepy franchise in Pittsburgh to become the most dominant force in football. Joe Gibbs accomplishes the improbable with players who overachieve. Bill Walsh takes football strategy to a new level. George Halas sculpts the NFL and shapes football from its humblest roots to the TV era. Curley Lambeau creates a football powerhouse to stand among giants. Weeb Ewbank wins the Greatest Game Ever Played and shocks the sports world in Super Bowl III. Guy Chamberlin coaches three different NFL teams to four championships in the early days of professional football. Readers see how each coach fits into professional football history; they come to understand the coach's approach to the game and they are treated to entertaining insights that delve into these great men.

Chicago Bears in the 1920s

Sporting Chance Press Book

The following passage is from Pillars of the NFL  by Patrick McCaskey, Copyright Sporting Chance Press.

In two seasons, the Staleys proved they had what it takes to win it all and perhaps win for several years. But it was almost impossible for any team to keep all of its top players. Halas would say: 

"There was no bidding for players in those days, no one had the money." 

Chicago lost a big star in Guy Chamberlin who left for Canton after the 1921 season. Halas would later say that Guy Chamberlin was one that got away and he regretted it. 

Halas however, had plenty of success. In a league that was sometimes bloated with more than 20 teams, his Staleys-Bears of the Roaring 20s managed to win, place, or show every year from 1920-1927. He was also busy in the middle of the decade working hard to recruit, sign, and promote the first superstar of professional football, Red Grange. Halas’s efforts would provide sustenance for the Bears and other NFL teams that were trying to survive. 

Halas’s work for the league would not go unnoticed by Guy Chamberlin. Chamberlin would say: 18 

"Pro football owes George Halas a great debt. Everything he has fought for over the years has been for the good of the league, not just for his own job."

George Halas Becomes Professional Football Team Owner

Sporting Chance Press Book

The following passage is from Pillars of the NFL  by Patrick McCaskey, Copyright Sporting Chance Press.

In 1921, the economy hit a downturn. The Staley Starch Company determined that it could no longer afford the juggernaut that Halas had assembled. Owner A. E. Staley seeded funds to Halas that allowed the young coach to start up his own team in Chicago.17 Halas made fellow University of Illinois alum, Edward “Dutch” Sternaman, whom he had recruited in 1920, co-owner. 

Of the original 11 professional football teams, only two would survive: The StaleysBears and the Cardinals. In the 90+ years since the league’s founding, the Bears moved from Decatur to Chicago; the Cardinals moved from Chicago to Saint Louis to Arizona. Halas worked with Chicago Cubs’ President William Veeck Sr. to arrange playing time in Cubs Park—later known as Wrigley Field. Halas was a baseball fan. He called his team the Bears given the larger size of football players. Having a great deal of experience with players of the era, Halas had an eye for talent, understood the player’s mentality, and worked diligently to establish professional football. 

For many years, professional football was a financially fragile undertaking. Players were paid on a game-by-game basis and sometimes the money was difficult to find. A poorly attended game could be financially disastrous. Few players thought of professional football providing a long term living. 

Halas's Decatur Staleys in 1920

Sporting Chance Press Book

The following passage is from Pillars of the NFL  by Patrick McCaskey, Copyright Sporting Chance Press.

Halas had recruited some of the top players in the country for the 1920 Staleys. In addition to Halas himself, the Staleys featured Hall of Famers George Trafton, Jimmy Conzelman, and Guy Chamberlin for starters. 

Trafton was a 6-foot-2, 230 pound bull who loved to mix it up. He was a tough player who was known around the league for his aggressive style of play. Conzelman was highly intelligent and played quarterback in 1920. 

Chamberlin was a game changer—a peerless defensive end, and on offense an excellent rusher and receiver. Halas’s future Bears’ partner Dutch Sternaman, could play any position in the backfield. Among others who joined the team were tackle Hugh Blacklock, back Jake Lanum, center John Mintun, and quarterback Pard Pearce. Several of Halas’s recruits were players he knew from his time at Great Lakes and the University of Illinois. 

After easily beating two semipro industrial teams, the Staleys traveled to Rock Island to defeat the tough Independents 7–0 in their first league match. The Staleys shut out the Chicago Tigers, 10–0, beat Rockford, 29–0, and then had a rematch with the Rock Island Independents that ended in a 0–0 tie. Halas’s men were too much for the Minneapolis Marines, 3–0, and the Hammond Pros, 28–7. Once again they shut out the Chicago Tigers, this time 6–0. Halas had back-to-back games against another Great Lakes pal, Paddy Driscoll, who was a player-coach with the Chicago Cardinals. In the first game, the Staleys kicked off to the Cardinals and when the ball touched a Cardinal player, fullback Bob Koehler picked it up and ran it in for the Staleys’ score. The extra point was missed.14 

Behind 6–0, Leonard Sachs picked up a Staleys’ fumble on the 20-yard line and ran it in for the score. The Cardinals’ successful extra point gave them a 7–6 win. When the Staleys played the Cardinals the following week, the Staleys won, 10–0. The final game of the season matched the Decatur Staleys with the Akron Pros. Akron’s 7–0–3 record was slightly better than Decatur’s 10–1–1 record. It would take a win for the Staleys to become champions. Halas’s friend and football adversary from the Cardinals, quarterback Paddy Driscoll, joined the Staleys for this one game in what was billed the league championship. 

The Pros had a huge star of their own—Hall of Fame running back, Fritz Pollard. African American Pollard was an excellent runner and dangerous punt and kick returner. When Pollard ran around end, Chamberlin, Halas, and others had their hands full trying to contain him. Regardless of the offensive talent in the game, defense ruled the day. Two penalties ruined promising Akron drives in the first half. One opportunity for the Staleys came in the third quarter. The Staleys drove down to the 18-yard line and moved a few yards toward center on two more plays for a field goal attempt. The kick was wide and the teams fought the rest of the way to a 0–0 tie. When the team managers got together long after the season had ended, they voted Akron the league champion.

Copyright Sporting Chance Press