Historic Highlights: Bears played at Wrigley for 50 years

The Cubs have become synonymous with Wrigley Field, which many believe is one of America’s most hallowed sports venues. But the Cubs weren’t the only Chicago institution to call Wrigley home.

From 1921-70, Wrigley was the home field for the Chicago Bears, who produced some of the franchise’s greatest moments in the “Friendly Confines.” Though the facility wasn’t made for football, the Bears made it work for a half-century.

Wrigley, then known as “Cubs Park,” had served as the site of several home games in the franchise’s inaugural season of 1920, when the team played in Decatur as the Staleys in honor of its sponsor, the A.E. Staley Co.

In October 1921, Staley, citing a decline in business, the company claimed it could no longer sponsor its sports teams. Staley offered to pay salaries of $25 a week per player, as well as a guarantee of $5,000 for the team if George Halas, who had organized and managed the squad, would move the team to Chicago and keep the company name for one season.

The Staleys promptly settled into Cubs Park and incorporated the name “Bears” in 1922. It was the beginning of a memorable five decades on the north side.

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In the 1960s, many professional stadiums were specifically built as multipurpose facilities, including in Cincinnati, St. Louis, Philadelphia, San Diego, Pittsburgh and others. Four decades before that, two pro teams tried to squeeze into Wrigley Field, despite some obvious drawbacks.

It was certainly an informal arrangement. Halas later wrote that he had an annual handshake agreement with the chairmen of the Cubs, William Veeck Sr. and P.K. Wrigley to use the park for Bears’ home games.

Under the agreement, the Cubs received 15% of profits from tickets and concessions, unless the gate receipts rose above $10,000. If that happened, then the Cubs received 20%. The Bears retained all money from the sale of game programs but had to open each season on the road since the Cubs’ schedule ran through September.

The football field ran from the leftfield wall to the visitors’ dugout along first base, a seemingly odd alignment that was a treat to fans, many of whom were practically on top of the action. The only distance was in the rightfield bleachers, so Halas erected temporary seats on the outfield grass to bring some fans closer. Capacity eventually grew to around 45,000.

Players, though, had other challenges. The outfield wall was only 18 inches away from the northeast end zone, causing players to adjust or face a jarring collision.

The opposite end zone was a half-yard short of regulation, as the dugout steps cut off some space. The steps were filled with sand to compensate, but the field was never even, or completely of regulation size.

The tiny locker rooms were constructed for baseball, and could hardly fit a full football team. Showering was another issue, but Bears players, always looking for an edge, relished the quirks of Wrigley as part of a home-field advantage.

The team weathered chronic financial issues in the early years, including one episode in the Great Depression when Halas borrowed $1,500 from the rival Packers to cover payroll. But overall, the franchise seemed content with its home until the 1960s, when Halas began adding more seats and looking for a new venue.

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Much of the Bears’ history was written during the half-century at Wrigley, where the overall home record was 219-89-22. Of the Bears’ nine championships, only the vaunted 1985 Super Bowl team did not call Wrigley home. Wrigley was the site of five NFL title games, with the Bears winning four.

With the exception of Walter Payton and a handful of others, the best players in Bears history called Wrigley home. The 1920s and 1930s saw the likes of Red Grange, George Trafton, Bill Hewitt, Bronko Nagurski, George Musso and Paddy Driscoll, while the 1940s brought the “Monsters of the Midway” with Sid Luckman.

They gave way to George Blanda, Bill George, Mike Ditka, Dick Butkus, the short but brilliant career of Gale Sayers, and the sentimental story of Brian Piccolo. Halas roamed the sidelines at Wrigley in each season of his iconic coaching career, with the exception of 1920 in Decatur.

The franchise finally left Wrigley for Soldier Field in 1971. The Bears have appeared in the postseason only 16 times since, with seven of those coming in eight years from 1984-91.

• Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Illinois. He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com.