Exactly 100 years ago Thursday, George Halas and 14 other men gathered in a Hupmobile car dealership in Canton, Ohio, for one of the most significant meetings in American sports history.
Representing 10 football teams from across the Midwest, Halas and the other men founded what would become the National Football League.
Ralph Hay, who owned the Canton Bulldogs football team as well as the Hupmobile dealership, wasn't expecting such a large group to attend. As a result, he moved the meeting out of his office and onto the showroom floor, where some of the men sat on the running boards of the Hupmobiles because there weren't enough chairs available.
Each team paid a $100 entry fee. Halas was there on behalf of the Decatur Staleys. The other nine teams represented were the Bulldogs, the Akron Pros, the Racine Cardinals, the Cleveland Indians, the Dayton Triangles, the Hammond Pros, the Muncie Flyers, the Rock Island Independents and the Rochester Jeffersons.
The league was initially founded as the American Professional Football Association before being renamed the National Football League in 1922. The Decatur Staleys moved to Chicago in 1921 and were known as the Chicago Staleys in 1921 before becoming the Chicago Bears in 1922.
Of the 10 teams that formed the league in 1920, the Bears and Cardinals are the only two remaining. The Cardinals were initially known as the Racine Cardinals not because they hailed from the Wisconsin town, but because they played their home games on Racine Avenue in Chicago.
The men who founded the APFA 100 years ago Thursday in Canton had no idea they had just created what would become the most popular and prolific sports league in North American history.
When the NFL celebrated its 50th birthday in 1970, Halas said: "Thinking back to Sept. 17, 1920, and that meeting in Canton, Ohio, I am pretty sure none of us had the remotest idea what we were starting."
Sept. 17, 2020 marks the 100th birthday of the Chicago Bears. Celebrate the franchise's centennial birthday by taking a look at the top 100 players in team history as listed in the Bears Centennial Scrapbook.
100. Patrick Mannelly, LS
1998-2013
99. Doug Plank, S
1975-82
98. Trace Armstrong, DE
1989-94
97. Bobby Joe Green, P
1962-73
96. Eddie Jackson, S
2017-Present
95. Larry Morris, LB
1959-65
94. Jim Dooley, E
52-54, 56-57, 59-62
93. Herman Lee, T
1958-66
92. Bill Osmanski, FB
39-43, 46-47
91. Bob Wetoska, T
1960-69
90. Beattie Feathers, HB
1934-37
89. Mike Pyle, C
1961-69
88. Joey Sternaman, QB/K
1922-25, 27-30
87. Luke Johnsos, E
1929-36
87. Luke Johnsos, E
1929-36
85. Jay Cutler, QB
2009-16
84. Tom Thayer, G
1985-92
83. Willie Gault, WR
1983-87
82. George Blanda, QB/K
1949-58
81. Brandon Marshall, WR
2012-14
80. Alshon Jeffery, WR
2012-16
79. Dennis McKinnon, WR
83-85, 87-89
78. Donnell Woolford, CB
1989-96
77. Bennie McRae, DB
1962-70
76. J.C. Caroline, DB
1956-65
75. Akiem Hicks, DT
2016-Present
74. Kyle Long, G
2013-19
73. Tommie Harris, DT
2004-10
72. Mark Carrier, S
1990-96
71. Kevin Butler, K
1985-95
70. Matt Suhey, RB
1980-89
69. Bill Wade, QB
1961-66
68. Dick Barwegen, G
1950-52
67. Ed O'Bradovich, DE
1962-71
66. Mike Hartenstine, DE
1975-86
65. Dick Gordon, WR
1965-71
64. James Williams, T
1991-2002
63. Mike Brown, S
2000-2008
62. Robbie Gould, K
2005-15
61. Willie Galimore, HB
1957-63
60. Khalil Mack, OLB
2018-Present
59. Julius Peppers, DE
2010-2013
58. Wally Chambers, DT
1973-77
57. Jim Osborne, DT
1972-84
56. Roosevelt Taylor, DB
1961-1969
55. Johnny Lujack, QB
1948-51
54. Ed Brown, QB/P
1954-61
53. Jim McMahon, QB
1982-88
52. Joe Kopcha, G
1929-35
51. Keith Van Horne, T
1981-93
50. Mark Bortz, G
1983-94
49. Ray Bray, G
1939-42, 46-51
48. Fred Williams, T
1952-63
47. Dave Duerson, S
1983-89
46. Doug Buffone, LB
1966-79
45. Otis Wilson, LB
1980-87
44. Johnny Morris, FL
1958-67
43. Wilber Marshall, LB
1984-87
42. Richie Petitbon, S
1959-68
41. Neal Anderson, RB
1986-93
40. Ken Kavanaugh, E
1940-41, 45-50
39. Harlon Hill, E
1954-61
38. Link Lyman, T
26-28, 30-31, 33-34
37. George Halas, E
1920-29
36. Red Grange, HB/DB
1925, 29-34
35. George Musso, G
1933-44
34. Matt Forte, RB
2008-15
33. George Trafton, C
1920-32
32. Paddy Driscoll, HB
1920, 26-29
31. Charles Tillman, CB
2003-14
30. Gary Fencik, S
1976-87
29. Rick Casares, FB
1955-64
28. Lance Briggs, LB
2003-14
27. Olin Kreutz, C
1998-2010
26. Ed Healey, T
1922-27
25. Ed Sprinkle, E
1944-55
24. Joe Fortunato, LB
1955-66
23. George McAfee, HB/DB
1940-41, 45-50
22. George Connor, T/LB
1948-55
21. Joe Stydahar, T
1936-42, 45-46
20. Devin Hester, KR/PR/WR
2006-13
19. Steve McMichael, DT
1981-93
18. Jay Hilgenberg, C
1981-91
17. Stan Jones, T
1954-65
16. Bill Hewitt, E
1932-36
15. Mike Singletary, LB
1981-92
14. Brian Urlacher, LB
2000-12
13. Jimbo Covert, T
1983-90
12. Richard Dent, DE
1983-93, 95
11. Dan Hampton, DE/DT
1979-90
10. Danny Fortmann, G
1936-43
9. Doug Atkins, E
1955-66
8. Clyde "Bulldog" Turner, C/LB
1940-52
7. Bill George, G/LB
1952-65
6. Mike Ditka, TE
1961-66
5. Gale Sayers, HB
1965-71
4. Sid Luckman, QB/P/DB
1939-50
3. Bronko Nagurski, FB/T
1930-37, 43
2. Dick Butkus, LB
1965-73
1. Walter Payton, RB
1975-87
