McCaskey brothers reflect on George Halas' legacy at Hall of Fame
Story by Gabby Hajduk

Special.

It's the only appropriate word to describe how the moment felt to Bears chairman George H. McCaskey and his brothers Brian, Patrick and Ned — four of the 13 grandchildren of franchise founder, owner and Hall of Fame coach George Halas — when they arrived in Canton, Ohio, Wednesday evening.

Pulling onto 2121 George Halas Drive to reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame just days before two more Bears are enshrined evokes emotions of nostalgia and gratitude for the McCaskey brothers, and of course, endless memories of their beloved grandfather.

"It's always a special feeling when you drive up George Halas Drive," George said. "To think about George Halas being a charter member of the Hall of Fame Class of 1963, so many greats in that class and that have followed. And now we have the 31st and 32nd Chicago Bears being inducted. It's a special feeling."

The upcoming inductions of Devin Hester and Steve McMichael further solidify the Bears' legacy as the franchise with the most Hall of Famers — a legacy built by the perseverance of George Halas.

When the McCaskey brothers stepped into the Pro Football Hall of Fame museum Wednesday to await a large Bears contingent of coaches and players who were about to tour the building, they were met with physical representations of what their grandfather built.

"The building represents all of the NFL and just the changes from the '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s — decade by decade — all the changes are just so dramatic to the game itself," Brian said. "I think it's a great credit to the founding fathers of the NFL and just proud that my grandfather is one of them.

"My wife and I — they were turning the lights off when we were leaving. We stayed late and really took it all in. it was special to see all the Super Bowl rings, see the Bears displays, see the busts. I felt very at home."

"It's always great to be here," Ned said. "With all the Bears history that's on display here, it makes you appreciate what has occurred over the years that maybe we let pass by without proper attention."

More than anything, Wednesday's visit transported George, Patrick, Ned and Brian back to two specific times in their early lives: 1963 and 1968.

On Sept. 7, 1963, George Halas was the first person to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame's inaugural class, which consisted of 17 players and executives that brought pro football to life.

George Halas kept his speech short but spoke in a tone that exuded gratitude. His words will forever resonate with Patrick and Ned, whose playful conversation with their grandfather weeks earlier was the crux of the speech.

"When my grandfather talked with us about the original meeting — Sept. 17, 1920 — he talked about sitting on the fenders and the running boards of the cars," Patrick said. "And when he explained that to us, Ned asked, 'what's a running board?' I jumped in and said, 'well, it's like those cars you see on the television show the Untouchables.' My grandfather had that in his acceptance speech for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'll always remember that."

Every grandchild of George Halas has heard multiple versions of that infamous 1920 meeting. George Halas was among a group of men who gathered at a Hupmobile auto showroom in Canton where 10 franchises were represented — the Decatur Staleys being one of them. The result was the birth of the American Professional Football Association, later renamed the National Football League.

In one version of the story, beer was being served at the meeting. In another version, each franchise had to pay a $100 fee to help jumpstart the league. While details may have shifted as the story has been passed through generations, every McCaskey brother heard one truth from George Halas himself.

"The one thing that stands out to me is they talked about everybody had to pitch in $100," Brian said. "It was the charter fee, but I remember my grandfather saying, 'I don't know if anybody actually had $100 to chip in at that time.'"

"The whole group probably didn't have $100," Patrick added.

"It was just put out there with the media that each team pitched in a $100 to get things started," Ned explained. "No money actually exchanged hands."

That 1920 meeting not only sparked the rise of what is now America's most popular sport, it also ignited the success of the Halas-McCaskey family.

When George thinks of that story, his grandfather's account of the moment first comes to mind. But as he thinks deeper on it, it evokes an emotional image of his mother, Virginia Halas McCaskey — who has served as the Bears' principal owner since her father's death in 1983.

"Five years ago, when the league was celebrating its centennial at the annual meeting in Phoenix, they brought out a Hupmobile," George said. "They had all of the team owners pose for a photo in the automobile. And they made a point of putting Virginia Halas McCaskey in the driver's seat. And I thought, how appropriate."

While 1963 elicits many stories of their grandfather, 1968 brings forth cherished memories between the McCaskey brothers. It was the first and last time the majority of the family gathered together in Canton at the Hall of Fame.

Those present at the 1968 visit include George, Ned and Brian along with their sisters Anne and Mary, brothers Tim, Rich, Joseph and Michael, their cousin Kevin, Tim's first wife Lillian and, of course, Virginia Halas McCaskey.

There was no rhyme or reason that the family had chosen to gather at the Hall that year. George believes it was as simple as timing working in their favor. The McCaskey family wasn't one to vacation or travel often – maybe they would head out to Pennsylvania where Kevin and other extended family lived.

However, that gathering is one the brothers hold near and dear to their hearts.

"I think back to 1968 when we had most of us, almost the whole family here," George said. "For many of us, that was our first visit to the Hall. I mean, it had only opened in '63. It was very cool to see, the reverence with which George Halas is held to this day, especially by those here at the Hall."

One brother was noticeably absent, and for good reason. Patrick had a second date. To this day, George, Ned and Brian won't let him live it down. Patrick stands by his decision.

Through the whirlwind of an upbringing the McCaskey brothers lived as grandchildren of George Halas, that brotherly love has remained strong. It's a product of immense family pride that every member of the Halas-McCaskey family is born with and fosters throughout their life.

In all of the family's stories, memories and moments, their pride leads back to George Halas and his unwillingness to fail.

"He was a determined, stubborn, persevering man," Ned said. "He made the league what it is today. When you zero in on teams that are no longer in operation, they couldn't win the battle of the financial constraints that were needed to keep the league going. He got it done."

The legend of George Halas has taken many forms over the last 100+ years. To some, he's Papa Bear — a six-time NFL championship as head coach of the Bears. To others, he's Mr. Everything — a player, coach, owner, pioneer.

To George, Ned, Patrick and Brian, he was their grandfather — a role model, mentor and training camp golf-cart driver.

Each grandson has their favorite memories. For George, it's seeing him after Bears games at Wrigley Field. He would wait outside the locker room door — also the Cubs clubhouse at the time – down the left field line with other members of the family for his grandfather, who was always happy to see them, win or lose.

George also relished the opportunities to see a side of Papa Bear that not many others witnessed.

During the summers, the McCaskey children would head down to St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Ind. – where the Bears held training camp from 1944 to 1974 – to stay in the dorms and watch practice.

One day at camp in 1964, George and Ned recall sneaking into their grandfather's soda stash, drinking more than their brains could dream of and more than what their stomachs could handle.

"I had a can of pop in my hand," George recalled. "He came in, sat down by the side of the bed, and just gently reached over and took the can of pop, put it on the desk and said, 'let's put this aside.' It was just a very tender moment. Not the rough and tumble George Halas that you hear about."

Ned also remembers his grandfather caring for him and his siblings, even after a day of practice.

"Here's a man that's coaching a football team and playing nursemaid to his goofy grandchildren," Ned added.

Ned's memories with his grandfather at training camp are some of his fondest. It was a time he was able to experience George Halas in his element all while acting like a kid.

"I recall quite clear clearly riding with my grandfather on his golf cart while he managed the training camp," Ned said. "We would be either seated next to him or hanging on to the back as we went around to different phases of the practice that was occurring. I always thought that was pretty cool."

Brian, who went to North Park University in Chicago, lived relatively close to Edgewater Beach Apartments, or "the pink building" as him and his siblings called it, where George Halas resided for many years. Brian would often pick him up before driving out to his parents' house in northwest suburban Des Plaines.

"I felt very fortunate to be 20 years old and having my grandfather for that period of time, 1-on-1 to and from the house and just being able to talk to him," Brian said. "I just really enjoyed that."

For Patrick, it's more about the lessons he learned from his grandfather.

"He lived to be 88 years old, and he often said life is too short for grudges," Patrick said.

Patrick also learned perseverance at a young age from George Halas.

"When he was coaching the Bears, the players had to start training camp with the Halas Mile," he said. "That's how I got interested in distance running. I saw it as preparation for the football season so when I was in high school – I played football and ran track —I ran the mile to prepare for the football season. And I learned that from him."

Each persona of George Halas will be equally remembered and cherished — in Canton, Chicago and beyond.

It doesn't take a visit to the Hall of Fame for the McCaskey brothers to recall their endless memories of their grandfather, but there's something special about reminiscing together in the place where his legacy was forever cemented.

"The whole weekend does not feel like reality," Ned said. "As much as football is the heart and soul in America, it's ingrained in us family members even more."