wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
It may well have served his own interests but a tip of the cheese hat to Papa Bear.

Halas helped save Packers 


More than animosity, respect defines the NFL's oldest and best rivalry.

To grasp this fully, you have to go back to one day in 1956 when it wasn't Bears legend George Halas coaching against the Packers. It was Halas coaxing the people of Green Bay on behalf of the home team considered his nemesis.

With the Packers facing the threat of NFL relocation unless city residents approved a new football stadium, Halas boldly sought to keep his field enemies closer to Chicago. Everybody in Wisconsin knew Halas despised the Packers for two Sundays every football season.

But less publicized was the honorable way Halas treated the Packers organization the other 363 days of the year, best illustrated when the Bears founder showed up to push public funding for what is now Lambeau Field.

"While the NFL and other people were telling Green Bay what needed to be done, George Halas went up there and made an impassioned plea about how important the Packers were to the community," said incoming Bears Chairman George McCaskey.

At that rally in '56, heavily promoted on local radio, Halas preached to locals used to booing his Bears. When voters responded April 3, 1956, by passing the stadium referendum measure to issue bonds that greenlighted more pro football in Green Bay, Halas received a share of the credit.

McCaskey, named for his famous grandfather, chuckled when recalling the irony of a story that still makes him proud.

"I'm biased, of course, but in my view that example gives you some idea of the measure of the man," McCaskey said.

It also reveals the true spirit behind the Bears-Packers series that peaks Sunday at Soldier Field when the two teams meet for the 182nd time in the NFC championship game.

Sure, it can get nasty when the Bears and Packers play.

Halas and Curly Lambeau, the Packers vice president and head coach from 1919 to 1949, set the tone for generations to follow by regularly engaging in intense gamesmanship that nearly crossed the line of sportsmanship. Dozens of players over the years have recalled the way Halas' demeanor would transform from professional to possessed after kickoff, when he was known to heckle Packers tackled near the Bears' sideline.

"I always kind of felt Halas was a friend of the Packers, but when it came down to game day, I know he screamed like heck at them,'' said Art Daley, 94, a former sports writer for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "It wasn't dirty. But, boy, it was intense."

We've also seen enough replays of cheap shots in the post-Halas era to have a continuous loop running in our memories. The bitterness between Mike Ditka and Forrest Gregg helped produce regrettable incidents such as Charles Martin slamming Jim McMahon in 1986 and Ken Stills clocking Walter Payton out of bounds in 1985. Surely nails-for-breakfast linebackers Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, among others, had their outbursts too. It happens.

But generally speaking, since the first time these two franchises played almost 90 years ago, most of the vitriol exchanged comes from fans more than players and coaches. These days most of the trash-talking comes from talk-radio callers or tired comparisons of the cities. No, the modern-day Bears-Packers rivalry isn't as edgy as Steelers-Ravens or as petty as Jets-Patriots and thank goodness.

Lovie Smith didn't sound very convincing Monday when he claimed, "We don't like each other." Did he? About the same time Smith was paying lip service to manufactured hostility, Packers coach Mike McCarthy sounded sincere calling his Bears counterpart a fine coach and gentleman. Heck, Sunday's opposing quarterbacks, Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers, regularly exchange texts, and things are so chummy this week you imagine one of them ending a message "XOXO.''

Documented and anecdotal history suggests, beneath the game-day edginess, Halas occasionally showed a soft spot for the Packers going back to the NFL's infancy. Read "Papa Bear," by author Jeff Davis, and it's clear Halas always recognized how both teams needed each other to grow their respective franchises and the league.

As noted in the Packers media guide, it was Halas who was instrumental in persuading league partners in 1922 to allow Green Bay and Lambeau back in the fold after the Packers were banned for using college players illegally. Though it's interesting to note that it was Halas who originally discovered that the Packers used the players and the Bears signed one of them, Hunk Anderson, after the hubbub.

Still, a mutual respect developed, and the Packers returned the favor during the Great Depression when hard financial times left Halas scrounging for money to meet payroll expenses.

"He had to borrow money from his mother and his mother-in-law, and to me it speaks to his vision that he was able to keep things going," McCaskey said.

Halas also accepted a $1,500 loan from the Packers in 1932, according to Green Bay Press-Gazette archives. Some football historians believe it was that gesture by the Packers that drove Halas to get so involved in 1956 when the NFL deemed old City Stadium and its 24,000-seat capacity too small.

But perhaps Halas' biggest contribution to his football neighbor 185 miles to the north went beyond supporting stadium projects that kept afloat teams in small markets such as Green Bay. When the Packers needed to hire a coach at the end of the 1958 season, team President Dominic Olejniczak sought Halas' opinion.

"Vince Lombardi's your man,'' Halas told Olejniczak.

Indeed he was. No wonder when Halas died in 1983, Olejniczak was quoted in newspapers as saying, "The Packers could not have had a better friend than George Halas."

And this about the only coach to ever beat Lombardi five times.

"The story I heard was George Halas also was the only coach Vince Lombardi addressed by the title 'Coach,'" McCaskey said. "I think that's the measure of the type of respect they had for each other."

It's also another measure of what makes this respectful rivalry unique.


UserPostedImage
digsthepack
14 years ago
And at some point, Curly Lambeau gave Papa Halas the game entire gate to make payroll. This is why I have a respect for he Bears' organization.....history, long held admiration and respect between the teams, and let's face it....these two teams started pro football.
State Motto: "Wisconsin, our serial murderers eat their kill!"
hos327
14 years ago
Also, the 'field heater' that people say Vince turned off before the Ice Bowl was designed and bought from Halas or his brother (can't remember).
Go Pack Go!
Pack93z
14 years ago

And at some point, Curly Lambeau gave Papa Halas the game entire gate to make payroll. This is why I have a respect for he Bears' organization.....history, long held admiration and respect between the teams, and let's face it....these two teams started pro football.

"digsthepack" wrote:



I hold complete respect for the Bears organization and the tradition and pride they have conducted themselves with over the history of football.

However.. I hold a certain contempt for a good share of their fan base.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
A Bear's friend of mine was telling me this article was in the Trib. I told him that I was familiar with the story and that most of the older Packer fans were too. he was surprised.
UserPostedImage
yooperfan
14 years ago
That is a great story and thanks for contributing it.

I would like to add my own home town story which I contibuted years ago:

When the Green Bay Packers were in financial trouble, a wealthy banker who lived across the street from me in Ishpeming in Michigans Upper Peninsula, Sam Cohodes also came to the Packers rescue.
Sam was not only a banker but controlled most of the fruit industry in the midwest.
When the Packers were in dire need of financial assistance Sam forced the businessman in the Ishpeming/ Marquette area, who depended on his bank, to buy Packers stock and season tickets. In turn the employers made it possible for their employees to buy Packers season tickets. That and the fact that the Green Bay Packers games were the only games you could watch on TV in this area helped in making most yoopers Packers fans.
This area has, since Mr. Sams largesse and strong arm tactics, been awash in Packers ticket opportunities.
And that is why that in 1956 at the age of 8 years old I was able to attend my 1st Packers game in old City Stadium sitting on wooden bleachers to became a staunch and lifelong Packers fan who can still attend a game or two still to this day.
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
Mom (and Dad when he was alive) have a cabin in the UP. I listened to many a game on the radio on my way home to IL. The signal wasn't always the best. Tv at their place was pretty spotty too. damn woods. lousy little antenna too.
UserPostedImage
yooperfan
14 years ago

Mom (and Dad when he was alive) have a cabin in the UP. I listened to many a game on the radio on my way home to IL. The signal wasn't always the best. Tv at their place was pretty spotty too. damn woods. lousy little antenna too.

"wpr" wrote:



I'm glad to hear you have ties to the U.P.
Go Pack Go!
Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (41m) : Well, not crazy, it makes sense. Crazy I didn't notice/find it earlier
Zero2Cool (41m) : it's crazy how one stored procedure to get data bogged everything down for speed here
dfosterf (59m) : to herd cats or goldfish without a bowl. They reminded me of the annual assembly of our fantasy league
dfosterf (1h) : out on a field trip, outfitting them with little yellow smocks. Most of the little folk were well behaved, but several were like trying
dfosterf (1h) : Yesterday my wife and I spent the afternoon on the waterfront here in Alexandria, Va. A daycare company took about 15 three/four year olds
wpr (1h) : seems faster. yay
dfosterf (1h) : Wife of reason posted on the in/out thread on fleaflicker that both she and vor are in
Zero2Cool (12h) : This page was generated in 0.135 seconds.
Mucky Tundra (12h) : Tbh, I can never tell the difference in speed unless it's completely shitting the bed
Zero2Cool (13h) : Sure does feel like site is more snappy
Zero2Cool (16h) : I thought that was the Lions OL
Mucky Tundra (17h) : Travis Glover placed on IR; seasons over for him
Zero2Cool (21h) : found bad sql in database, maybe site faster now?
dfosterf (5-Aug) : I'm going to call that a good move.
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : Packers sign CB Corey Ballentine
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : I'm not sure how to kill the draft order just yet so it's not so confusing.
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : *to be able
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : and because it's not a dynasty league (which makes a lot more sense to be ability to trade picks)
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : Oh I know; I was just exploring and it blew my mind that you could trade picks because of the whole reordering thing
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : Zero, I think I preferred my offer: your 1st for my 15th rounder
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : Keep in mind, we do a draft reorder once all members locked in
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : You can have my 12th Rd for your 2nd round
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : Hey i didn't know we could trade picks in fantasy
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : Update: Rock has tried a cheese curd, promises it's not his last
Zero2Cool (3-Aug) : watch it!! lol
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : you're right, we never did leave, the site just went down :P
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : Rock claims to have never eaten a cheese curd
Zero2Cool (3-Aug) : We did not leave.
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : Family Night! WE ARE SO BACK!
Mucky Tundra (2-Aug) : To this day, I'm still miffed about his 4 TD game against Dallas on Thanksgiving going to waste
Martha Careful (2-Aug) : Congratulations Sterling Sharpe. He was terrific and I loved watching him play.
beast (2-Aug) : I believe it's technically against the CBA rules, but Jerry just calls it a simple unofficial chat... and somehow gets away with it.
beast (2-Aug) : Jerry Jones is infamous for ̶n̶e̶g̶o̶t̶i̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ chatting with players one on one... and going around the agent.
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : Oo just saw a blurb saying that Dallas negotiated directly with Parsons and not through his agent
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : I assumed that both guys will get paid, just a matter of when or how we get there
Zero2Cool (1-Aug) : McLaurin nor Micah going anywhere. They will get money
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : the Synder years or do they take care of one of their own?
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : Do the Commanders risk losing a top WR with an emerging QB just because he's turning 30 and potentially risk damaging the rebuild from
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : Turns 30 this September, plays at a high level and Washington has some cap space I believe
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : More interesting is Washington with Terry McLaurin
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : I would imagine Dallas will resolve this issue with a truckload of money
Zero2Cool (1-Aug) : Micah pulling a Myles with trade request
beast (1-Aug) : Packers should make some cheese forks
Mucky Tundra (31-Jul) : GRAB THE PITCHFORKS~
Zero2Cool (31-Jul) : CUT HIM
Mucky Tundra (31-Jul) : Socieltal collapse imminent
Mucky Tundra (31-Jul) : The West has fallen
Mucky Tundra (31-Jul) : After starting off camp with 25 straight made field goals, Brandon McManus has missed one
Zero2Cool (31-Jul) : But it should be stable
Zero2Cool (31-Jul) : It's probably gonna be slower.
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
15h / Fantasy Sports Talk / dfosterf

23h / Around The NFL / wpr

5-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

5-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

4-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / bboystyle

3-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

3-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

3-Aug / Feedback, Suggestions and Issues / Zero2Cool

2-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

2-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

28-Jul / Random Babble / Zero2Cool

28-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

28-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

27-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

27-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.