A Bit Of History: GSH Retires As Head Coach in 1968.
May 28, 2018 7:27:24 GMT -6
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May 27, 1968: George Halas retires as Bears coach
This article was originally published in the Chicago Tribune on May 28, 1968.
George Halas brought the most colorful and successful coaching career in the history of football to a dramatic close yesterday. He retired as head coach of the Chicago Bears.
"I have made this decision with considerable reluctance, but no regrets," the 73-year-old veteran told a stunned news conference. "There was a strong temptation to continue for another season. Next year is the Bears' golden jubilee and I would like to have been on the field in 1969 rounding out 50 years as a player and a coach.
"But looking at practical realities, I am stepping aside now because I can no longer keep up with the physical demands of coaching the team on Sunday afternoons.
"Cannot Move Quickly"
"The arthritic condition in my hip has progressed to the point where I simply cannot move quickly enough on the sidelines."
Halas said his successor would be named at a press conference today. When asked whether the new head coach would come from within the Bears' organization, Halas replied: "That's a good question."
Later, Halas answered the same question with an unequivocal "yes."
There was immediate speculation that Jim Dooley, a member of the staff since he retired as an end, would be selected.
Halas said he had informed his coaches of his decision just before the press conference and that he made up his mind on a successor only on Sunday night.
Caught Off Guard
Not only his assistant coaches, but also his players and members of his office staff were caught off guard by the announcement. Johnny Morris, one of the more prominent members of Halas' team the past few seasons, arrived at West Madison street headquarters in his role as a television announcer with a camera crew prepared to film the signing of a new player. Fullback Ronnie Bull dropped into the office on an errand a few minutes before the press conference and left without knowing that he will be taking orders from a new boss in the fall.
"I have always followed the ball — and the officials — up and down the field," Halas explained in a prepared statement. "A coach has to stay on top of the action to make decisions. I cannot do that any longer.
"I supposed I began to realize this in one of our finaal games last season when I started rushing after the referee who was pacing off a penalty and it suddenly dawned on me that I wasn't gaining on him. I began to wonder whether the officials were speeding up, or I was slowing down."
It was the second time that a hip ailment has figured prominently in Halas' remarkable athletic career. The man who helped organize the National Football League and became a legend in his own lifetime as one of its most respected members really wanted to be a baseball player.
But a slide into third on a triple off the famous Rube Marquard in a spring exhibition game in 1919 as a rookie outfielder with the New York Yankees damaged his right hip and closed the door to a major league career. Then he turned to football, his second love.
His announcement yesterday marked the fourth time he has retired as head coach of the team he organized as the Staleys in Decatur and brought to Chicago in 1921 to become the Bears. He turned over the coaching to the late Ralph Jones in 1929, returned in 1933 and left again in 1942 when he reentered the navy for the duration of World War II. In 1956 and 1957, he confined activities to the front office, but returned in 1958.
Won 312 Games
In 39 years as head coach of the team he has owned for 49 years, Halas compiled one of football's most amazing records. He was on the sidelines for 312 victories, 31 ties and only 142 losses, a winning percentage of .695 in football's toughest competition. Only the late Curly Lambeau of Green Bay came close with 230-138-25.
Bear teams under Halas finished first 9 times, second 13 times, third 5 times, and fourth 4. Seven teams lost only one game and two had perfect records — in 1934 with 13-0 and 1942 with 11-0. Twice they won 18 consecutive league games and only 5 of the 39 finished with less than a .500 percentage.
He coaches the Bears to six world championships and in his only appearance in the Pro bowl game as a coach in 1964, he led the Western team to victory over the Eastern division All-Stars.
He won his last title in 1963 at the age of 68, interrupting the championship rampage of the Vince Lombardi-coached Green Bay Packers.
He will go to camp, he said. ["I want to see our new training quartres at camp"] and will go to the games. "But I'll have nothing to say unless I'm asked."
"I'll miss most being on the sidelines," he mused. "After working hard all week, it's great to be down there in the action on Sunday."
This retirement, he insisted, is final. "After you lay out a year now you're thru. The game is progressing so fast and there's too much with which you have to keep up."
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Copyright © 2018, Chicago Tribune
George StricklerChicago Tribune
This article was originally published in the Chicago Tribune on May 28, 1968.
George Halas brought the most colorful and successful coaching career in the history of football to a dramatic close yesterday. He retired as head coach of the Chicago Bears.
"I have made this decision with considerable reluctance, but no regrets," the 73-year-old veteran told a stunned news conference. "There was a strong temptation to continue for another season. Next year is the Bears' golden jubilee and I would like to have been on the field in 1969 rounding out 50 years as a player and a coach.
"But looking at practical realities, I am stepping aside now because I can no longer keep up with the physical demands of coaching the team on Sunday afternoons.
"Cannot Move Quickly"
"The arthritic condition in my hip has progressed to the point where I simply cannot move quickly enough on the sidelines."
Halas said his successor would be named at a press conference today. When asked whether the new head coach would come from within the Bears' organization, Halas replied: "That's a good question."
Later, Halas answered the same question with an unequivocal "yes."
There was immediate speculation that Jim Dooley, a member of the staff since he retired as an end, would be selected.
Halas said he had informed his coaches of his decision just before the press conference and that he made up his mind on a successor only on Sunday night.
Caught Off Guard
Not only his assistant coaches, but also his players and members of his office staff were caught off guard by the announcement. Johnny Morris, one of the more prominent members of Halas' team the past few seasons, arrived at West Madison street headquarters in his role as a television announcer with a camera crew prepared to film the signing of a new player. Fullback Ronnie Bull dropped into the office on an errand a few minutes before the press conference and left without knowing that he will be taking orders from a new boss in the fall.
"I have always followed the ball — and the officials — up and down the field," Halas explained in a prepared statement. "A coach has to stay on top of the action to make decisions. I cannot do that any longer.
"I supposed I began to realize this in one of our finaal games last season when I started rushing after the referee who was pacing off a penalty and it suddenly dawned on me that I wasn't gaining on him. I began to wonder whether the officials were speeding up, or I was slowing down."
It was the second time that a hip ailment has figured prominently in Halas' remarkable athletic career. The man who helped organize the National Football League and became a legend in his own lifetime as one of its most respected members really wanted to be a baseball player.
But a slide into third on a triple off the famous Rube Marquard in a spring exhibition game in 1919 as a rookie outfielder with the New York Yankees damaged his right hip and closed the door to a major league career. Then he turned to football, his second love.
His announcement yesterday marked the fourth time he has retired as head coach of the team he organized as the Staleys in Decatur and brought to Chicago in 1921 to become the Bears. He turned over the coaching to the late Ralph Jones in 1929, returned in 1933 and left again in 1942 when he reentered the navy for the duration of World War II. In 1956 and 1957, he confined activities to the front office, but returned in 1958.
Won 312 Games
In 39 years as head coach of the team he has owned for 49 years, Halas compiled one of football's most amazing records. He was on the sidelines for 312 victories, 31 ties and only 142 losses, a winning percentage of .695 in football's toughest competition. Only the late Curly Lambeau of Green Bay came close with 230-138-25.
Bear teams under Halas finished first 9 times, second 13 times, third 5 times, and fourth 4. Seven teams lost only one game and two had perfect records — in 1934 with 13-0 and 1942 with 11-0. Twice they won 18 consecutive league games and only 5 of the 39 finished with less than a .500 percentage.
He coaches the Bears to six world championships and in his only appearance in the Pro bowl game as a coach in 1964, he led the Western team to victory over the Eastern division All-Stars.
He won his last title in 1963 at the age of 68, interrupting the championship rampage of the Vince Lombardi-coached Green Bay Packers.
He will go to camp, he said. ["I want to see our new training quartres at camp"] and will go to the games. "But I'll have nothing to say unless I'm asked."
"I'll miss most being on the sidelines," he mused. "After working hard all week, it's great to be down there in the action on Sunday."
This retirement, he insisted, is final. "After you lay out a year now you're thru. The game is progressing so fast and there's too much with which you have to keep up."
Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2018, Chicago Tribune
