Chicagoans are justifiably excited and proud of the late-season heroics by their beloved Chicago Bears. Fans upset over the Bears’ lack of success over the last four decades have wistfully looked back at the legendary 1985 Super Bowl team. However, 22 years before that, the Bears thrilled the city with one of the most dominant championship teams of all time.
In 1963, the Monsters of the Midway ruled over the NFL. The team had a good supply of local boys on the roster. Linebacker Tom Bettis graduated from St. Mel High School before starring at Purdue University. Halfback Billy Martin went to the University of Minnesota after a great prep career at Wendell Phillips High School. Ed O’Bradovich, the young, take-no-prisoners defensive end, was a product of Proviso East High School. Center Mike Pyle went to Yale University after graduating from New Trier High School. Even northwest Indiana was well represented: Defensive tackle Johnny Johnson hailed from Hobart, and Ted Karras was a product of Gary Emerson High School. Research and planning director Paddy Driscoll came from Evanston Township High School. And head coach George Halas (Crane Technical High School) was a born-and-bred Chicagoan. So the city and its metropolitan area were well represented on the team.
While 1963 is thought of as Papa Bear Halas’ last championship, the architect and mastermind of the team was actually George Allen. The defensive coordinator’s ability to build a championship roster was uncanny. He acquired several starters through the draft or by trades. He incredibly drafted consecutive NFL Rookies of the Year: Mike Ditka in 1961 and running back Ronnie Bull in 1962. Imagine the ballyhoo if a Bears general manager were to do that today. The ’63 team also had quarterback Billy Wade, who led the NFL in pass completions in 1962 and was a consummate field general.
In 1963, several Bears made the Pro Bowl — Ditka, Wade, Pyle, Doug Atkins, Joe Fortunato and Richie Petitbon. The top honors bestowed upon members of this team are remarkable: Coaches Allen, Halas, Sid Luckman and Joe Stydahar; director Driscoll; and players Atkins, Ditka, Bill George and Stan Jones are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
While our current Bears have a thrilling, albeit nerve-racking, habit of pulling out games late in the fourth quarter, in the 56 quarters of football the ’63 Bears played, they were behind in just nine of them. The defense pitched one shutout and allowed their opponents only a field goal in two games and a single touchdown in five games. Opponents averaged only 10.3 points against the Bears all season. Only two teams in NFL’s 124-year history, the ’76 Steelers and the ’71 Vikings, were more dominant than this peerless squad.
The championship was at Wrigley Field against the Bears’ bitter rival the New York Giants, in subfreezing temperatures reaching into the single digits. Tickets were $10 in the upper grandstand and $12.50 in the lower boxes and east stands. True to form, the Bears prevailed 14-10, intercepting Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle five times, knocking him temporarily out of the game, and recovering two fumbles.
It is indeed exciting to follow our current heroes with their unexpected success this year, but let’s not forget those before our time who truly reached the summit.
Charles Billington is a sports historian and the author of three books, including “The 1963 Chicago Bears: George Halas & The Road to the NFL Championship.”
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