George Halas Hall of Fame career began in Decatur
The 1920 Decatur Staleys with legendary player/coach George Halas, front row, center. The team would move to Chicago the next year and become the Bears in 1922.
George Halas is forever Papa Bear, the man who founded the Chicago Bears as the Decatur Staleys in 1920.
Company teams, particularly baseball, were common in the early 20th century, as wealthy owners sought a certain prestige for their firms. A.E. Staley Sr. was no exception, but he also had his eye on a new sport â football. Halas moved to Decatur and lived at 280 W. William St., according to the city s street directory.
An autopsy performed Monday preliminarily showed Hughes died from multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the incident.
The death is under investigation by Springfield Police and the Sangamon County Coroner.
Allmon identified Margaret Knoepfle, 86, of Springfield as the person involved in a single-vehicle crash at South Grand Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard in Springfield on Friday.
Knoepfle died as an inpatient at Memorial early Sunday morning.
The crash is under investigation.