1924 Chicago Bears season

NFL team season November 2013 March 2026 Chicago Bears 1924 1924bears.jpg 8–3–4 Overall6–1–4 NFL 2nd NFL George S. Halas, Dutch Sternaman George Halas Cubs Park Bears seasons The 1924 Chicago Bears season was their fifth regular season completed in the National Football League. The team was unable to improve on their 9–2–2 record from 1923 and finished with an 8–3–4 record under head coach George Halas earning them a second-place finish in the team standings, the fourth time in the last five years. The Bears started slow with 2 ties and a loss, but quickly gained their stride, winning 6 of their last 8 games with two ties. The Bears' only loss of the year was to the Cleveland Bulldogs, the eventual champions (the NFL officially considers the 1924 Bulldogs a different team than the Canton team from the previous year – however, all the players were the same). Despite coming in second, the Bears did defeat the cross-town rival Cardinals twice, both shutouts, and their future classic rival, the Green Bay Packers, once in a 3–0 shutout. The Sternaman brothers again carried the team, with Joe Sternaman having his best season. The younger Sternaman scored 6 touchdowns, threw for another, had 9 field goals, and 12 PATs, finishing with 75 of the Bears' 136 points. Schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources — September 21 at Green Bay Packers L 0–5 — Bellevue Park ~ 4000 — Cal, "Packers Score Great Victory Over Bears, 5 to 0: Chicago Eleven Taken Into Camp After Stubborn Fray; Cub Buck Kicks Field Goal," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Sept. 22, 1924, pp. 12, 16. 1 September 28 at Rock Island Independents T 0–0 0–0–1 Douglas Park 4,500 Recap 2 October 5 at Cleveland Bulldogs L 14–16 0–1–1 Dunn Field Recap Harry G. McDavitt, "Bristling Bulldogs Rip and Tear Their Way to 16–14 Triumph O'er Bears: Pro Gridders Usher in Season with Hot Game at Dunn Field," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Oct. 6, 1924, p. 17."Cleveland Bulldogs Jerk Game From Fire," Akron Beacon Journal, Oct. 6, 1924, p. 16. 3 October 12 Racine Legion T 10–10 0–1–2 Cubs Park 10,000 Recap 4 October 19 Chicago Cardinals W 6–0 1–1–2 Cubs Park 12,000 Recap 5 October 26 Frankford Yellow Jackets W 33–3 2–1–2 Cubs Park 8,000 Richard Whittingham, in his 1979 book, The Chicago Bears: An Illustrated History, has this crowd as "about 6,000" (p. 34). Recap 6 November 2 Rock Island Independents T 3–3 2–1–3 Cubs Park 10,000 Recap 7 November 9 Columbus Tigers W 12–6 3–1–3 Cubs Park 7,000 Recap 8 November 16 Racine Legion T 3–3 3–1–4 Cubs Park 6,500 Recap 9 November 23 Green Bay Packers W 3–0 4–1–4 Cubs Park 6,000 Recap Cal [George W. Calhoun], "Sternaman's Field Goal Beats Green Bay Packers: Fumbled Punt by Hendrian Proves Costly to Lambeau's Squad; Bays Fight Hard," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Nov. 24, 1924, pp. 14-15. 10 November 27 at Chicago Cardinals W 21–0 5–1–4 Cubs Park 13,000 Recap 11 November 30 Milwaukee Badgers W 31–14 6–1–4 Cubs Park 1,000+ Recap "Chicago Bears Sweep Over Badgers, 31–14: Windy City Crew Plays Thrilling Game Before Less Than 1,500 Fans," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 1, 1924, p. 12. — December 7 Cleveland Bulldogs W 23–0 — Cubs Park 15,000 The Chicago Tribune had the size of the crowd at 15,000. — Howard Martin, "18,000 See Bears Beat Cleveland for Pro Title: Pro Champions!," Chicago Tribune, Dec. 8, 1924, p. 29.Cal [George W. Calhoun], "Chicago Bears Capture Pro Football Championship: Cleveland Bulldogs Turned Back 23 to 9 by Halas-men; Sternaman Brothers Feature," Green Bay Press-Express, Dec. 8, 1924, p. 13."Chicago Bears Crush Bulldogs, 23–0 to Win National Grid Title," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 8, 1924, p. 16."Chicago Wins Pro Grid League Title: Bulldogs Put Up Stiff Battle for Three Periods, But Weaken in Last Quarter After Sternaman Clinches Championship with Drop Kick," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dec. 8, 1924, p. 11. — December 13 at Frankford Yellow Jackets W 13–10 — Frankford Stadium 20,000 — "Chicago Bears Win Professional Grid Title: Sternaman's Kicks Trip Yellow Jackets in Thrilling Battle," Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 14, 1924, pp. 27–28. — December 14 Rock Island Independents L 6–7 — Cubs Park 7,000 — "Rock Island Claims National Grid Title: Swanson Grabs Pass to Give Thorpe's Men 7 to 6 Win Over Bears," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 15, 1924, p. 16."Bears Lose 7–6 Grid Battle to Rock Islanders: Tough to Lose," Chicago Tribune, Dec. 15, 1924, p. 29. Note: Game in italics exhibitions (not recognized in league statistics). Thanksgiving Day: November 27. Standings thumb|right|350px|Final NFL standings for 1924, as published by the Chicago Tribune on the eve of the December 7 "championship game". A Thanksgiving Day game between Rock Island and Kenosha, won by the former, 10–6, is included as official. The December contests thumb|right|350px|Chicago quarterback Joey Sternaman runs for a first quarter touchdown in the December 7 game against the Cleveland Bulldogs. Roster thumb|center|600px|Official team photo of the 1924 Chicago Bears football club. Although the Bears proclaimed themselves World Champions based on a December 7 victory over Cleveland following completion of the regular season, and were widely accepted as such in the press, league owners selected the Cleveland Bulldogs as NFL champions of 1924. Future Hall of Fame players George Halas, end Ed Healey, tackle George Trafton, center Other leading players Dutch Sternaman, halfback Joe Sternaman, quarterback Laurie Walquist, quarterback Hunk Anderson, guard John Bryan, back References 35em Chicago Bears Category:Chicago Bears seasons Chicago Bears Category:1924 in Chicago