First published in the Feb. 9 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
As the Rose Bowl Stadium begins its second century, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation recently announced the addition of another key historical marker to be placed on property in honor of football icon and 1919 Rose Bowl Game MVP, George Halas.
The addition of the historical marker continues the venue’s commemoration and recognition of a century of heritage and key moments that have positively influenced sports, entertainment and the communities that the Rose Bowl serves.
Made possible by generous donations to the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation from supporters around the country, the Halas marker will educate the public and acknowledge a key historical figure in the iconic history of America’s Stadium. The marker will be installed this year. The donations to the Halas project also support the preservation, protection and enhancement of the future of the Rose Bowl Stadium as a National Historic Landmark.
A Rose Bowl Game Hall of Fame inductee in 2018, Halas’ name has been synonymous with football for a century. Halas was a three-sport athlete at the University of Illinois, but he played in the 1919 Rose Bowl Game as a member of the Great Lakes Navy. He led the Navy to a 17-0 win over the Mare Island Marines and was named MVP of the game. He scored on a 32-yard touchdown reception and added an interception that he returned for 77 yards — still the longest non-scoring interception return in a Rose Bowl Game.
Following his time in the Navy, Halas founded the Decatur Staleys, an original franchise in the American Professional Football Association in 1920. The Staleys moved to Chicago in 1921 and became the Chicago Bears in 1922, the same year the APFA became known as the NFL. Halas was the player-coach of the Bears through 1928. In all, he had four separate 10-year stints as the club’s head coach. His 324 wins (including postseason) as a head coach stood as an NFL record until 1993, and his total of six league championships remains tied for the most ever.
Halas was also a charter inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
The Halas marker is the sixth such educational plaque on the stadium’s property joining historical markers honoring stadium architect Myron Hunt and the Home of the Rose Bowl Game (both located on Gate A), Peyton Manning (located at Tunnel 16), coach Eddie Robinson (coming in early 2023) and Fritz Pollard (coming in early 2023).
“The Rose Bowl Stadium has a legacy that stretches worldwide — and that foundation is rooted in the game of college football,” said Dedan Brozino, president of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation. “Mr. Halas is undoubtedly a key part of our story here in Pasadena and for generations of football fans. We are excited to educate our visitors and honor his contributions to the game thanks to generous supporters of this project.”
