Niles' Link To Bears' History: George S. Halas Is Buried In Mausoleum

The Chicago Bears' first preseason game is in their rear-view mirror--they defeated the Buffalo Bills 10-3 at Soldier Field on Saturday. But did you know that there is a Niles link to the Monsters of the Midway? There is. George S. Halas, the longtime owner and coach of the Bears and a co-founder of the NFL, is buried in St. Adalbert Cemetery in Niles. "Papa Bear" is interred in the family mausoleum on the east side of the historic Catholic cemetery.

Halas was born in Chicago in 1895 and passed away in 1983.

I paid my respects to Halas last week. From the cemetery I drove to a big box retail outlet in Niles to buy a birthday present for my nephew--I chose an orange Bears shirt for him.