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Bear With Me: A Family History of George Halas and the Chicago Bears

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Author Patrick McCaskey in "Bear With Me" shares stories - memories of Papa Bear George Halas, a history of the Chicago Bears and many of its great players, a history of the National Football League and many of its great owners, reminiscences of his personal relationship with Halas, his father and mother, many of football's greatest stars, and his years at Notre Dame High School (Niles, Ill.) - he has compiled or composed over several decades. This is a great read for football fans and coaches everywhere, and Chicagoans like me who grew up with George Halas and "duh Bears."

McCaskey provides insights gained only by someone who shared Halas' life as his grandson, godson, and great friend. Halas, as McCaskey highlights throughout the book, was someone who loved and cared for his family and had a tremendous influence not only in his family, but also on his colleagues, coaches and players, and friends.

Halas' life also had an element of divine providence. He just barely missed taking the ill-fated passenger ship, the Eastland, for a trip across Lake Michigan in 1915. The ship overturned taking 812 lives. God had important things for him to accomplish before he called him home...and accomplish them he did. Halas continues through McCaskey's stories as an example for all.

McCaskey takes us through Halas' early years in Chicago; his years at the University of Illinois where he lettered in football, baseball, and basketball; his Navy years as recreation officer at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center; his time as a New York Yankee only to be replace by a youngster, Babe Ruth; his formative years in the pros as a player/coach for the A.E. Staley company football team (Decatur, Ill.); the creation of the American Football League at a Hupmobile Auto Agency in Canton, Oh.); the birth of the Bears: and the emergence of pro football as mass entertainment.

"Bear With Me" includes words of wisdom, not only offered by McCaskey in his closing chapter but also through speeches given to honor Papa Halas, Gale Sayers, Brian Piccolo, George Connor, his Uncle Mugs, and Doug Atkins which are included as Appendices.

All-American, all-around good guy Patrick McCaskey has given football fans, players, coaches, parents, grandparents, and Chicagoans a real gift.