1923 Chicago Bears season

1923 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	George Halas
Home field	Wrigley Field
Results
Record	9-2-2 Overall 9-2-1 NFL
Division place	2nd NFL
Playoff finish	No playoffs until 1932

The 1923 Chicago Bears season was their fourth regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 9-2-1 record under head coach/player George Halas earning them a second place finish in the team standings earning, the third time in the last four years. As was normal for those days, the Bears played a few games on the road at the beginning of the season and then finished the season with a 9 game homestand. The Bears started very slow, losing 2 of their first 4 games and scoring only 6 points during those games (their two wins were both won 3-0). After losing 6-0 to eventual champion Canton Bulldogs in week 4, the Bears went undefeated after that. Just like in 1922, the Sternaman brothers starred, scoring 5 touchdowns, 6 field goals, and 8 PATs between the two of them. Johnny Bryan emerged as a scoring threat as well, running for 4 scores and passing for another. Most notably, in week 6's game against the Oorang Indians, George Halas set an NFL record with a 98-yard fumble return.

Future Hall of Fame Players

• George Halas, End
• Ed Healey
• George Trafton, Center

Other Leading Players

• Ed Sternaman, Back
• Joe Sternaman, Quarterback
• Laurie Walquist, Quarterback
• Hunk Anderson, Guard
• Johnny Bryan, Back

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Location	Result	Score	Record
Sep 30	Rock Island Independents	Douglas Park	Loss	3-0	0-1-0
Oct 7	Racine Legion/Tornadoes	Racine, Wisconsin	Win	3-0	1-1-0
Oct 14	Green Bay Packers	Bellevue Park	Win	3-0	2-1-0
Oct 21	Canton Bulldogs	Wrigley Field	Loss	6-0	2-2-0
Oct 28	Buffalo All-Americans	Wrigley Field	Win	18-3	3-2-0
Nov 4	Oorang Indians	Wrigley Field	Win	26-0	4-2-0
Nov 11	Akron Pros	Wrigley Field	Win	20-6	5-2-0
Nov 18	Rock Island Independents	Wrigley Field	Win	7-3	6-2-0
Nov 25	Hammond Pros	Wrigley Field	Win	14-7	7-2-0
Nov 29	Chicago Cardinals	Wrigley Field	Win	3-0	8-2-0
Dec 2	Milwaukee Badgers	Wrigley Field	Tie	0-0	8-2-1
Dec 9	Rock Island Independents	Wrigley Field	Win	29-7	9-2-1
Dec 16	Milwaukee Badgers	Wrigley Field	Tie	7-7	9-2-1

• Game in italics was an exhibition game.

Standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972

Team	W	L	T	PCT
Canton Bulldogs	11	0	1	1.000
Chicago Bears	9	2	1	.818
Green Bay Packers	7	2	1	.778
Milwaukee Badgers	7	2	3	.778
Cleveland Indians	3	1	3	.750
Chicago Cardinals	8	4	0	.667
Duluth Kelleys	4	3	0	.571
Buffalo All-Americans	5	4	3	.556
Columbus Tigers	5	4	1	.556
Racine Legion	4	4	2	.500
Toledo Maroons	3	3	2	.500
Rock Island Independents	2	3	3	.400
Minneapolis Marines	2	5	2	.286
St. Louis All-Stars	1	4	2	.200
Hammond Pros	1	5	1	.167
Dayton Triangles	1	6	1	.143
Akron Pros	1	6	0	.143
Oorang Indians	1	10	0	.091
Louisville Brecks	0	3	0	.000
Rochester Jeffersons	0	4	0	.000

References

• 1923 Chicago Bears season