1920 Decatur Staleys season

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The 1920 Decatur Staleys season was the team’s second year and their first as a professional squad under head coach George Halas. They played in the new American Professional Football Association (APFA), the league that would soon become the National Football League. The Staleys finished with a 10–1–2 record and placed second in the APFA standings, a big improvement over their 1919 record. This season also marked the start of what would become the Chicago Bears franchise.

Formation of the APFA
In August 1920, leaders from four Ohio League teams—Canton, Cleveland, Dayton, and Akron—talked about forming a true pro league. They agreed on a salary cap and rules about players under contract, and they named the circuit the American Professional Football Association. A second meeting in September added more teams, including the Staleys, and Jim Thorpe was elected president. The league let teams schedule games as they went and decided the champion by a vote of the owners. Players were paid from gate receipts.

Key players and scoring
The Staleys’ stars were Dutch Sternaman, Jimmy Conzelman, and George Halas. Sternaman had a remarkable season, scoring 87 points with 11 rushing touchdowns, 1 receiving touchdown, 4 field goals, and 3 PATs. Conzelman added two rushing TDs and two passing TDs, while Halas led the team in receiving touchdowns with two. The Staleys paid their players a share of gate receipts, and Halas received an extra share for his duties as manager and coach.

Season highlights
- October 3: Opening win over non-APFA Moline Universal Tractors, with Sternaman scoring all three Staleys touchdowns.
- October 17: Big win over APFA rival Rock Island Independents.
- October 24: A 10–0 victory at Cubs Park over the Chicago Tigers, in a game sometimes called the “game of the year.”
- November 7: A 0–0 tie with the Independents.
- November 14: A 25-yard field goal by Sternaman against the Minneapolis Marines.
- December 12: A 0–0 score at Cubs Park against the Akron Pros, in what was effectively a championship showdown. The game was moved to the larger Cubs Park, and Akron’s perfect season ultimately earned them the APFA title.

Championship and honors
There was no playoff system in place, so the APFA title was decided by a vote of the league’s owners. The Akron Pros were crowned champions, earning the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup in 1921. Seven Staleys players earned 1920 All-Pro honors, with Halas on the second team and others on the first and third teams. Five Staleys who played in 1920 would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: George Halas (1963), Jimmy Conzelman (1964), George Trafton (1964), Guy Chamberlin (1965), and Paddy Driscoll (1965).

Legacy
The 1920 season solidified the Staleys as a rising pro club, a few years before the franchise would become the Chicago Bears. The year showcased early APFA history, standout performances, and the beginnings of a franchise that would leave a lasting mark on the NFL.