How a Near-Disaster 110 Years Ago Forged the Modern NFL

A simple case of oversleeping may have saved the National Football League. George Halas, the future founder of the Chicago Bears, narrowly missed boarding the doomed SS Eastland on July 24, 1915. His survival allowed him to help create the NFL just five years later.

This tragic maritime disaster in the Chicago River claimed 848 lives. Halas’s escape from that fate is a pivotal, though often overlooked, moment in American sports history.

The Capsizing That Changed Football History

The SS Eastland was top-heavy and unstable. New safety rules added extra lifeboats after the Titanic sinking. This made the vessel dangerously prone to listing.

On that July morning, the ship was packed with 2,572 passengers. It was heading to a company picnic. Within minutes of boarding, the ship rolled over onto its side in the Chicago River.

Most victims were trapped below deck. The water was only 20 feet deep, but the sudden capsizing was catastrophic. According to Associated Press archives, it remains the deadliest shipwreck on the Great Lakes.

George Halas’s Fateful Morning

Halas, then 20, was a temporary worker set to attend the picnic. The reason he missed the boat remains debated. Some accounts say he was being weighed by his brother. Others suggest he planned to take a later ship.

The most compelling theory comes from the family of his business partner. They claim Halas simply overslept. This mundane error saved his life and altered the course of professional football.

His partners, Ralph Brizzolara and his brother, boarded without him. They were miraculously rescued through a port window after the ship capsized. This event forged a lifelong business bond between Brizzolara and Halas.

Building a League From the Ground Up

The close call gave Halas a new perspective on life. By 1920, he was running the Decatur Staleys football team. That same year, he attended a historic meeting in Canton, Ohio.

In a car dealership showroom, Halas and other pioneers formed the American Professional Football Association. This was the direct predecessor to the NFL. Halas was instrumental in drafting the league’s first constitution and bylaws.

He moved his team to Chicago in 1921. A year later, he renamed them the Bears. The league itself was also renamed, becoming the National Football League we know today.

The survival of George Halas was a foundational event for the NFL. His vision and leadership helped shape professional football into a national institution. The league’s multi-billion dollar empire exists in part because one man missed a boat.

Thought you’d like to know

What was the SS Eastland disaster?

The SS Eastland was a passenger ship that capsized in the Chicago River in 1915. It resulted in the deaths of 848 people, making it the largest loss of life from a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes.

How did George Halas help create the NFL?

Halas was a key figure in the 1920 meeting that established the league. He helped write its first constitution and provided the long-term leadership that ensured its survival and growth during its precarious early years.

What team did George Halas own?

George Halas was the owner of the Chicago Bears for over 60 years. He originally acquired the team when it was known as the Decatur Staleys before moving it to Chicago.

How did the Eastland disaster impact the Chicago Bears?

Had Halas died in the disaster, he would never have founded the Bears. The team’s entire history, including its numerous championships and immense value, is a direct consequence of his survival.

What is the Chicago Bears franchise worth today?

The Chicago Bears are now valued at approximately $6.5 billion. This financial empire stems from the franchise Halas built following his narrow escape from the Eastland tragedy.