Bears Play their Last Game at Wrigley Field

The Chicago Bears played their final game at Wrigley Field in 1970, bringing to an end their nearly 50-year relationship with the stadium. The Bears began playing at Wrigley back in 1921 when the team was still the Chicago Staleys and the field was called Cubs Park.

The growing popularity of the team and the sport itself led to consistent overcrowding at the affectionately dubbed “friendly confines.” Portable bleachers and folding chairs were crammed into every available space to accommodate the mass of spectators. But the close proximity of players and fans at Wrigley Field fostered a unique level of connection between the two, and the Bears enjoyed many successes as a result. In fact, they won a total of eight championships while at Wrigley. However, in 1971, amid growing safety concerns, the addition of television cameras, and the NFL’s desire to accommodate 60,000 fans, the Bears finally uprooted and moved to their current home at Soldier Field, where they brought home the championship in 1986.

Did you know?

There was initially talk of naming the football team the Cubs (after the park) but the players’ stature more closely resembled that of a bear, hence “Da Bears” were born.