1959 Chicago Bears season

1959 Chicago Bears season
1959 Chicago Bears season
Head coach	George Halas
Home field	Wrigley Field
Results
Record	8–4
Division place	2nd NFL Western
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
	← 1958; Bears seasons; 1960 →;

The 1959 season was the Chicago Bears' 40th in the National Football League. The team matched on their 8–4 record from 1958 under the coaching of George Halas, winning their last seven games.

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Sources
1	August 15	at Green Bay Packers	W 19–16	1–0	Milwaukee County Stadium	28,286	^[1]^[2]
2	August 22	vs. Philadelphia Eagles	W 24–21	2–0	Manning Bowl (Lynn, MA)	17,000	^[3]^[4]
3	August 29	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers	W 54–17	3–0	Jeppeson Stadium (Houston)	28,000	^[5]
4	September 5	vs. Washington Redskins	W 52–14	4–0	Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Florida)	28,245	^[6]
5	September 11	New York Giants	W 18–6	5–0	Soldier Field	43,385	^[7]
6	September 19	at Cleveland Browns	L 31–33	5–1	Cleveland Stadium	25,316	^[8]

Regular season

Program for the October 18 game against the Baltimore Colts.

The Bears had only two seat prices for the 1959 season: box seats cost $5, while the grandstand — either upper or lower — was priced at $4 per ticket.^[9] No discount was given for the full six game home package, with listed prices of $30 and $24, respectively.^[9]

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 27	at Green Bay Packers	L 6–9	0–1	City Stadium	32,150	Recap
2	October 3	at Baltimore Colts	W 26–21	1–1	Baltimore Memorial Stadium	57,557	Recap
3	October 11	Los Angeles Rams	L 21–28	1–2	Wrigley Field	47,036	Recap
4	October 18	Baltimore Colts	L 7–21	1–3	Wrigley Field	48,430	Recap
5	October 25	at San Francisco 49ers	L 17–20	1–4	Kezar Stadium	59,045	Recap
6	November 1	at Los Angeles Rams	W 26–21	2–4	L.A. Memorial Coliseum	77,943	Recap
7	November 8	Green Bay Packers	W 28–17	3–4	Wrigley Field	46,205	Recap
8	November 15	San Francisco 49ers	W 14–3	4–4	Wrigley Field	42,157	Recap
9	November 22	at Detroit Lions	W 24–14	5–4	Briggs Stadium	54,059	Recap
10	November 29	at Chicago Cardinals	W 31–7	6–4	Soldier Field	48,687	Recap
11	December 6	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 27–21	7–4	Wrigley Field	41,476	Recap
12	December 13	Detroit Lions	W 25–14	8–4	Wrigley Field	40,890	Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. October 3 was a Saturday night game.

Standings

NFL Western Conference
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Baltimore Colts	9	3	0	.750	9–1	374	251	W5
Chicago Bears	8	4	0	.667	6–4	252	196	W7
San Francisco 49ers	7	5	0	.583	5–5	255	237	L2
Green Bay Packers	7	5	0	.583	6–4	248	246	W4
Detroit Lions	3	8	1	.273	2–8	203	275	L1
Los Angeles Rams	2	10	0	.167	2–8	242	315	L8

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

NFL Eastern Conference
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
New York Giants	10	2	0	.833	8–2	284	170	W4
Philadelphia Eagles	7	5	0	.583	6–4	268	278	L1
Cleveland Browns	7	5	0	.583	6–4	270	214	W1
Pittsburgh Steelers	6	5	1	.545	6–4	257	216	W1
Washington Redskins	3	9	0	.250	2–8	185	350	L5
Chicago Cardinals	2	10	0	.167	2–8	234	324	L6

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

References

^ Associated Press, "Bears Nip Packers, 19–16: 37-Yard Pass Play in Last Minute Caps 16-Point Fourth Period Rally," Racine Sunday Bulletin, Aug. 16, 1959, sec. 3, pp. 1, 5.
^ Dick Cullum, "Bears Win in Last Minute," Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Aug. 16, 1959, p. 39.
^ Bob Hoobing, "Galimore Stars as Bears Beat Eagles, 34–21," Danville Register and Bee, Aug. 23, 1959, p. 35.
^ Ernie Roberts, "Bears Topple Eagles, 24–21," Boston Globe, Aug. 23, 1959, pp. 65, 69.
^ Associated Press, "Chicago Bears Drub Steelers: Crowd of 28,000 Attends Contest," Billings Gazette, Aug. 30, 1959, p. 30.
^ Associate Press, "Casares Sparks Bears to Fourth Straight," Miami News, Sept. 6, 1959, p. 20.
^ George Strickler, "Bears' Passes Beat Giants, 18–6: 43,385 Watch Chicago Win Fifth in Row," Chicago Tribune, Sept. 12, 1959, sports p. 1, 3.
^ Chuck Heaton, "Browns Win in Final Seconds, 33–31: Trip Bears on Groza's Long Boot," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Sept. 20, 1959, pp. 1C, 8C.
^ ^a ^b E.J. O'Malley, "Purchasing NFL Tickets: A Guide to Ticket Information," Sports Forecast, vol. 2, no. 2. Chicago: E.J. O'Malley Publishing Co., 1959; p. 78.

[1] Associated Press, "Bears Nip Packers, 19–16: 37-Yard Pass Play in Last Minute Caps 16-Point Fourth Period Rally," Racine Sunday Bulletin, Aug. 16, 1959, sec. 3, pp. 1, 5.

[2] Dick Cullum, "Bears Win in Last Minute," Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Aug. 16, 1959, p. 39.

[3] Bob Hoobing, "Galimore Stars as Bears Beat Eagles, 34–21," Danville Register and Bee, Aug. 23, 1959, p. 35.

[4] Ernie Roberts, "Bears Topple Eagles, 24–21," Boston Globe, Aug. 23, 1959, pp. 65, 69.

[5] Associated Press, "Chicago Bears Drub Steelers: Crowd of 28,000 Attends Contest," Billings Gazette, Aug. 30, 1959, p. 30.

[6] Associate Press, "Casares Sparks Bears to Fourth Straight," Miami News, Sept. 6, 1959, p. 20.

[7] George Strickler, "Bears' Passes Beat Giants, 18–6: 43,385 Watch Chicago Win Fifth in Row," Chicago Tribune, Sept. 12, 1959, sports p. 1, 3.

[8] Chuck Heaton, "Browns Win in Final Seconds, 33–31: Trip Bears on Groza's Long Boot," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Sept. 20, 1959, pp. 1C, 8C.

[SF59-9] E.J. O'Malley, "Purchasing NFL Tickets: A Guide to Ticket Information," Sports Forecast, vol. 2, no. 2. Chicago: E.J. O'Malley Publishing Co., 1959; p. 78.

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