Davis Takes a Fresh Approach to Halas, McCaskey History

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Byline: Barry Rozner

"Halas is the greatest name in the history of this game. No question. He is the father of professional football."

- Paul Hornung

"Papa Bear: The Life and Legacy of George Halas" might just as easily be titled, "The Legacy of George Halas, and How the McCaskeys Tried to Erase It."

Local author Jeff Davis - a former sports producer at Channel 5 for the likes of Johnny Morris, Greg Gumbel, Chet Coppock and Mark Giangreco - has penned the first serious look at the life and hard times of the man who invented the NFL and the family that has kicked dirt on his name.

"The McCaskeys have never seen the Bears as a public trust, whereas Halas and his brethren founded the league on that very idea, and that's the only reason it succeeded," Davis said. …