Edward Sternaman
- Decatur Staley (1920 )
- Chicago Staley ( 1921)
- Chicago Bears (1922-1927)
Edward Carl "Dutch " Sternaman ( born February 9, 1895 in Chicago, Illinois, USA, † February 1, 1973 ) was a U.S. American football player. He played in the National Football League ( NFL) for the Chicago Bears. Together with George Halas, he was the owner of the Bears.
Playing career
College career
Dutch Sternaman visited in Springfield, Illinois, high school. Interrupted by his military service studied Dutch Sternaman after finishing school from 1916 to 1920 at the University of Illinois, where he also played football. For his athletic achievements Sternaman in 1916, 1917 and 1919 award. In college, he played with George Halas. Both were professional football player in the Decatur Staley in 1920. 1919 Sternaman won with his team the Conference Championship, the American press chose the "Fighting Illini " to the national football champion.
Professional career
In 1919 Halas and Sternaman received build a professional football team in Decatur an offer of the company AE Staley. The team should act as an advertising company. Sternaman then entered into his studies. George Halas had now brought together with other interested parties in Chicago a professional football league in life, the American Professional Football Association ( APFA ), which was later renamed the National Football League. Sternaman and Halas set then the team of Staley. Besides Jake Lanum, a former player of the "Fighting Illini ", the later members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Guy Chamberlin, Paddy Driscoll and George Trafton were committed. The crew of the Staley took in 1920 on the operation of gambling. George Halas served as player-coach of the team, Sternaman played for the team as a running back and quarterback.
The Staley could establish itself immediately as a top team in the APFA. While 1920 was still second in the league, the team won the 1921 APFA championship after moving to Chicago. Before the season, the company AE Staley had issued the sports franchise to Halas and Sternaman. The Staley paid their players per game, a content of 75 to 100 U.S. dollars and the company had made in 1920 with the Bears a loss of U.S. $ 14,000. AE Stales paid Halas and Sternaman for the naming rights to the team in the season 1921 5000 U.S. dollars. With the relocation of the team to Chicago and the economic success began. While in 1920 only an average of 2,000 spectators watched the games of the team, the audience was already average in 1921 at 10,000 spectators. The gain in 1921 is said to have stood at 21,000 U.S. dollars.
The crew of the Bears could intensify in the coming years with other top players, such as the brother of Dutch, Joey Sternaman, Ed Healey, William Roy Lyman, Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski and permanently establish itself as a top team. After the 1927 season, Dutch Sternaman ended his playing career and business after a gas station. However, he was co-owner of the Bears. The team won its second championship in 1932. However, the season was far from satisfactory. While the Bears won seven of 14 games, lost once and drawn six times played, the Green Bay Packers have won ten of 14 games, but lost three games. Without achieving a single point, the Bears were playing in their first three games of the season each draw, including the away game against the Packers. Sternaman retired after this season all the way back. The relationship between Halas and it should have previously degraded significantly. The requirement of expensive star players such as Grange or Nagurski the Bears had fallen into the red. Sternaman had through the operation of its gas station and the construction of an apartment house also financial problems. He offered Halas of its shares to the Bears for 38,000 U.S. dollars. Since Halas could not afford to even this sum, an installment payment has been agreed. In 1933 Halas Sternaman had finally paid.
Sternaman trained after he left the Bears unterklassige a college football team. He died in 1973 and is buried at the Mount Emblem Cemetery in Elmhurst.
Honors
Dutch Sternaman was elected twice to the All- Pro. The Chicago Bears honor him on the Ring of Honor