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The
architects and engineers who designed Soldier Field
in 1919 would undoubtedly be thrilled to learn that
their stadium is still in use in 2005. Whether they
would recognize the place is another question
entirely.
September
14, 1996 - Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley unveiled a
surprise plan for a $395 million conversion of Soldier
Field that would add a retractable dome over the stadium
where the Bears play.
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"Even
after 70 years, people still have a hard time getting
its name right: It's Soldier Field, not Soldier's Field.
Opened in 1926 as a memorial to the men and women who
served in World War I, Soldier Field faithfully has
served the Windy City by hosting everything from boxing
matches to religious conventions. Its best known tenants,
the Bears, have called the place home since 1971. Before
then, the Bears shared the Cubs' den at Wrigley Field,
but the Mike Ditka years - all played in the shadows
of Soldier Field's majestic columns - have made this
stadium as much a hallowed place as the "friendly confines"
of Wrigley Field.
With
Lake Michigan to the east and the downtown skyline serving
as an impressive backdrop to the north, Soldier Field's
location is awe-inspiring. As befits the Windy City,
breezes that range from comfortably cool in September
to downright arctic in December often blow across the
stadium. Still, on a Monday night game with the skyline
lighted, the view is magical enough to make fans forget
they're frozen stiff.
Despite
talk about the Bears building a stadium in the next
decade, Soldier Field probably will continue to stand
tall and proud for many years to come. An $18 million
face lift (the third in 15 years) in preparation for
the World Cup helped spruce up this grand old park,
one of the elder statesman of NFL stadiums."
Some Chicago Bears history: Chicago has nine NFL
titles, behind only the Green Bay Packers in overall
league crowns. The Bears were the NFL's most
dominant team during the 1930s and 1940s, earning
six league titles. George Halas, a cofounder of the
NFL, collected 324 career victories during his 30
seasons as Chicago's head coach. Chicago made eight
trips to the playoffs from 1984 to 1994 and won the
Super Bowl in 1986. Running back Walter Payton, the
NFL's all-time leading rusher with 16,726 yards,
produced ten 1,000-yard seasons in these 11 years.
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