A Sad Anniversary, July 24, 1915 — The S.S. Eastland Disaster in Chicago
A Break From the Trump Madness
In 1915, George Halas, the founder of the Chicago Bears and the National Football League, was a 20-year-old student at the Chicago campus of University of Illinois. That summer, George was working at Western Electric Telephone Company, also in Chicago. But Saturday, July 24, was not merely a scheduled day off. He was, as well, excited about and preparing to join his Western Electric co-workers for the company’s annual boat ride and summer outing across Lake Michigan for beer, barbecue and baseball in Michigan City, Indiana (my hometown).
Built in 1903, the SS Eastland had crossed the big lake hundreds of times, having ferried all manner of cargo and passengers the forty miles across the lake. Again, today’s trip would take the WE workers to the pristine, white sandy beaches of Michigan City, Indiana.
George Halas arrived late to the dock that morning, and to this day it is unclear why. But, for whatever reason, his tardiness probably saved his life. Indeed, by the time he got there, the mighty ship had already left the dock and capsized just feet from the shore. George could only stand helplessly and watch as frantic rescue operations of WE’s 2,500 workers and their families were underway instead.
