Virginia Halas McCaskey, the longtime owner of the Chicago Bears, has passed away at the age of 102. McCaskey assumed primary ownership of the Bears in 1983, following her father, George Halas, who founded the team in 1920. The Bears confirmed her death on Thursday, with her family releasing a statement: “While we are sad, we take comfort knowing Virginia Halas McCaskey lived a long, fulfilling, and faith-driven life and is now reunited with the love of her life. She led the Bears for four decades, always making decisions with the best interests of the players, coaches, staff, and fans at heart.”

Born in 1923 in Chicago, McCaskey was the NFL’s longest-tenured owner and the oldest owner of any U.S. professional sports team at the time of her passing. Over her 42 years as the Bears’ owner, she oversaw the franchise’s only Super Bowl victory in 1986. The Bears returned to the Super Bowl once more in 2007, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts, led by Peyton Manning.

Throughout its history, the Bears have won nine NFL championships, eight of which were earned before the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The team has been owned by the Halas family longer than any other franchise in the NFL. Read More…

Source: MSN