BEARS
The Bears will be "throwing a party next year to celebrate their 100th season," and tickets for the festivities "go on sale" Friday on the team's website, according to Patrick Finley of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Bears Chair George McCaskey said that the team will hold a "Bears100 Celebration Weekend" June 7-9 at Stephens Convention Center. The event will "feature past and present players and coaches who will sign autographs and participate in panel discussions." There also will be "memorabilia and games for kids." McCaskey said that the Bears will "wear a throwback jersey for at least one game next year," though the team "won't unveil it" until '19. The team also "showed off a 100th-season logo that mimics the NFL's logo for its 100th season next year." McCaskey indicated that the Bears' "centennial celebration will go beyond what the NFL is planning." He added that the Bears will "celebrate one decade of their history in each of their 10 home games -- two preseason games and eight regular-season games." The team also will "donate $100,000 per home game to local charities voted upon by fans" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/16).
BIG BEARS BOOK: The Bears next spring will release "The Chicago Bears Centennial Scrapbook," by former Chicago Tribune sportswriters Don Pierson and Dan Pompei. The book "contains a rare interview" with 95-year-old Bears Principal Owner Virginia McCaskey. Pierson said that the interview "came from 14 or 15 hours of discussions" with McCaskey (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 11/15).
