Monsters of the Midway
Encyclopedia
The "Monsters of the Midway" is most widely known as the nickname
for the National Football League
's Chicago Bears
—particularly the dominant teams of 1940 and 1941. The name underwent something of a renewal when the 1985 edition of the Bears proved to be similarly dominant.
"Maroons", a college football team under the leadership of Amos Alonzo Stagg
. "Midway" is a reference to the Midway Plaisance
, a long, green swath of boulevard
space bordering the southern end of the campus between 59th and 60th Streets and running from Washington Park
to Jackson Park
on Chicago's South Side. The U of C ended its football program in 1939, around a time of several Bears NFL Championships. During this time, their home field was Wrigley Field
on the North Side of the city, roughly 12 miles (20km) from the Midway. The "C" symbol on their helmets is borrowed from the U of C Maroons. The moniker is also used by the university's Velo Club bicycle racing team, for their annual criterium
, which takes place in May on the Midway.
(21–0) and the Los Angeles Rams
(24–0). This culminated in the Super Bowl
, wherein they defeated the New England Patriots
46–10. The 1985 Bears defense was ranked first in the NFL in points allowed and yards allowed, naturally making them first in defense overall.
also published a game entitled "Monsters of the Midway" in a 1982 edition of their magazine The Dragon. It was a football simulation with various fantasy characters taking the place of football players.
The game Mutant League Football
referenced the name, calling one of its fictional teams the "Midway Monsters".
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
for the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
—particularly the dominant teams of 1940 and 1941. The name underwent something of a renewal when the 1985 edition of the Bears proved to be similarly dominant.
Origins of the name
The nickname Monsters of the Midway was originally applied to the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
"Maroons", a college football team under the leadership of Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
. "Midway" is a reference to the Midway Plaisance
Midway Plaisance
The Midway Plaisance, also known locally as the Midway, is a park on the South Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It is one mile long by 220 yards wide and extends along 59th and 60th streets, joining Washington Park at its east end and Jackson Park at its west end. It divides the Hyde Park...
, a long, green swath of boulevard
Boulevard
A Boulevard is type of road, usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery...
space bordering the southern end of the campus between 59th and 60th Streets and running from Washington Park
Washington Park (Chicago park)
On December 6, 1879, former U.S. President Ulysses Grant took part in a tree planting ceremony in the park. A memorial boulder with a plaque commemorated the event. In the 1920s black semiprofessional baseball teams played at Washington Park...
to Jackson Park
Jackson Park (Chicago)
Jackson Park is a 500 acre park on Chicago's South Side, located at 6401 South Stony Island Avenue in the Woodlawn community area. It extends into the South Shore and Hyde Park community areas, bordering Lake Michigan and several South Side neighborhoods...
on Chicago's South Side. The U of C ended its football program in 1939, around a time of several Bears NFL Championships. During this time, their home field was Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
on the North Side of the city, roughly 12 miles (20km) from the Midway. The "C" symbol on their helmets is borrowed from the U of C Maroons. The moniker is also used by the university's Velo Club bicycle racing team, for their annual criterium
Criterium
A criterium, or crit, is a bike race held on a short course , often run on closed-off city center streets....
, which takes place in May on the Midway.
Mid-1980s
The popularity of "Monsters of the Midway" was renewed by the dominant Chicago Bears defense of 1985. That year the Bears went 15–1 in the regular season. In the playoffs the Bears posted two shutouts against the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(21–0) and the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
(24–0). This culminated in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
, wherein they defeated the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
46–10. The 1985 Bears defense was ranked first in the NFL in points allowed and yards allowed, naturally making them first in defense overall.
Games
TSRTSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
also published a game entitled "Monsters of the Midway" in a 1982 edition of their magazine The Dragon. It was a football simulation with various fantasy characters taking the place of football players.
The game Mutant League Football
Mutant League Football
Mutant League Football is a video game that was released in 1993 for the Sega Genesis. The game was designed using the Madden '93 engine, and features a different take on football, where the games resemble a war as much as a sporting competition....
referenced the name, calling one of its fictional teams the "Midway Monsters".