Chicago Honey Bears facts for kids

The Chicago Honey Bears were a cheerleading team for the Chicago Bears. This football team plays in the National Football League. The Honey Bears performed at Bears games from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. Their home stadium was Soldier Field in Chicago.

After the Super Bowl XX in 1986, the team was stopped. Today, the Bears are one of seven NFL teams without cheerleaders. Other teams without cheerleaders include the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers.

History of the Honey Bears

In 1976, the Bears had a very tough football season. The team's owner, George Halas, wanted to make games more exciting. He saw how popular other cheerleading teams were. Teams like the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders were a big hit.

Halas decided the Bears needed their own cheerleaders. He asked his general manager, Jim Finks, to find a director. Finks was told about Cathy Core, a former cheerleader and choreographer. She had just moved to Chicago.

At first, Cathy Core thought the call was a joke. But after checking, she agreed to lead the team. Halas told her, "As long as I’m alive, we will have dancing girls." He kept his promise. The Honey Bears performed throughout his life until he passed away in 1983.

Twenty-eight girls were chosen for the first team. They quickly became very popular. The job did not pay much money at first. They earned only $15 per game. This money covered gas, parking, and uniform cleaning. By 1985, their pay went up to $20. Even with low pay, over 5,000 women tried out in 1985.

Unlike many cheerleading teams today, the Honey Bears did more cheerleading stunts. Other teams often focus more on dance moves.

The Honey Bears performed at home games. They also performed at one away game in Tampa, Florida. They spent many hours helping charities. They also appeared on TV shows. These included the Richard Simmons Show. They also helped with the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. They performed for Navy service members at the Great Lakes Naval Station.

The Honey Bears also appeared in ads and posters. They were in a Kodak film ad and a Chicago Buckingham Fountain postcard. They also had official photos with hair and makeup by Vidal Sassoon. Vidal Sassoon was a famous hair stylist.

The Honey Bears were not just dancers. When trying out, contestants had to show other talents. These included singing, playing instruments, or acrobatics. This helped Cathy Core and the judges pick the best team members. They also did modeling work.

Even though the Honey Bears were popular, things changed after Halas died in 1983. His daughter, Virginia Halas McCaskey, wanted to end the team. She felt they were not good for women. She also thought they cost too much money, about $50,000 each season.

However, McCaskey had to let the team finish their contract. This contract ended after the 1985 season. The Chicago Honey Bears had their last performance at Super Bowl XX. They performed at halftime in the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. They danced to Prince's song Baby I'm a Star.

The team's general manager, Jerry Vainisi, thought a high school band might replace them. But this did not happen. Virginia's son, Michael McCaskey, also felt the cheerleaders did not fit the game day experience.

The "Honey Bear Curse"

Some Bears fans believe in a "Honey Bear Curse." They say the team has not won a Super Bowl since the Honey Bears were disbanded. The Bears came close in Super Bowl XLI. But they lost to the Indianapolis Colts.

Even without the Honey Bears, the Bears got a mascot in 2003. His name is Staley Da Bear.

Since the Honey Bears left, the Bears have had a tougher time winning. Their record in the postseason (playoffs) has been 5 wins and 11 losses. When the Honey Bears were around, the team had 4 wins and 3 losses in the postseason.

Trying to Bring Them Back

Many fans want the Honey Bears to return. Polls show that most fans support bringing them back. But Virginia McCaskey has said the Bears will not have cheerleaders as long as she owns the team. Her children, Michael and George McCaskey, and her grandchildren plan to keep this rule.

A small group of fans created an unofficial Honey Bears team. They appeared at the Bears' training camp in 2010. They also have a website where fans can sign petitions to bring the group back.

Another fan, Lena Duda, honors the Honey Bears. She is a superfan known as "Honey Bear." She has been active at Bears games since 2007. Her outfit looks like the original Honey Bears' uniforms. It includes white hot pants, white go-go boots, and pom poms.

A year after the team disbanded, a producer named Greg Schwartz took over the name. He turned the group into a song and dance team. This group has performed for big companies. They have also done modeling.

Honey Bears Uniforms

The Honey Bears' uniforms changed very little over time. This was similar to the Bears' own uniforms.

From 1976 to 1980, the uniform was a white bodysuit. It had navy blue sleeves. From 1980 to 1984, the bodysuit was still white. But the sleeves became orange, and navy blue was used for the trim. In their last year, 1985, the uniform was completely new. It featured an orange sequin vest.

For cold weather games, the Honey Bears wore an orange tracksuit. A former cheerleader, Carey, modeled new uniform ideas for the unofficial fan website. She based her ideas on current NFL cheerleading teams.

Notable Honey Bears Members

• Cathy Core – She was the director of the Chicago Honey Bears. She also directed the Luvabulls, the cheerleaders for the Chicago Bulls. She is in the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame.
• Cheryl Burton – She is now a news anchor for WLS-TV.
• John Bittner - He was the "Big Bear" mascot for the Honey Bears.

Renee Halverson Wright and Carolyn Jollette were former Chicago Honey Bears. They wrote a book called “Missing from the Sidelines.” It shares the untold stories of the Chicago Honey Bears.