"That young man's name is George Halas," a sportswriter for the Chicago Tribune noted. However, Halas' major-league debut was postponed due to a hip injury sustained during a spring training game. Due to his injuries, he only managed two hits in 22 plate appearances once the season began. The Cubs released him after one month of play. Halas was born on January 4, 1894 in Poplar Grove, Illinois. He was a pitcher and first baseman in high school before becoming an outfielder and third baseman in college. After graduating from Notre Dame, he played in 1914 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves organizations. In 1915, he joined the United States Army for World War I and served until 1919 when he returned to baseball as a manager. From 1920 to 1942, he led the Chicago Bears/Bears to five NFL championships. He then moved on to guide the Chicago Cubs to seven NL pennants from 1945 to 1951. After retiring as a coach, he became a senior executive with the team.