Musso, George F.
Football
b. April 8, 1910, Collinsville, IL
d. Sept. 5, 2000
Musso played college football at little James Millikin College, a Presbyterian school in Illinois, where he started at tackle for four years. One of the biggest players of his time, he was 6-foot-2 and 255 pounds in college and grew to 270 pounds during his peak professional years.
Owner-coach George Halas of the Chicago Bears saw Musso in an all-star game and sent him $5 in expense money to come to the Bears' camp in 1933 for a tryout. He not only made the team, he became a starting tackle before the season was over and was named a second-team All-Pro.
"Big Bear" was a first-team All-Pro tackle in 1935 and then moved to guard, where he was an All-Pro in 1937. A devastating blocker and a defensive standout as a middle guard, where he usually occupied two or three blockers, Musso became the Bears' captain in 1936 and held the position until he retired after the 1944 season. During his twelve seasons, the Bears won four NFL championships, in 1933, 1940, 1941, and 1943.