Bears will celebrate 100 in June

The Bears will be throwing a party next year to celebrate their 100th season.

Chairman George McCaskey said Thursday that they will hold “Bears100 Celebration Weekend” from June 7 to 9 at the Stephens Convention Center. It will feature past and present players and coaches who will sign autographs and participate in panel discussions. The convention also will feature memorabilia and games for kids. Tickets go on sale Friday on the Bears’ website.

The Bears also will wear a throwback jersey for at least one game next year, McCaskey said, though the team won’t unveil it until after the new year.

They currently wear the league-maximum four jerseys — home navy, road white, orange and a throwback. Unless they get a waiver from the league, the Bears would have to replace one jersey — likely the “Monsters of the Midway” throwback — with the new one.

“People, they’re going to talk about it,” McCaskey said of the jersey.

The team showed off a 100th-season logo that mimics the NFL’s logo for its 100th season next year. McCaskey was clear, though, that the Bears’ centennial celebration will go beyond what the NFL is planning.

“We’re the only franchise in the league that will be celebrating its centennial at the same time the NFL is celebrating its centennial,” he said.

McCaskey said the Bears will celebrate one decade of their history in each of their 10 home games — two preseason games and eight regularseason games — next year. They’ll donate $100,000 per home game to local charities voted upon by fans.

The team also will publish a book chronicling its history.

“We’re excited about the way our 99th season is going so far, as incomplete as it is,” McCaskey said. “But we’re also excited about our 100th season in 2019.”