A Tribute To "The Maestro Of Mayhem", Dick Butkus
The late defensive end, and equally savage defensive legend, Deacon Jones, once said of Dick Butkus, "He was a well-conditioned animal, and every time he hit you, he tried to put you in the cemetery, not a hospital."
Former Bears wide receiver Johnny Morris said, “I used to be afraid of Dick Butkus, and he was on my team."
You'd have to be from Mars to not know the name "Dick Butkus". Even at my age and generation, who regretfully never got to see Butkus, or the counterparts of his era play- guys like Ray Nitschke, Sam Huff, Chuck Howley, Joe Schmidt, Mike Lucci, Chuck Knox, Nick Buoniconti, Deacon Jones, Ted Hendricks, Jack Ham, Bobby Bell, Dave Robinson, and Tommy Nobis- men who played the game the way it was intended to be played.
His accolades speak for themself.
• Pro Football Hall Of Fame Class of 1979
• NFL100 All-Time Team
• NFL 75th Anniversary Team
• 2x All-Decade - 1960s & 1970s
• 8 Pro Bowls
• 8x All-Pro (6x First-Team)
• 5x PFWA All-NFL (4x First-Team)
• 1974 PFWA Halas Award
I remember my first dose of reality of how big a deal Dick Butkus really was while watching Rocky, and realizing the great Rocco Balboa named his Mastiff after him. "Butkus".
Now, that was honor and respect. This guy had to have been a big deal.
And man, was he ever.
Around that same time period, what was middle school for me, I also fell in love with two things Butkus just so happened to be a regular on: NFL Films Productions (which aired on ESPN and ESPN2 pretty routinely back then to fill airspace),
and the Saturday morning kids show "Hangtime" (which aired Saturday mornings on NBC).
After retiring from football, Butkus enjoyed a long and prosperous career in film, television, and commercials, paving the way for athletes in future generations not just on the field but off of it once again. (He played a high school basketball coach in this show. It was light-hearted Saturday morning television. But even in that role, he was a large presence, and his indelible sense of humor shined through.
He was an original spokesman (along with Bubba Smith) for Miller Lite, and helped coin the term "Tastes great, less filling".
(A Chicago accent so authentic it hurts)
Dick Butkus grew up on the south side of Chicago, (10324 South Lowe), He was the son of Lithuanian immigrants, grew up in a 3 bedroom house, and shared a bedroom with 4, yes 4 of his brothers. He attended Chicago Vocational High School, where he played fullback, punter, and kicker in addition to linebacker, and he made 70 percent of his team’s tackles. He also met his high school sweetheart, and future wife of 60 years, Helen, there.
He matriculated to The University of Illinois, where he was a two time All American
He was drafted by his hometown Chicago Bears 3rd overall in the 1965 NFL Draft with a pick they had acquired in a trade with the Steelers, followed by the great Gale Sayers fourth with the selection they had received after finishing 5-9 in 1964. (The two would go on to finish as offensive and defensive rookies of the year.)
Butkus was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice, including in 1969 when the Bears won only one game. Think about that for a second. That would NEVER happen today. Near the end of George Halas’ life, the great founder of the NFL’s oldest franchise called Butkus, “the greatest player in the history of the Bears.”
Butkus played the game with such ferocity that he once had four personal fouls in a preseason game.
Butkus recorded 1,020 tackles, 22 interceptions, and 27 fumble recoveries over nine seasons. His career was derailed by a knee injury he suffered and a subsequent botched knee surgery, which left him hobbled, playing on one leg effectively, and not just limiting his range of motion and speed, but his everyday life. He famously (and sadly) had to sue his beloved Bears for the remaining $600,000 on his contract (this is mind-blowing to think in terms of how good today's players have it by comparison), which resulted in a falling out between him, Halas, and his team that lasted 5 years. Shortly before Halas' death in 1983, Butkus asked Halas to present him for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But death came for Halas before he had the opportunity. His excellence earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, during his first year of eligibility. In 1985, the Butkus Award was established to honor outstanding high school, college, and professional linebackers. His contributions to the sport were further recognized when the Bears retired his No. 51 jersey in 1994.
I remember seeing this picture hung up in my dad's office as a kid and being as amazed at it then as I am now.
Look at this.
Aside from being the most ferocious defensive player to ever play the game, he was also somehow able to maintain a hilarious personality off the field.
“If I was smart enough to be a doctor, I'd be a doctor. I ain't, so I'm a football player.”-Dick Butkus
Well, maybe on the field too.
But make no mistake, had Butkus played in today's ticky-tac, flag-happy era, he'd have been suspended into retirement, or fined into bankruptcy for the way he played the game.
Having never got to see him actually play, and having a wealth of information in a father that did, I reached out to my dad and told him I was doing a blog on Butkus, and asked him for some thoughts. My dad became friends with Butkus over the years, through his job at The Forum Shops' Field of Dreams store in Las Vegas. Since reconnecting with my dad, he's told me countless stories about how congenial and truly "salt of the Earth" Butkus, and his wife Helen, always were. To him and everyone they came across.
What he sent me blew me away so I wanted to include it here because I think it's a really touching, and fitting tribute to a really great man, football player, and Chicagoan.
(Forewarning, he uses CAPITALS a lot when he texts. He's Italian. And passionate. Cut him some slack.)
I had the high honor and distinct pleasure and privilege of working with him for four days a week 30 weeks a year for 3 and a half years….
Many thoughts and images come to mind during those years that I closely interacted with them on a daily basis
But most of them center around the person he was off the field and how we dealt with the many people who came to see him and "Bathe & Bask in Reflected Glory."
It was almost surreal to see the masses go out of their way and come to worship at the high altar of the high priest of football royalty, in of all places, the entertainment capital of the world.
It was just amazing to see the reactions and impressions of the hundreds of household names, politicians, government officials TV and movie stars, captains of industry, and folks from every walk of life enjoy the countenance of a Living Legend who was without a doubt "One for the Ages!"
He quite obviously was a man's man but more importantly, a gentlemen's GENTLEMAN who displayed such incredible tact and decorum in many things. His parents, truly, raised him right.
It's been said that "Class is something hard to describe, but easy to recognize."
To wit, in all the autograph appearances over those many days weeks months & years, I never witnessed him EVER faily to rise from his seat to meet & greet, EVERY FEMALE PATRON, whether it be a 70-year-old grandmother or a 7 year young second grader…all the while, gently & discreetly nodding his head while extending his hand in appreciation for coming.
And remember this is a man who had a long and storied and well-chronicled history of knee problems and who, at most times, could barely walk without assistance.
Bear with me….
It was almost comedic.
to see the many many times he would ignore, or even slap away, the outstretched hand of a husband, father, brother, or son in deference to the female companions in their company.
After seeing this, I would often whisper to him: "Your parents raised you right!"
Perhaps it was a function and tribute to his proud upbringing and homage, and salute to both his parents whom he often spoke so proudly of.
Correspondingly, it sometimes bothered him when people passing by or "looky lous" would interrupt an engaging "Paying Customers" experience by bellowing that "he was their hero growing up" or "You were the best there ever was, Dick" or whatever….
To which, the inimitable and indomitable Dick Butkus would bark out, "Hey Buddy, didn't your parents teach you any manners?" Or "Hey, Pal, What are these people sitting here invisible?"
For the average football fan it was hard to fathom that the on the field Dick Butkus was off the field- ALL ABOUT CIVILITY, COURTESY AND WELL-BRED MANNERS. He personified the Hardscrabble, Blue collar, Lunch pail, face & character of the TOWN from which he hailed.
Perhaps the most startling thing people took away from their interactions with him, was his dynamic, engaging, and prototypical midwest demeanor.
He often employed a "whoopie cushion" for certain select groups like bachelor party crews or "guy's night out in Vegas frats".
He would sometimes be forced to remove his glasses to wipe away his tears from laughing so hard he cried after the astonished & surprised reactions of customers.
So many people would come away and whisper to me & the staff: "I can't believe how friendly and personable he is! I / We expected the EXACT OPPOSITE".
As a football player, Butkus had a nose for the ball. Butkus was so proud of his Interception Record.
During downtimes or lulls or on breaks He would often shower us in stories of his many friendships and the bonds he formed with competitors he encountered over the years.
Stories about his close friends Paul Hornung, Merlin Olsen, Deacon Jones, And first and foremost Ray Nitschke, who recruited him to Illinois when Notre Dame wouldn't allow him to marry his high school sweetheart because they didn't have married dormitories.
He was a very devout and practicing catholic, But never proselytized or wore has a religion on his sleeve.
And his contributions to various charities are legendary… like he was, although as you would have imagined…."under the radar".
By way of that…he was a HUGE NOTRE DAME FAN , his daughter Niki, an alum.
His tee shirt "I NEVER WORE AN EARRING" was one of the Best Sellers ALL TIME ….
Every year we worked together, he gifted me a $100.00 on my birthday and thanked me for all my efforts in promoting his fans' "Customer experience."
Dick Butkus was Tony Romo before Tony Romo Was Tony Romo
We had a television at the side of the signing desk so the athletes and celebrities could watch live-action games between customer interactions.
It was almost scary to see Butkus forecast and predict and call out the play before they developed in real time.
But when you think about it, it wasn't hard to understand why.
He was a captain of a formidable defense for almost 10 years in the pros and an All-American in college who played on both sides of the ball.
He reluctantly admitted & confessed that he probably couldn't star in today's game because of the various rules changes.
For no doubt. He was the "SULTAN OF SUPERLATIVES…. & THE "ORIGINAL" MONSTER OF THE MIDWAY ….
THE GRIDIRON GLADIATOR…
THE DARTH VADER OF DEFENSE…
THE MAESTRO OF MAYHEM
THE HERCULES OF HELLACIOUS HITS…
THE KING OF COLOSSAL COLLISIONS….THE STALWART OF THE "BLACK & BLUE"….AND THE FORCE BEHIND THREE YARDS & A CLOUD OF DUST!"
"When movies were movies…. and football was football…..when the Game was ours… in days that are no more….HE WAS ONE FOR THE AGES AND LARGER THAN LIFE!"
"He made quarterbacks crumble….running backs fumble…and pass receivers humble."
And when he blitzed, he promised: " Here I come and All Hell's coming with me."
Rest in Peace, Dick Butkus.