Thursday, September 22, 2011

Mike Ditka's Best Friend - If You Found Our Blog, Please Tell Us How You Found Us By Making A Comment On the Page You Were Looking At.

Click on the Cluster map and you can see your hit listed with the time, city, state, and country. We don't get many hits. There must be Bear fans that would be interested in some of these old pictures and forgotten players. Scroll down the list of states and countries. We appreciate every hit. Share the blog with a friend.


Kids like Tommy liked to play football in the backyard. Sometimes the only person he had to play football and baseball with was his five year old sister Jill . Tommy became a high school quarterback and pitcher. Now he is a father himself.

Ron Rydalch was a defensive tackle for the Bears from 1975 to 1980.

Tommy with Dennis Lick. When I first started watching the Bears, many players careers were cut short due to injuries. Dennis's career ended due to injuries. Now many players can have successful surgery and play after rehab.

Al Harris and Todd Bell walk off the practice field at Lake Forest in 1984. In 1985 Mike Singletary, Todd Bell, and Al Harris were all three negotiating new contracts. Mike Singletary was given a new one, but Michael McCaskey wouldn't pay Harris and Bell what that were worth so their holdouts lasted all year. They both missed out on the Superbowl, but signed and  played the following year.

Safety Todd Bell sign autographs after practice. He was an outstanding player. He went to Noter Dame. A few years after retirement he killed himself.

During practice Mike Ditka talks to his best friend Jerry Vanisi. Jerry was promoted to General Manager by George Halas. For several years, Bill Tobin, Jerry Vanisi, and Mike Ditka worked well together improving the talent on the team which led to their Superbowl win. In January of 1987, Michael McCaskey, the son of Virginia McCaskey the owner of the team, fired Jerry. Ditka met with McCaskey and offered to resign if they would keep Vanisi on the team. McCaskey said no. So from then on Mike Ditka lost his influence in the draft room. That was when the talent on the team diminished.

Mike Ditka is interviewed.

Jim McMahon stops to talk to a reporter.

Tommy gets a picture with running back Johnny Musso. Johnny was a great running back from Alabama, he was nicknamed the Italian Stallion. Great players in college do not always make great players in the NFL.

Mike Hartenstein and Alan Page wait their turn on the blocking sled.

Now they get their turn. Alan Page had several good years with the Bears after being an all pro with the Minnesota Vikings for years.

2 comments:

  1. Hi,
    I found your blog while running some searches for classic Bears pics. How can I see more?

    Breathlessly,
    Neil

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi,
    I found your blog while running some searches for classic Bears pics. How can I see more?

    Breathlessly,
    Neil

    ReplyDelete