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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!ihuxk!rs55611
From: rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher)
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: Re: Bears "51"
Message-ID: <1062@ihuxk.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Feb-86 16:08:16 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxk.1062
Posted: Mon Feb  3 16:08:16 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 5-Feb-86 01:29:36 EST
References: <924@houxa.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 24

> 
> Please tell me why there is a player on the Bears wearing "51".  God,
> is NOTHING sacred!?!  And it isn't even Singletary - at least HE could
> do it some justice.  This is a serious question, Chicagoans.  Why DO
> they still use Butkus' number?

The official reason was concern for running out of usable numbers
if they started retiring  recent players (the Bears have retired
something like seven numbers so far, uncluding Red Grange, Bronko
Nagurski, Bulldog Turner (I think), Sid Luckman, Brian Piccolom
(oops, Piccolo) and a few others.

The real reason is probably that Butkus left under less than friendly
terms, suing the Bears for contributing to his bad knees.  I don't
understand all of the issues, but Butkus' lawsuit is still pending, I
believe.

The player assigned to 51 is Jim Morrissey, I believe, who is pretty good
on special teams (known as a wild-man on kickoff coverage).

Bob Schleicher
ihuxk!rs55611

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