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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!bmcg!marc
From: marc@bmcg.UUCP (Marc Lee)
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: Re: Bears "51"
Message-ID: <2050@bmcg.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Feb-86 20:09:10 EST
Article-I.D.: bmcg.2050
Posted: Mon Feb  3 20:09:10 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Feb-86 08:20:45 EST
References: <924@houxa.UUCP> <225@vu-vlsi.UUCP>
Reply-To: marc@bmcg.UUCP (Marc Lee)
Organization: Burroughs Corp. ASG, San Diego, CA.
Lines: 24

In article <225@vu-vlsi.UUCP> williams@vu-vlsi.UUCP (Thomas Williams) writes:
>	The reason the Bears still use Butkus' number is because of the
>NFL's numbering system.  .....                                           
>
>
>				{prynj, psuvax1}!vu-vlsi!williams

I believe there's more to it than that -- there is also the fact that Butkus
sued the Bears (and Dr. Ted Fox) because of his gimpy knees.  Halas always
hated ex-Bears that were anything but faithful when they left the organization;
his attitude towards George Allen was a good example.  Even Ditka was on Halas'
list for awhile.  A similar situation occured when Bobby Hull jumped to the 
WHA and the Black Hawks wouldn't retire number 9.  They tried to get Dale
Tallon to wear it but he (wisely) refused, choosing 19 instead.  I think
Morrisey has a lot of nerve wearing 51, although it would also take a lot of
nerve to tell Ditka he didn't want to wear a certain number. 

You can bet the Bears didn't worry about running out of numbers in the 40's
when they retired Sayers' and Piccolo's numbers!


                                           Marc Lee
                                           Burroughs DSG
                                           San Diego