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What’s your first memory as a Bears fan? (alien.top)

submitted 2 years ago by baliwala@alien.top to c/bears@nfl.community

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I do not have a particular one, but as a kid I thought Erik Kramer was the best QB in the league lol. I even had my parents buy me his jersey.

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[–] rugbysecondrow@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

1a) 1986, my Mom and I took a bus...a bus, 10+ hours from Springfield, IL to Dallas to watch the Bears play the Cowboys. We stayed at the same hotel as the Bears and my mom let me hang out in the lobby all day and night before the game looking for players for the autographs. I got nearly 3/4 of the team's autographs, including some coach's who signed. Some notable ones:

Walter Payton

Ditka

Singletary

Neal Anderson

Doug Flutie

Steve McMichael

Dan Hampton

and many, many more.

It was such a great experiences.

1b) I was so excited as an 9 year old, I think I started getting rude when asking for autographs. I made the mistake of going up to Mongo (McMichael) and just yelling "Autograph!" and sticking my pen and book at him. He looked right at me and said "No, you didn't ask nicely". Well, he was right, and I knew better. A couple hours later, he was coming back from where he went, and I asked, "May I please have your autograph?". He grunted, and signed my book... I said, "thank you" and walked away. This "Mongo" story has stuck with me for the next nearly 40 years.

1c) One of the autographs I got on this trip was from RB Coach Johnny Roland. He was an NFL player himself, but coached two of the Bears best RB of all time...Payton and Anderson. I wrote him a thank you letter when I got home (and a few other players I met) and he wrote back. He thanked me for being a fan, and sent a care package box filled with a felt pennant, a book, and a bunch of Bears swag. This was better than Christmas morning for me, it was a personalized care package from the man who coached God.

No matter how old I am, or how the team performs poorly on the field, I still remember the feeling of opening the care package from the team, I can look at all the autographs and remember how it felt to stand in the elevator with Singletary or watch Payton step out of a limo and walk up to me for an autograph.

And, I remember my mom taking me on a 10+ hour bus ride, each way, for this experience.

This is why I am a lifelong Bears fan.