Gale Sayers passes away at 77

[jplcom]

Gale Sayers, the dazzling Chicago Bears running back and kick returner whose injury-shortened career made him the youngest player ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after a years-long decline in health that included dementia. He was 77.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...nna-story.html

https://www.nfl.com/news/gale-sayers...all-of-fame-rb


This is big loss for his family and for the football family at large. He was such an icon for Chicago. I'm grateful for the impact he had for us in Chicago and I hope his family takes solace in that he was beloved by many.

[FireRob]

Of all people my wife told me this morning.

One of the best!

I have been watching eBay and instagram all day and the opportunist are in full force. Autos and cards are being listed and sold left and right for lots of money. All the cards I had saved in my watch list that sat there for months all suddenly sold today. Guess I should have bought that PSA Graded 1966 Philadelphia a while back because now it’s going to be a while for the prices and availability to return to normal and I’m actually referring to COVID card craze normal.

[jplcom]

This was advice I always heard from LCS owners back in the 90s. Once a guy retires, you'll see a bump in interest if he gets in the HoF then again at his passing.

[FireRob]

Very good advice and lots of truth to that.

[bakemeister52]

He will be really missed, he was a true Gentleman on and off the field!

Bake

[FireRob]

Yesterday a PSA 8 was selling for $1200. These where all listed this afternoon

[BlackDiam0nd66]

This really sucked.

I met Gale Sayers in 1991 at the Sportscard Convention in Anaheim. He was in the Proline tents signing for them. It was evening so the lines had diminished and I got a chance to stand there and talk to him for over an hour. He was really nice and very talkative!

I told him how a friend of mine and I used to play act the Brians Song book in her garage when we were young kids. (For those of you who have not read it, the book Brian's Song is written in play form, at least it was back in the 70's). She and I got to the point where we pretty much knew the book by heart! When I told him about it, he was quiet for a moment and I thought maybe that he thought I was some sort or crazy woman, but then he said that that was one of the coolest things he has ever heard from a fan! We talked about his playing days, his friendship with Piccolo and other stuff.

He was a true gentleman and one of the nicest sports figures I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Card attached is the card he signed for me and the 1991 National Convention embossed stamp in the lower right hand corner.

RIP Mr. Sayers.

[FireRob]

Great story BlackDiam0nd66! Love to hear stories like this

[David K.]

Rest in Peace Gale Sayers! Best regards David