TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Gale E. Sayers 1943–2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee, Businessman, Athletic Director
By Aaron Williams
O ne of the most memorable quotes associated with retired Chicago Bears star Gale E. Sayers is his declaring in a 1960s NFL Films ® video, "Just give me 18 inches of daylight. That's all I need." An iconic figure and one of the most electrifying open-field runners in the history of the National Football League (NFL), Gale Sayers played seven seasons for the Chicago Bears franchise. Sayers was one of the numerous stellar African American athletes from the 1950s- 1960s Omaha, NE area, including Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson, Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers, Hall of Fame collegiate wrestler and coach Donald R. Benning (Alpha Eta 1957), NFL star Marlin Briscoe (Alpha Eta 1965), NBA star Bob Boozer, NFL player Kenneth Geddes (Alpha Eta 1968), ABA basketball player Ron Boone, and Sayers’ siblings, Roger and Ronnie. "Brother Gale Sayers was the consummate Kappa brother, athlete and caring individual. He was always wiling to help another person any way he could and never asked or expected anything in return. When I was an athlete at the University of Kansas, he was Assistant Athletic Director. He was always available for advice and you could never tell by his demeanor that he was a world class athlete destined for the pro football Hall of Fame. The world was a much better place with him in it and we will surely
miss him."
Nicknamed
the "Kansas Comet" in college, Sayers' running style featured extraordinary cutting com- bined with explosive acceleration and “Houdini” like moves, which fashioned him into the feared offensive weapon for the mid-1960s Bears teams. The highlight of his professional career was his 1965 game against the San Francisco 49ers on a muddy Wrigley Field, where he scored an NFL rookie record of six touchdowns. Despite his thrilling play now immortalized on NFL Films, Say- ers never played in a playoff game and played on mostly mediocre to bad Bear teams. Another memorable event for Sayers was his 1970 autobiography, I am Third, which served as the basis for the tear-jerking Emmy winning film Brian's Song starring then-unknown actor Billy Dee Williams as Sayers and James Caan as Sayers' roommate and friend the late Brian Piccolo. A Life Member of the Fraternity and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Brother Gale E. Sayers entered the Chapter Invisible on September 23, 2020, at 77, after spending his final few years fighting the debilitating effects of dementia. The National Football League and Commissioner Roger Goodell released the following statement, "The NFL family lost a true friend today with the passing of Gale Sayers. Gale was one of
the finest men in NFL history and one of the game's most exciting players. Gale was an electrifying and elusive runner who thrilled fans every time he touched the ball. He earned his place as a first-ballot Hall of Famer." The Chicago Bears also released a statement, "It is with great sadness the Chicago Bears mourn the loss of Bears Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers. Sayers amplified what it meant to be a Chicago Bear both on and off the field." The University of Kansas Chancel- lor Douglas Girod, “Gale Sayers will forever have a special place in KU his- tory. While largely recognized as one of our greatest all-time student-athletes, Gale was also a tremendous human being, a role model, and an ambassador for the university long after his playing days ended. As such, he was and will continue to be a hero and role model to Jayhawks everywhere.” Gale Eugene Sayers was born in Wichita, KS, on May 30, 1943, and the second son of Roger W. Sayers, Sr. and Bernice (née Ross) Sayers. His family moved to Omaha, NE in after briefly living in Speed, KS. In Omaha, the young Sayers played youth sports and started to display promising athletic ability. Sayers attended Omaha's
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