in this image?
Was there ever a player – before or after – who seemed to epitomize being a football player more than Chicago Bears’ Pro Football Hall of Famer Dick Butkus?
Drafted by the Bears with the third pick in the first round out of the University of Illinois (one spot ahead of the Bears’ selecting University of Kansas All-American, Gale Sayers), Butkus (a Chicago native) spent his entire 9-year career with the Bears before a knee injury prematurely ended his time in the league.
This image, framed perfectly with the official visible in the background, was taken by one of the most notable sports photographers in history, Neil Leifer, during a September 1969, 20-17 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Here is the New York Times obituary of Butkus.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.