Butkus1997

"In his first full autobiography, Dick Butkus, the legendary linebacker of the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1973, recounts his entire life story, from growing up in a blue-collar family on Chicago's South Side to his uncomfortable yet ultimately glorious years at the University of Illinois. He reveals what it felt like to be the ninth child of two hardworking Lithuanian parents - one was almost born in a coal mine, the other barely made it to America alive - and the camaraderie and contentment he experienced while playing football. He recalls historic seasons with the Bears in which he played with and against such immortals as Gale Sayers, Jim Brown, Brian Piccolo, Mike Ditka, Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, and Johnny Unitas; and he speaks about his up-and-down acting career, and the allure Hollywood offered following football."--BOOK JACKET. "Dick Butkus looks deeply into his own psyche to find the source of his passionate style of play - a style that has often been described as violence and intimidation on the football field. After years of silence, he opens up to reveal the negotiations and battles with George "Papa Bear" Halas, and he explains the circumstances that lead him to file suit against his beloved Chicago Bears."--BOOK JACKET.