Gale Sayers, the Chicago Bears’ Hall of Fame running back, dies at 77

[Fin Fan in Cali]

Gale Sayers, the Chicago Bears’ Hall of Fame running back, dies at 77: ‘He was poetry in motion. His like will never be seen again.’

Gale Sayers, the dazzling Chicago Bears running back and kick returner whose injury-shortened career made him the youngest player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died after a yearslong…

www.chicagotribune.com

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.

The “Kansas Comet,” as Sayers was nicknamed, was one of the most agile and elusive ball carriers ever.

“If you wish to see perfection as a running back, you had best get a hold of a film of Gale Sayers,” Bears founder George Halas said in 1977 when he presented Sayers for Hall of Fame enshrinement. “He was poetry in motion. His like will never be seen again.”

Sayers' dynamic running ability helped him earn All-Pro recognition in each of his five full seasons. It also left teammates, coaches, fans and pundits to wonder what he might have accomplished in football had knee injuries not ended his career in 1971 after only seven seasons (68 games).

Rest in peace Gale.

 

[Dolphins3]

Just heard this today as well. Prayers for his family.

Gale was in the HOF a few years before I was even born. It's still amazing to me the bears selected Butkus and Sayers with back to back picks (3 and 4, I believe) in the same draft. he remains one of my all-time favorite runners to watch. It's a shame injuries derailed his career so soon. People can love on Walter all they want (understandably so, because he was great), but for my money Sayers was the greatest RB in the history of the Chicago Bears. All-time, I have him right behind Jim Brown and Barry Sanders. By all accounts, he was a very good man (and I know he was an immensely proud man).

 

[gregorygrant83]

Great player. Can't imagine what he would look like in today's era of football. Sayers on screens or running routes out of the backfield. Sayers lineup outside as a receiver. Sayers on draws, traps and sweeps. Oh gosh I'm thinking take Alvin Kamera and then imagine him 4 or 5 times better.

 

[Sleepy]

RIP Champ.

 

[finfinfin]

Brian's Song was one of the first books I read. RIP Gale.

 

['Deep]

Great player in any era. Unfortunate that dementia took him. A terrible way to go