NFL, Pro Football HoF, XFL

Butkus, Dick (1942-2023)

Card: Upper Deck Legends 1997, Topps 1971
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home*
Sent: 11/14    Received: 12/23  (9 days)
*Signing fee enclosed

Dick Butkus is one of the NFL’s greatest prototypical linebackers ever to play the game and redefined the position for a generation with his dominating play and fearsome presence on the field.  After an acclaimed career playing linebacker and center for the Fightin’ Illini, the Chicago Bears made Dick their #1 pick of the 1965 draft (3rd overall). The competing AFL Denver Broncos also made an offer, but Dick signed with his home state Bears and never looked back.  The 1965 draft was a watershed draft for the Bears who hit on a couple of great names during the draft including Gale Sayers, Jim Nance, and Steve Delong, but the team never seemed to be able to gel and turn the corner – especially against the powerful Packers.

Still Butkus had quite a reputation around the league as being incredibly durable and reliable, -but also as a dirty player as well. Over his time with the Bears he led the team in nearly every defensive category every season, tallying a career high unofficial count of 18 sacks in 1967. Butkus was also an independent thinker who regularly challenged the league on many issues that impacted the sport, from working with the XFL against the NFL, to helping to revolutionize the league’s policies on injuries and medical opinions.

A Bear legend even after his retirement, Butkus spent a few years doing commentary for the league, and endorsed many products and appeared in many different movies and TV shows. Butkus was elected to the NFL HoF in 1979, and was named head coach of the Chicago Enforcers for the XFL before they reshuffled the team prior to the season. Butkus was then promoted by the league to Director of XFL Competition as basically a rules enforcer. He’d appear in the first game and bolster the hopes of many that the XFL might challenge the NFL’s superiority, but by the 3rd week of the season, any of those dreams were dashed with sagging ratings. Butkus in the meantime remained committed to his foundation.

I had seen that Dick was hit or miss through the mail but another collector had some successfrom him by writing on the back of the sending envelope “DONATION ENCLOSED” and enclosing a small donation. With that stroke of genius I set off  to get the autograph one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history. I was pretty nervous about writing him and even called him ‘Mr. Butkus’ in the letter. Fans may have been able to get away with a smaller donation, however I felt that I could afford at least 20.00 a card for such a great player. Eventually he went to $51.00 an autograph- to not signing at all.

I’m pretty sure in 1995, while I was working opening stores for Best Buy and I was away from the autograph game, I encountered a throng of fans surrounding him for an autograph in the parking lot of the DC Airport. 

Tac  1020   Sac  N/a    Fum 27     Int  22    Yds  166    Avg 7.5       Td  0   Lg  n/a

EPITAPH:

10/5/23- It was announced today that Dick Butkus passed away in his sleep overnight, dying peacefully at his Malibu, FL home at the age of 80. No cause of death was given.

NFL

Slaughter, Webster

gday92 slaughterCard: GameDay 1992
Acquired: 11/23/2012, Fiterman Autograph Event
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Home

Webster Slaughter was one of the players on the Browns that I loathed and hated the most when he played against the Oilers back in the 80’s. I also equally respected him for his skills and ability to take the ball to the house when it counted most. Many times when I turned on the TV and saw him line up against the Oilers Man to Man defense in the days of Schottenheimer versus Glanville, I’d see Slaughter take a wobbly pass out of the air from Kosar, and streak up the sidelines leaving either Patrick Allen or Steve Brown in his dust.

The Browns made him their second round choice of the 1986 draft out of San Diego State. The draft was notable with having some consistent receivers in it. Tim McGee and Ernest Givins were taken off the board a few picks before Slaughter’s card was rushed to the podium by the Browns, while Hassan Jones and John Taylor were taken afterwards. Slaughter was taken under the recommendation of HoF Brown WR Paul Warfield, whom was acting as a non-defacto scout for the franchise at the time. With deceptive speed and an amazing frame (6’0″, 175) Slaughter quickly found a bond with quarterback Bernie Kosar. The two formed a great duo to keep teams honest against the run when the ground and pound would come to a halt.

His best season came in 1989 with the Browns. Slaughter had a career high 1236 yards, averaged a franchise high 19 yards per reception, and 6 touchdowns, one of which went for 97 yards against the Bears.  Against the Oilers that year he had a 77 yard and an 80 yard touchdown en route to a 184 yard performance.

Webster became embroiled in a contract dispute with the Browns- something he had done with frequency as early as 1988. Unhappy with second year head coach Bill Belichick’s offensive system, Slaughter held out. Although Plan B was the current status quo, Slaughter felt he was a top dollar receiver and wanted to be paid like it. Unable to negotiate with the Browns, he sued the team and became a landmark plantiff that helped bring about the retooled Free Agency System that went into effect during the 1992 season. With the Oilers hunting for a replacement to departed Drew Hill, they immediately snapped up Webster to go alongside Curtis Duncan, Haywood Jeffires, and Ernest Givins in their Run ‘N Shoot receiving corps. That season as he worked into the lineup, Slaughter spent the majority of his time fielding punts.

He’d earn Pro Bowl honors for his 1993 season, starting in 14 games (904 yards, 77 receptions and 5 touchdowns). Slaughter was content with the Oilers, but with the departure of Warren Moon after the 1993 season and the team rebuilding, Webster knew it was a matter of time before he was done in Houston. While his numbers in 1994 were slightly down, the team opted not to resign him. Instead Webster made a move to KC, turning down richer suitors to play for his former head coach in Cleveland, Marty Schottenheimer. While the reunion would last only one season, Slaughter managed to average 15.4 YPR on 34 catches and 4 touchdowns with quarterback Steve Bono at the helm. He’d sign with the Jets in 1996, but the horrendous team finished at a dismal 1-15.  After a season out of the game, Webster played for the Chargers, closing out his career in 1998. He dabbled with playing again as late as 2001 with the Redskins, but finally embraced retirement fully.

Slaughter is a difficult player to obtain TTM. He’s another guy I sent to, and failed miserably to get an autograph from. It is now common knowledge that Webster refuses to sign TTM because he does not want to confirm his address. I was more than happy to pay to get this elusive member of the Browns and Oilers finally into the collection, but still have quite a few more that I’d like to get autographed at a later date since he has so many great cards. Webster is a fairly popular member of the Cleveland Browns and has been seen at many alumni functions.

G/Gs 162/127   Rec 563     Yds 8111     Avg  14.4     Td   44     Lg 97t
Pr  38     Yds 256     Avg  6.7      Td 0     Lg 20

NFL

Ilkin, Tunch (1957-2021)

Card: Score 1990
Acquired: Canton Acquisition, 2012

Tunch Ilkin is one of the few natives of the nation of Turkey to play in the NFL. After attending Indiana State, Ilkin was drafted in the 6th round of the 1980 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A good sized lineman, Tunch measured in at 6’3″, 265 and was slotted at right tackle where he spent the majority of his time during his 14 season career blocking for a revolving door of quarterbacks starting with Terry Bradshaw and ending in Neil O’Donnell, from 1980-1992.

Tunch did not get his first start until 1981, and played sparingly during the early part of his career, but by 1983 had asserted himself as a full-time starter, putting 10 games under his belt. Over the next 9 seasons in Pittsburgh he’d start 133 contests, earning two ProBowl nominations for his body of work in 1988 and 1989. Ilkin signed with the Packers in 1993, but served primarily as a backup in his final season for Green Bay.

Tunch spent a lot of time working in the booth post football. He did color commentary, interviews, and worked as a game analyst. Beyond that, Tunch’s name has a nice, and unique ring to it which always resonated with fans. Ilkin recognized this and had no problem endorsing products and lending his likeness and names to causes and programs.


G/Gs    177/143

UPDATE– September 1st, 2020. Tunch Ilkin passed away today at the age of 63 due to complications from ALS.

Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.