NFL, NFLE

Perry, William “The Fridge”

Cards: ProSet 1990 SB, Skybox 1992, Score Supplemental 1989
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home*
Sent: 1/3    Received: 1/14  (11 days)
*Signing Fee $5.00 per card

The Fridge. Of all the nicknames in football, William Perry’s moniker was among the greatest. The gentle giant, with trademark gapped teeth, William Perry, was a space eating destructive force at DT and in the middle for the Clemson Tigers. Mike Ditka and the Bears would snatch him up in the first round of the 1985 draft. A fan favorite, Perry earned the nickname, “The Refrigerator” because of his frame and weight, – the latter which has continuously been an embarrassing issue in his life. He’d anchor the center of the Bears vaunted 46 defense in Super Bowl XX. The team set numerous defensive records en route to a 15-1 record and the title. During the Super Bowl against the Patriots, Perry also got to try his hand carrying the ball at fullback and also scored a touchdown. The team also was a media darling, loaded with personalities, going so far as to record a SuperBowl video before the game was even played in which the lovable Perry with his gap tooth smile would perform. I even had his GI Joe “The Fridge” mail in action figure at one point, that had a chained mace styled to look like a football. (- Yes Hasbro was struggling with ideas by then.) He even capitalized off of his fame to become a wrestler briefly, appearing in WrestleMania II.

In 1989 his ProSet card became the most valuable card in the collection after it was accidentally printed. Very few were released, and he’d be replaced in the ’89 edition by Ron Morris. Although he’d appear in later card sets and editions of ProSet, his 1989 card was rumored to have been pulled because it showed his correct weight. I liked the Score and Skybox in particular because they really compliment him well. The Score shows him roving the field like a giant Great White, while the Skybox gives him the appearance that he is about to explode off the line.

The Fridge would continue to play for the Bears through 1993, before his weight and injuries became a distraction. Perry signed with the Eagles midway through the 1993 season after being cut from the Bears, -retiring after the 1994 season. It was very odd seeing him in an Eagles uniform. While his numbers in the NFL were not eye popping, with 29.5 sacks, “The Fridge” was a ‘hat guy’ that you needed to put two bodies on to stop from moving up field or occupying space. The first problem is when you assigned 2 guys to him, it freed up somebody else on the D line to come through, like Steve McMichael or Richard Dent. The other problem was Perry would plug up the middle so badly that it made it hard to run inside on the Bears.

After playing in the NFL,  Perry was not done yet. With the re-emergence of the WLAF, retooled as the NFLE, Perry attempted a comeback playing for the London Monarchs 1996. Although a lovable poster boy for the team, Perry and the Monarchs did not fare well enough to make the playoffs and he’d re-retire after the season.  He’s kept himself busy though, despite being debilitated by both his weight and Guillain Barre Syndrome. “The Fridge” has remained an endearing 80’s icon as well appearing regularly at functions around the US and his hometown of Aiken,SC dabbling in things ranging from equity investments to hot dog eating contests. He’s participated in football events for the Lingerie League and the Continental Indoor Football League (Chicago Slaughter) and was inducted into the Pro Wrestling HoF in 2006.

I had no problem paying a small signing fee for the gentle giant. With his struggles with Guillain Barre and his weight leaving him bed ridden at some points and haven been taken care of his brother Michael Dean,  it was the least I could do. The autographs were a bit light on these cards, as he autographed them in a fading silver sharpie, but I was very happy to lodge him as my first success for 2012.

G/Gs 138/111       Tac 506       Sac 29.5        Fum  5        Int 0   Yds 0   Avg  -.-    Td 0     Lg -.-

NFL, WLAF

Mandley, Pete

Card: ProSet 1989
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Montreal Machine
See Also: Pete Mandley (2)

Northern Arizona’s very own Pete Mandley stood at 5’10”, 190, setting all sorts of receiving and returning records for the school, parlaying it into an NFL career. Pete heard his name called in the second round of the 1984 draft, and initially was utilized by the Lions as a kick returner. In 1985 he’d switch primarily to punt returns where he found his niche.

One of the more formidable returners in the league, Pete had 403 yards on 38 returns and a touchdown. Mandley nearly duplicated those numbers again in 1986, with 43 returns for 420 yards and a touchdown. He then became the team’s primary receiver in 1987 pulling in 58 receptions for 720 yards and 7 touchdowns (- the most for a Lions receiver since 1968,) and again had similar numbers leading the team in catches with 44 for 617 yards and 4 TDs. For Pete’s efforts in 1987 he was named a Pro Bowl alternate.  With Plan B in full swing, Mandley signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989. In 12 games he had 35 catches for 476 yards and a TD, before a largely forgettable 1990.

Sitting out a season, Pete attempted to reinvigorate his career by signing with the WLAF. Picked up by the Montreal Machine in 1992, Pete would put on a clinic for the young franchise setting marks across the board in receiving, punt returning, and yards from scrimmage. His presence certainly helped stabilize young quarterback Michael Proctor, as Pete had 45 receptions for 605 yards and 4 touchdowns. Mandley would almost spoil the Riders 1992 season opener with a devastating punt return for a touchdown in the 4th quarter, but the Riders managed to pull the game out. He’d finish the season with 16 returns for 150 yards, a 9.4 average and a TD. Despite accounting for the majority of the Machine’s offensive firepower, Pete did not find himself on the All World squad.

I only had Mandley’s ProSet 1989 card, but Ultimate and Wild Card aggressively made cards of his that were not released until after the season opener. Still Pete recognized me as a fan, smiled, and signed my Lions card. After retiring from pro football, Mandley struggled with leaving it behind and even resented the sport, but over the years has rekindled the fire and interest he’s had in it.

In 1993, Pete was inducted into the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Hall of Fame. He is also an entrepreneur, and owns numerous businesses in the Phoenix area.  Mandley’s family is notable as they avoided tragedy when one of their young children took ill and prevented them from boarding Northwest plane flight 255, which crashed and killed all but one, in 1987.

NFL
Rec 172    Yds 2370       Avg 13.8        Td 12       Lg 56
Kr 35   Yds  630   Avg 18.0   Td 0   Lg 37  |      
Pr 162   Yds 1511  Avg 9.3    Td 2    Lg 81t

WL
Rec 45     Yds  605     Avg 13.4    Td 4    Lg 61
Kr 7    Yds 103    Avg 14.7   Td 0    Lg  22  |    
Pr 16     Yds  150    Avg 9.4   Td  1   Lg 73t

Arena, NFL, WLAF

Simmons, Stacey (2)

 Cards: Pacific 1991, Wild Card WLAF 1992
Acquired: TTM 2010, C/o Stacey Simmons Sports Training
Sent: 6/11/10   Received: 1/11/12  (579 days)
See Also: Simmons, Stacey

A track man, Stacey was part of a team at Florida that set the nation’s fastest time in the 4×200 relay with 1:26:31.  The first pick of the Colts in the 4th round of 1990 that played both receiver and punt returner, Stacey saw playing time also with the Buccaneers, before heading over to the Orlando Thunder in 1992.  After a short off-season with the 49ers, Stacey found a home for 8 seasons in the Arena Football League playing for the Tampa Bay Storm, winning two AFL Championships.

I have to give credit to Sotl for this find, as I had given up on this one some time ago. Seeing his name on the website, I easily recognized him as a member of the Orlando Thunder and nudged him a bit for those autographs and amazingly they arrived a bit over a year and a half later setting a new record at a fat 579 days.
He also included a nice note for it taking so long and welcomed me to check out his site at www.staceysimmons.com. It’s amazing looking at these autographs from the two posts gotten some 20 years apart, and realizing that the autograph is authentic, because the signature is still the same.

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