My Unique Meeting with Gale Sayers

Sometimes you don't even realize just what a great life you had until you have some introspection. A very young football player to be would see in his first game the man he would eventually meet and shake hands with in an unique way - Gale Sayers.

When I was probably not more than five, I was given an official NFL football, which meant it took my entire body to heave the sucker a handful of feet. But I was hooked. On Sundays after church, the family would come home and I used to sit in my room listening to the radio. I was mesmerized hearing Dick Enberg's play-by-play of the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Colts or whoever was playing L.A. The imagination would run. Dick Bass, Roman Gabriel, Jack Snow and of course the Fearsome Foursome battling the likes of Johnny Unitas or the Green Bay Packers with Bart Starr and Ray Nitschke. By the way, why were the Baltimore Colts in the Western Division?

Eyes as big as saucers

Anyway, my Dad (Ron Driver) got tickets to a Rams game - they would be playing the Chicago Bears. I had heard plenty of news about him and now, new NFL star Gale Sayers (those not familiar with football, Mr. Sayers was part of Emmy Award winning movie Brian's Song) was coming to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. I remember walking through one of the dark tunnels that leads into the stadium and at the other end was ... this humongous stadium. I was awestruck. This kid had never seen anything like it and it took my breath away. I must have looked like a barn owl - my eyes were big as saucers.

With legendary coaches George Halas and George Allen walking the sidelines, this was the biggest thing to ever happen to me. The game was fairly close as I can best recall and of course, the two running back stars, Sayers and Bass both scored. I will always remember every time the Rams would kick off to the Bears, because everyone would hold their breath hoping Sayers wouldn't break one for a touchdown. The Rams won and although I don't recollect too much of the game, Gale Sayers was etched in my young mind.

An interesting side note. Also, that same year I went to my first baseball game at Dodger Stadium and the Dodgers played the Chicago Cubs. L.A. won and I hardly remember anything about it except we went as a Cub Scout Troop. Many ironies here.

Learning pays off

A few years went by with Gale Sayers having a remarkable if somewhat short career. I became a good football player for the Venice Blues in my own right - and smart too. I had a great fifth grade teacher at First Lutheran School of Venice California; in fact, she was the best teacher I ever had. She pushed me way beyond my comfort zone and in short, taught me how to learn - an invaluable commodity. I received straight A's for the first time in my life while also starting as a lineman on both offense and defense. The Pop Warner conference we played in recognized the kids for their grades with a trophy for getting an A average. In an unique twist, as destiny would have it, this would be more rewarding than I expected.

After the season ended, we had an award ceremony (not sure but I believe it was in Ocean Park - hey, I was a kid). The key speaker for the evening? You guessed it, Gale Sayers. He was still a big star and why he was there, I haven't a clue - but I did have those big saucer eyes again. I walked up (nervous as all get out) in front of the awards dinner and shook his hand, he congratulated me, we chatted for a moment or two and I then walked back; totally oblivious to anything.

I remember these two unique instances of watching and then later meeting Gale Sayers as if it were yesterday. When I was young, I was lucky enough to meet others who mattered to me like Dan Pastorini, Dick Bass (good friend), Marv Fleming (who I played many pick-up basketball games with), "Electricfying" Alvin Haymond, Eddie Meador, Pat Studstil and Happy Hairston among others but Gale Sayers will always stand out.

So the moral of the story? Do your homework.