Ditka, Sayers and Butkus

Below are some of the items that I have purchased to update my Ditka shelf.  The smaller #89 figure is a loose Starting Lineup.  The larger one resembles the Hartland Statue back in the early 60s.  However, this one is made of resin, not plastic like the originals.  A gentleman claimed to have found the original mold and refabricated some.  Mine was customized to represent Mike Ditka.

I have also added 2 promotional bobbleheads.  One is from Electrolux where Ditka probably was the hired speaker, and the 2nd one is from a Natural golf outing.

I have only seen 3 Mike Ditka Bobble Heads in 15 years of collecting.  If my numbers are correct, there are NINE scheduled for release in 2014.  I have purchased the 2 very limited figures so far, and hope to obtain the rest.

MIKE DITKA

CHICAGO BEARS

SPECIAL EDITION COACH AND PLAYER ISSUE

LIMITED EDITION BOBBLE HEADS

From FOREVER COLLECTIBLES

HAND PAINTED VERY LIMITED EDITIONS 7" BOBBLE HEADS,NUMBERED TO ONLY 288 !!!

THESE FINELY CRAFTED MOMENTOES ARE MADE WITH SPECIAL ATTTENTION TO DETAIL THAT  IS UNPARALLELED. UNLIKE OTHERS, THESE ARE NOT PLASTIC. FIGURES ARE WELL SCUPLTED FROM 'PORCELAIN' RESIN, ABOUT 7" TALL, AND ARE HAND PAINTED.

THESE LIMITED EDITION FIGURES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SETTING NEW STANDARDS FOR VALUE AND LIKENESS.

2 More......limited to 500 each

And also got the March 2014 bobbleheads below.

The only one I don't have is Ditka in his Pitt uniform.  I am not sure I even want that one.

Mike Ditka's rookie card came out in 1963.  However, a couple of other cards came out prior to that in 1962.  One was from a Post Cereal box and another was a small 1 3/4 inch by 5 inch Topps insert called Football Bucks.

 The 1962 Post Cereal cards are very hard to find in really good condition.  It was a 200 card set that had photos and biographies of the players on the front, with blank backs. There could be one to seven cards on each box and they had to be hand cut to retrieve them.  This was a difficult task, considering the “cutters” were usually kids.  There was a dotted line around the black bordered cards, and PSA will not grade any cards that does not have the complete black border.  Here is an article on an expert collector of the set.

http://www.psacard.com/Articles/ArticleView/6982/the-1962-post-cereal-football-set-a-challenge-to-collect-in-high-grade

The Mike Ditka card is considered a rookie and is short printed (not a ton available).  Fran Tarkenton was also a Rookie this issue and there were many Hall of Famers to be (HOF opened in 1963) included on the boxes i.e. Paul Hornung, Bart Starr , Jim Brown  and Johnny Unitas .

My card has the full black border and seems NrMt.

1962 Topps Football Bucks

 I have the 3 sets of playing cards from 1993, 1994 and 1995 called Ditka's Picks in which Ditka selected what he deemed the best players of the year and assigned them to a specific card.

I found an old computer football game called Mike Ditka Ultimate Football by Accolade.  Note the floppy discs, so obvioulsy I have nothing to play it on.  I bought it as a collectible, anyway.

Here's a collage which includes a couple of other items that were autographed.

and here's a Hall of Fame Coaster from the Canton (Ohio) Classic Car Museum and a caricature pinback

Oh, and a box (50) of matchbooks from his restaurant.  I have numerous items from his restaurant.

The next football is really sweet.  It has a color image of Ditka (which is a little faded) which must have been available during his playing days. It is made by McGregor and is not full size, I don't believe.

Mike Ditka's jersey #89 was finally retired and a pin set was given out at Soldier Field that day.  I was not there, but naturally some fool just had to sell it on Ebay.

How about this empty 2010 Merlot bottle featuring Iron Mike.  It looks nice next to my full bottle wines.

Just bought a t-shirt that duplicates the infamous Ditka sweater and tie.  I plan on wearing this to certain occasions!

Check this interesting item out:  It might have been a salesman sample. Here is how it was described to me:  Attractive plaque of American Black Walnut size 8"x 10" with brass image of the Championship ring with a blue velvet background (it is showing up as black in this scan) The ring is marked DITKA and has the date 1-26-86 inscribed--the plaque reads "Chicago Bears Super Bowl XX Champions Mike Ditka"--made by Jostens, The Recognition People, Memphis, Tennessee--new in box 

This is a GREAT photo of Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus.  Supposedly it is printed from the original negative and not some sort of a copy.  How can you tell?  I don't know. Below that are some new Sayers' items that I have added to my collection.

1968 Tasco Print

 Below is print of Gale Sayers, 1969 by John Wheeldon. Gales signature is on the front, but I believe it is just part of the print. The back has info about Gale and his football history. Also on the back is a paragraph about the artist, who was also commissioned to paint JFK, John Ford, Clark Gable, Gene Kelly, Kathryn Hepburn, and Kirk Douglas. He has also done covers for national magazines as Liberty and The Saturday Evening Post. Always kept in plastic, no creases or tears, in great condition!! There were 8 total Chicago Bears in the Wheeldon set, also known as the 1969 Kroger Set.

8"x9 3/4"

8 Bear players

Piccolo value $100, Sayers and Butkus $60

1975 Sports Legends - I assume the autograph is a facsimile for what these sell for.  It approximately 8.5 x 11 and 1/4 inch thick

 I think Gale Sayers got tired of signing autographs for Sport's Companies for a small fee and opened up his own business of selling his own items.  I did not buy this directly from his company but there is a COA from Gale Sayers on the autograph.  This is a very nice 27" x 37" cloth banner.  Too bad I have no place to hang it.

Here are the other items that I have purchased recently.

Just bought another Gale Sayer's model Wilson Football in pretty good shape.  I actually holds air.  I already have a different model, but this one is in better shape.

I finally was able to obtain a NEW Sayer's model football in the original box.  There is a small poster on the side of the box, which is highly collectible in it's own right.

Here is an autograph from Gale that he signed on a homemade collage of his photos....pretty neat for hanging on the wall (if I had any more space).

Celebrating a 100 years of Wrigley Field, I believe during the 2014 season there were 12 different Bobbleheads given away from the Sports Stars from Chicago. Sayers was July 11th. (I also have a Red Grange) 

This was a cool Advertising poster that I bought and framed.

Let's move on to the new and improved Butkus collectibles shelf.

And here is a metal sign that promoted the line of clothing.

NFL Throwbacks Vintage Collection, Retail Apparel


Throwbacks – the NFL vintage clothing collection is a line of apparel inspired by the original game jerseys, jackets, caps, and equipment of teams like the Duluth Eskimos, the '61 Packers and the "Steel Curtain." This profitable NFL retail licensed product line-extension has grown tremendously since its introduction displayed by the series of ads shown below incorporating NFL Hall of Fame players and Throwback legends Ray Nitschke, Gale Sayers, and Dick Butkus. (from http://www.behance.net/gallery/NFL-Print-Throwbacks-Vintage-Collection-Retail-Apparel/2865303)

                                

1990s 17x14 metal advertising sign

Dick Butkus never wore an earring and Gale Sayers never "Pumped Up His Shoes" is also from the previous ad campaign, but I have never seen Sayers' ad.  UPDATE Feb 2015 : Found the Sayers Tin sign, 14 inches by 16.5 inches, still in original shrink wrap.

Here are a few more Butkus items that I added to my collection.  I had to buy the HOF Bust card because it is autographed to me, Jim.  :)  The Volpe poster is somewhat rare.  It historically was ordered through Clarke gas station promotions.  I also have the cards/mini posters of all of the Bears that were available.

I seem to have a passion for player-name-sponsored Wilson footballs, and when you find something from the 1970 that is brand new, it is quite exciting...no box, but sweet!

I especially like to find items that I never even knew existed. After collecting for 30 years, I was surprised to find this....simple, nothing special....just a coffee cup, but nonetheless....neat

From the 1960s I obtained a 7x9 inch coloring card....worth more uncolored, obviously

King Cards