[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 15 (Monday, February 5, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO SID LUCKMAN

                                 ______


                        HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINKSI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 1, 1996

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true 
Chicago sports legend--Sid Luckman--at the news he will receive our 
State's highest honor, the Order of Lincoln, on April 20, 1996.
  Sid Luckman joined the Chicago Bears in 1939 and quarterbacked them 
to four NFL championships in the next 12 seasons, the years that earned 
the Bears their reputation as the ``Monsters of the Midway.''
  Perhaps his most memorable performance was in the 1946 championship 
game against the New York Giants, the first football game I can 
remember listening to on the radio. Sid Luckman's championship 
performance was capped by scoring the winning touchdown on what was 
called the ``bingo keeper'' play. With the Bears at the goal line, he 
faked a handoff to one running back, faked to another rusher, tucked 
the ball under his arm and outran the defense along the line of 
scrimmage and into the end zone.
  In addition to earning his teammates respect while serving as their 
captain, he was honored by all of football as the NFL's most valuable 
player three times and was named an all-pro seven times. He received 
football's highest honor when he was enshrined into the Hall of Fame 
after his retirement.
  Sid Luckman also enjoyed a 14-year stint as a coach with both the 
Bears and the University of Notre Dame. In addition, he recently 
completed a successful business career when the packaging company, 
Cell-Craft, he bought into in 1946 was sold.
  But perhaps the thing that has made Sid Luckman so special has been 
his tireless devotion to his community. He has always been willing to 
lend his time, efforts, and stellar reputation to good causes both in 
the Chicago area and throughout the country. For instance, he 
established a scholarship to the prestigious Mayo Clinic to help 
deserving medical students study there.
  For his athletic and civic accomplishments, Sid Luckman will join the 
likes of former President Reagan, actor Charleton Heston, journalist 
John Chancellor, and one of his successors in football's pantheon, 
Walter Payton of the Bears, in the Lincoln Academy. The Academy, named 
for Illinois' most famous son, was established 31 years ago to honor 
distinguished Illinoisans, either by birth or residency, who have 
brought honor to the Land of Lincoln.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Sid Luckman on joining the Order of 
Lincoln and wish him many more years of enjoying the respect and 
admiration of his community.

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