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Gayle Sayers, legendary NFL star succumbs to dementia at age 77

His friendship with teammate Brian Piccalo inspired two movies. His wife says doctors attribute Football as indirectly being the reason for the illness.

By Cheryl E PrestonPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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Gayle Sayers and Brian Piccalo

The sports world was hit today with the sad news that be in f their own has died.?Legendary football star Gayle Sayers passed away on Tuesday, September 23, 2020 at age 77. He was a giant in his day and continued to be loved by her a fans. Gale Eugene Sayers was born on May 30, 1943 and was both a halfback and return specialist in the NF. He spent seven seasons playing for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1971 when he decided to retire. He was nicknamed the "Kansas Comet", when he played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks at the University of Kansas. During his rookie NFL season, he set a record by scoring 22 touchdowns and gained 2,272 all-purpose yards and was named the NFL's Rookie of the Year.

Although he made strides while playing for the National Football League, it was his friendship with a team member that was most notable. In 1967, Sayers, who is African American became roomates with running back Brian Piccolo, who was white. The duo made history as the first interacial roommates in NFL history. They became really good friends and after Piccolo died of cancer on June 16,1970. Sayers wrote about it in his autobiography titled I am third. The story of the friendship and Brian's untimely death inspired the made for television movie Brian's Song in 1971.

This film, was an ABC movie of the week and was a true tear jerker. James Caan and Billy Dee Williams portrayed Brian Piccalo and Gayle Sayers respectively. The scene where Brian died touched many people who viewed the film. The movie was remade in 2001 with Mekhi Pfier and Sean Mayer in the title roles. Brian's Song received a number of awards which are: Peabody Award 1972, Writers Gild Award for television 1972, Director's Guild of American for Outstanding directing, 1972 (Buz Kulik), PGA 1998 Hall of Fame Television Programs, and TV Land Blockbuster movie of the week, 2006.At age 34, Gayle Sayers was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. He remains the youngest person to have ever received this honor.

Sayers was later named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team as a halfback and kick returner. This made Sayers the only player to occupy two positions on the team. In March of 2017, Sayers' wife, Ardythe, revealed publicly that he had been diagnosed with dementia in 2013. She acknowledged that a Mayo Clinic physician confirmed the illness was most likely caused by injuries during his football career. Ardythe Sayers was quoted as saying "It wasn't so much getting hit in the head," "It's just the shaking of the brain when they took him down with the force they play the game in." Mrs. Sayers also shared that although her spouse remained physically healthy, the disease had an adverse effect on his mental health and in particular his memory.

Ardythe Sayers said this made simple every day tasks such as signing his own name very difficult. It is very disheartening to hear that anyone has to deal with the effects of dementia. This especially difficult when the person has been so vibrant and strong and a former football great, prior to the onset of the illness. In spite of this diagnosis, Gayle Sayers will always be remembered for his numerous accomplishments. Perhaps the bond he built with Brian Piccalo can serve as a reminder that people who are different can love each other and get along. Sayers was married twice and his first wife’s name was Linda. In addition to his widow, Ardythe, he leaves behind six children, one daughters and five sons.

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About the Creator

Cheryl E Preston

Cheryl is a widow who enjoys writing about current events, soap spoilers and baby boomer nostalgia. Tips are greatly appreciated.

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