Getting old

There are a few expressions when we talk about getting older. One is ‘It’s hell getting old!’ Another is ‘Getting old ain’t for sissies.’ I happen to like the second one a lot because so many of us complain on a daily basis that we have aches and pains and we’re tired and cranky. We hate our birthdays because it just means that we are getting older.

When my mom was a live she used to say that she loved her birthday because my wife and I would take her to dinner or lunch; my brother did the same on another day and a former neighbor would drop by and take her to lunch on yet another day. She said it takes her close to a week to celebrate her birthday and that was fine by her.

We all have to watch ourselves and take care of important things as we age. By the way I’m doing fine so don’t worry about me. Like most people, retirement just means that people think you have more time on your hands so it would easy to help on a bunch of new things. Sure, I have had a problem saying no when asked but I am spreading myself a bit thin and I do have things that I personally need to do for my wife and me. I could list all of the things I’m involved with but there would come a time when you would ask, “Is he bragging or complaining?” The answer is probably yes!

Honestly I really want to mention that I am more aware of the great athletes who played when I really enjoyed watching the NFL in the 1960s and 70s. In the last couple of weeks I heard that Chicago Bears’ linebacker Dick Butkus passed away at 80 years of age. I wasn’t a Chicago Bears fan but I loved watching Butkus play football. He played in the day when the shoulder pads were huge and the facemasks were oversized as well. Butkus probably hurt as many people with that facemask as he did from his ferocious hits. I know that I was never injured from a Dick Butkus hit but you had a feeling just how much pain was inflicted and anyone that saw Butkus play could tell you, “Yeah, I felt that one.”

Butkus played on some very bad Bears’ teams and would never play in a playoff game. Maybe with the way the divisions are set up and the addition of wild card teams I’m sure at least one of his teams would have been playoff eligible. It proves that not all great players get a chance to earn a championship ring. I can only imagine what it would have been like had Butkus played for Green Bay, Dallas, the Rams or the Vikings in that era. But as Illinois alum it was certainly right that Butkus wore a Chicago Bears uniform.

Another guy who wore a uniform that was very fitting was a running back by the name of Walt Garrison. Garrison played running back for the Oklahoma State Cowboys and then was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1966. The one thing about Garrison is that he was a real rodeo cowboy and was a steer wrestler. He would go to rodeos and perform even though he was a professional football player. Garrison felt that is was safer to steer wrestle than playing on the kickoff coverage team and he was probably right.

Garrison also became famous for doing Skoal smokeless tobacco ads. No one could forget Garrison and his Texas drawl saying, “Just put pinch between your cheek and gum!” Not sure how many young football and rodeo fans got started chewing tobacco with those ads. Thankfully I wasn’t one of them. Walt Garrison passed away on October 13th at the age of 79. Garrison wasn’t flashy or overpowering but he did earn a Super Bowl ring as a fullback for the Cowboys.

I realize that there have been a lot of great players that pass on and many of them I admired as a young fan of sports. This won’t stop because none of us get out of here alive anyway. As we age just admire those that have given their best effort and are great teammates. Those people earn our admiration.

— Dale Anderson is a sports columnist from Ritzville. To contact him, email [email protected].