Bears First-Round Draft Picks



BRIAN URLACHER

     If past history is any indication, offensive tackle Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin has a 10.6 percent chance to eventually be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Nine of his 85 predecessors as a Bears first-round draft choice have done so, which is a pretty good success rate. Alas, at least an equal number have proven to be all but worthless. Time will tell whether Carimi gets his bust in Canton, goes bust, or ends up somewhere in between.     
     Two of the Bears' first-round draft picks were future Bears head coaches (Jim Dooley and Mike Ditka). Three were Heisman Trophy winners (Tom Harmon, Johnny Lujack, and Rashaan Salaam).
     In 1965, the Bears drafted two future Hall of Famers (Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers) with consecutive picks. From 1975 (Walter Payton) through 1990 (Mark Carrier), every first-round pick became a productive player, at least for a while, and most became stars. For the past 20 years, it has been a lot more bad than good. Brian Urlacher is the only bonafide all-timer in the group, while Tommie Harris was a star that shone briefly. Rex Grossman was not quite as good as his admirers wished him to be nor quite as bad as his detractors believed him to be.
     Below is the complete list of Bears first-round draft choices. The player's overall draft position is in parentheses, and an asterisk indicates a Hall of Famer.


Bears first-round draft picks

1936 - Joe Stydahar, tackle, West Virginia (6)*
1937 - Les McDonald, end, Nebraska (8)
1938 - Joe Gray, back, Oregon State (10)
1939 - Sid Luckman, quarterback, Columbia (2)*
1939 - Bill Osmanski, fullback, Holy Cross (6)

1940 - Bulldog Turner, center, Hardin-Simmons (7)*
1941 - Tom Harmon, halfback, Michigan (1)
1941 - Norm Standlee, fullback, Stanford (3)
1941 - Don Scott, back, Ohio State (9)
1942 - Frankie Albert, quarterback, Stanford (10)
1943 - Bob Steuber, halfback, DePauw (9)
1944 - Ray Evans, tailback, Kansas (9)
1945 - Don Lund, back, Michigan (7)
1946 - Johnny Lujack, quarterback, Notre Dame (4)
1947 - Bob Fenimore, halfback, Oklahoma State (1)
1947 - Don Kindt, defensive back, Wisconsin (11)
1948 - Bobby Layne, quarterback, Texas (3)*
1948 - Max Bumgardner, defensive end, Texas (10)
1949 - Dick Harris, center, Texas (11)

1950 - Chuck Hunsinger, halfback, Florida (3)
1950 - Fred Morrison, fullback, Ohio State (10)
1951 - Bob Williams, quarterback, Notre Dame (2)
1951 - Gene Schroeder, end, Virginia (12)
1952 - Jim Dooley, back, Miami - Florida (8)
1953 - Billy Anderson, defensive back, Compton - Calif. (6)
1954 - Stan Wallace, defensive back, Illinois (6)
1955 - Ron Drzewiecki, halfback, Marquette (11)
1956 - Tex Schriewer, end, Texas (10)
1957 - Earl Leggett, defensive tackle, LSU (13)
1958 - Chuck Howley, linebacker, West Virginia (7)
1959 - Don Clark, back, Ohio State (7)

1960 - Roger Davis, guard, Syracuse (7)
1961 - Mike Ditka, tight end, Pittsburgh (5)*
1962 - Ronnie Bull, running back, Baylor (7)
1963 - Dave Behrman, center, Michigan State (11)
1964 - Dick Evey, defensive tackle, Tennessee (14)
1965 - Dick Butkus, linebacker, Illinois (3)*
1965 - Gale Sayers, running back, Kansas (4)*
1965 - Steve DeLong, defensive end, Tennessee (6)
1966 - George Rice, defensive tackle, LSU (12)
1967 - Loyd Phillips, defensive end, Arkansas (10)
1968 - Mike Hull, running back , USC (16)
1969 - Rufus Mayes, tackle, Ohio State (14)

1970 - none
1971 - Joe Moore, running back, Missouri (11)
1972 - Lionel Antoine, tackle, Southern Illinois (3)
1972 - Craig Clemons, defensive back, Iowa (12)
1973 - Wally Chambers, defensive tackle, Eastern Kentucky (8)
1974 - Waymond Bryant, linebacker, Tennessee State (4)
1974 - Dave Gallagher, defensive end, Michigan (8)
1975 - Walter Payton, running back, Jackson State (4)*
1976 - Dennis Lick, tackle, Wisconsin (8)
1977 - Ted Albrecht, tackle, California (16)
1978 - none
1979 - Dan Hampton, defensive end, Arkansas (4)*
1979 - Al Harris, defensive end, Arizona State (8)

1980 - Otis Wilson, linebacker, Louisville (19)
1981 - Keith Van Horne, tackle, USC (11)
1982 - Jim McMahon, quarterback, Brigham Young (5)
1983 - Jimbo Covert, tackle, Pittsburgh (6)
1983 - Willie Gault, wide receiver, Tennessee (18)
1984 - Wilber Marshall, linebacker, Florida (11)
1985 - William Perry, defensive tackle, Clemson (22)
1986 - Neal Anderson, running back, Florida (27)
1987 - Jim Harbaugh, quarterback, Michigan (26)
1988 - Brad Muster, fullback, Stanford (23)
1988 - Wendell Davis, wide receiver, LSU (27)
1989 - Donnell Woolford, defensive back, Clemson (11)
1989 - Trace Armstrong, defensive end, Florida (12)

1990 - Mark Carrier, defensive back, USC (6)
1991 - Stan Thomas, tackle, Texas (22)
1992 - Alonzo Spellman, defensive end, Ohio State (22)
1993 - Curtis Conway, wide receiver, USC (7)
1994 - John Thierry, defensive end, Alcorn State (11)
1995 - Rashaan Salaam, running back, Colorado (21)
1996 - Walt Harris, defensive back, Mississippi State (13)
1997 - none
1998 - Curtis Enis, running back, Penn State (5)
1999 - Cade McNown, quarterback, UCLA (12)

2000 - Brian Urlacher, linebacker, New Mexico (9)
2001 - David Terrell, wide receiver, Michigan (8)
2002 - Marc Colombo, tackle, Boston College (29)
2003 - Michael Haynes, defensive end, Penn State (14)
2003 - Rex Grossman, quarterback, Florida (22)
2004 - Tommie Harris, defensive tackle, Oklahoma (14)
2005 - Cedric Benson, running back, Texas (4)

2006 - none
2007 - Greg Olsen, tight end, Miami - Florida (31)
2008 - Chris Williams, tackle, Vanderbilt (14)
2009 - none
2010 - none

2011 - Gabe Carimi, tackle, Wisconsin

"God Disguised as Michael Jordan"

Derrick Rose's sensational performances in this year's NBA playoffs have drawn inevitable comparisons to Michael Jordan's early days with the Bulls a quarter century ago, when Jordan was already a superstar but not yet considered the greatest player the game had seen. It was 25 years ago yesterday, on April 20, 1986, that Jordan dumped 63 points on the Boston Celtics for a playoff record that still stands. The account below is excerpted from the recent book Heydays: Great Stories in Chicago Sports.

MICHAEL JORDAN, 1986

     Michael Jordan was already known as the most exciting basketball player in the world when he suffered a broken foot in the third game of the 1985-86 season, his second with the Bulls. He missed 64 games, then returned just in time to help the Bulls eke out the last playoff berth. The closing weeks of the regular season presented an interesting spectacle, as new general manager Jerry Krause imposed strict limits on how many minutes Jordan could play in each game.
     “I was scared to death,” Krause explained. “I didn’t want to go down in history as the guy who put Michael Jordan back in too soon.” Meanwhile, Jordan kept begging coach Stan Albeck to let him play more. “I didn’t want to watch my team go down the pits,” he said. “I thought I was healthy enough to contribute something.”
     In the first round of the playoffs against the Boston Celtics, Jordan contributed something. He scored 49 points in Game 1, but the Bulls lost 123-104. In Game 2, he sank two free throws (his 53rd and 54th points of the game) to send the game into overtime. Then he scored seven more points in overtime, including a three-point play that gave the Bulls a 125-121 lead with 1:39 left. Two baskets by Boston forced a second overtime. Late in the second session, Jordan dunked over Robert Parish—giving him 63 points for the game, a new playoff record, and tying the game yet again. But despite his heroics, the Celtics finally prevailed 135-131.
     Jordan had scored 104 points in two games against a team that was being touted as the best of all time. “I didn’t think anyone was capable of doing what Michael has done to us the past two games,” said Boston forward Larry Bird, who was soon to receive the Most Valuable Player award for the third consecutive year. “He is the most exciting, awesome player in the game today. I think it’s just God disguised as Michael Jordan.”
     The Celtics swept the best-of-five series in three straight, despite Jordan's 131 points (43.7 per game), and went on to take the NBA championship. Jordan and the Bulls would be heard from again in the near future.

Excerpted from Heydays: Great Stories in Chicago Sports
(c) by Christopher Tabbert

Workhorse

RED FABER

     The last Chicago team to win the World Series in the 20th Century did so with 82 years to spare.
     The 1917 White Sox won 100 games (still a franchise record) and cruised to the American League pennant by nine games. In the World Series against the New York Giants, they won the first two games at Comiskey Park, 2-1 and 7-2, with Eddie Cicotte going the distance in Game 1 and Red Faber doing likewise in Game 2.
     The Sox pounded out 14 hits in Game 2, and even Faber—an .058 hitter for the regular season—joined in the fun, rapping a single to right in the fifth inning. When Giant right fielder Davy Robertson threw home to hold Buck Weaver at third on the play, Faber alertly took second. Then, seeing that pitcher Pol Perritt was ignoring him, Faber took off for third on the next pitch. He slid in, apparently safe, only to come face-to-face with Weaver, who was still occupying the base. “Where the hell are you going?” Weaver asked. The sheepish Faber replied, “Why, back to pitch, of course.”
     Faber could afford to laugh at his baserunning blunder after the Sox scored an easy victory in the game, but the Sox weren’t laughing when they were shut out in Games 3 and 4 at New York. In the pivotal Game 5 on October 13, back at Comiskey Park, they were down 5-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, and their hopes for a world championship seemed to be fading fast. But the Sox rallied for three to tie the score.
     When the Sox took the field for the eighth, manager Pants Rowland called on Faber, even though he had pitched seven tough innings just two days before. Faber set the Giants down in order. The Sox scored three times in their half of the eighth to take the lead. Faber was again perfect in the top of the ninth, and the Sox won 8-5. It was the turning point of the Series: the momentum had shifted back in Chicago’s favor.
     For Game 6 in New York, Rowland again elected to go with Faber. In the top of the fourth, the Giants fell apart defensively. Eddie Collins reached on a bad throw by third baseman Heinie Zimmerman, a former Cub who, it was said, “fielded by ear.” Joe Jackson lofted an easy fly ball that Robertson dropped. Then Happy Felsch hit a bouncer to Zimmerman, and it appeared that Collins was hung up between third and home. Inexplicably, however, catcher Bill Rariden and pitcher Rube Benton both left the plate unattended. With the unfortunate Zimmerman chasing him, Collins streaked home with the first run of the game. Jackson and Felsch scored on a single by Chick Gandil, and the White Sox were on their way. Faber went all the way, scattering six hits, as the Sox won 4-2 to claim the Series.
     Faber pitched 27 innings in the Series, winning three games and losing one. He and Cicotte pitched 50 of the 52 innings between them. Faber went on to star for the South Siders until 1933, but he missed the infamous 1919 World Series with an injury. “If Red had been available,” catcher Ray Schalk said, “there would never have been a Black Sox scandal.”

Reprinted from Heydays: Great Stories in Chicago Sports
(c) by Christopher Tabbert

60-Win Bulls

    

PHIL JACKSON and MICHAEL JORDAN

     When LeBron James announced last summer, on his now-infamous live TV show "The Decision," that he was taking his talents to South Beach, the Bulls appeared to be in a bad way. Like a number of other teams, the Bulls had feverishly pursued James, and when they failed to land him, it wasn't clear whether they had a Plan B--and if so, what that plan was. At the time, the Bulls had but a handful of players under contract, not enough to field a team, having cleared roster space and salary-cap space to accommodate James and/or Dwayne Wade and/or Chris Bosh, all three of whom ended up in Miami.
     Well, Plan B has worked out nicely. The Bulls signed a big-name free-agent, power forward Carlos Boozer, brought in some well-chosen complementary players, and saw continued improvement from their own young veterans Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and the sensational Derrick Rose.
     Under rookie head coach Tom Thibodeau, the retooled Bulls have surpassed all expectations. They have notched 60 wins, and they will enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but reaching the 60-win plateau would seem to bode well. Five previous Bulls teams have won 60 or more games in a season, and each captured the world championship.

50-Win Bulls teams (in ascending order)

1987-88
50-32 (.610)
Head coach: Doug Collins
Playoff record: 4-6 (lost Eastern Conference semifinals)

1970-71
51-31 (.622)
Head coach: Dick Motta
Playoff record: 3-4 (lost Western Conference semifinals)

1972-73
51-31 (.622)
Head coach: Dick Motta
Playoff record: 3-4 (lost Western Conference semifinals)

1973-74
54-28 (.659)
Head coach: Dick Motta
Playoff record: 4-7 (lost Western Conference finals)

1993-94
55-27 (.671)
Head coach: Phil Jackson
Playoff record: 6-4 (lost Eastern Conference semifinals)

1989-90
55-27 (.671)
Head coach: Phil Jackson
Playoff record: 10-6 (lost Eastern Conference finals)

1971-72
57-25 (.695)
Head coach: Dick Motta
Playoff record: 0-4 (lost Western Conference semifinals)

1992-93
57-25 (.695)
Head coach: Phil Jackson
Playoff record: 15-4 (won NBA championship)


60-Win Bulls teams (in ascending order)

1990-91
61-21 (.744)
Head coach: Phil Jackson
Playoff record: 15-2 (won NBA championship)

1997-98
62-20 (.756)
Head coach: Phil Jackson
Playoff record: 15-6 (won NBA championship)

1991-92
67-15 (.817)
Head coach: Phil Jackson
Playoff record: 15-7 (won NBA championship)

1996-97
69-13 (.841)
Head coach: Phil Jackson
Playoff record: 15-4 (won NBA championship)


70-Win Bulls teams

1995-96
72-10 (.878 -- NBA record)
Head coach: Phil Jackson
Playoff record: 15-3 (won NBA championship)

White Sox All-Opening Day Lineup

     The White Sox' home opener at U.S. Cellular Field is upon us, and the South Siders and their fans are anticipating an exciting season. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf gave general manager Kenny Williams the okay to spend the money needed to stock the roster for a serious run at the pennant. The Sox, in Williams's words, are "all in" for 2011.
     We're taking a look back at the Sox' openers of the past to compile the club's All-Opening Day roster. The lists below reflect Opening Day lineups from 1920 through 2011. (The information for years prior to 1920 is not readily available.)

* Asterisks indicate consecutive years.

Most Opening Day starts
  1. Frank Thomas, 14* (1991-2004)
  2. Luke Appling, 14 (1933-1949)
  3. Nellie Fox, 13* (1951-1963)
  3. Ozzie Guillen, 13* (1985-1997)
  3. Paul Konerko, 13* (1999-2011)

First team (most Opening Day starts by position)
  P. Mark Buehrle, 9 (2002-2011)
  C. Sherm Lollar, 10 (1952-1962)
1B. Paul Konerko, 11* (2001-2011)
2B. Nellie Fox, 13* (1951-1963)
SS. Luke Appling, 14 (1933-1949)
3B. Willie Kamm, 9* (1923-1931)
LF. Bibb Falk, 7 (1921-1928)
CF. Lance Johnson, 7 (1988-1995)
RF. Harold Baines, 8* (1980-1987)
DH. Frank Thomas, 5 (1998-2004)

Second team (second most Opening Day starts by position)
  P. Billy Pierce, 7 (1951-1959)
  C. Ray Schalk, 8* (1920-1927)
1B. Frank Thomas, 9 (1991-2000)
2B. Ray Durham, 8* (1995-2002)
SS. Ozzie Guillen, 13* (1985-1997)
3B. Robin Ventura, 8 (1990-1998)
LF. Minnie Minoso, 7 (1952-1961)
CF. Chet Lemon, 6* (1976-1981)
RF. Magglio Ordonez, 7* (1998-2004)
DH. Greg Luzinski, 4* (1981-1984)

Third team (third most Opening Day starts by position)
  P. Wilbur Wood, 5* (1972-1976)
  C. Mike Tresh, 8 (1940-1948)
  C. Carlton Fisk, 8 (1981-1991)
1B. Earl Sheely, 7* (1921-1927)
2B. Eddie Collins, 7* (1920-1926)
SS. Luis Aparicio, 10 (1956-1970)
3B. Bill Melton, 7* (1969-1975)
LF. Carlos Lee, 5* (2000-2004)
CF. Mike Kreevich, 5 (1936-1941)
RF. Jermaine Dye, 5* (2005-2009)
DH. Jim Thome, 4* (2006-2009)