This Tuesday, April 24, at 11:00 a.m., Lt. Governor Pat Quinn will salute NFL legend and former Chicago Bear, Gale Sayers, by declaring Tuesday, April 24 “Gale Sayers Day” throughout the Land of Lincoln.

Gale Sayers, born on May 30, 1943, in Wichita, Kansas, is known as one of the greatest players in NFL history. But before he got his start on the professional field, Gale Sayers was a strong voice for racial equality while a senior at the University of Kansas. Sayers participated in a student-led sit-in in the Chancellor’s office on March 8, 1965, calling for an executive order to end discrimination in campus housing. Sayers and his fellow student protestors were arrested for their participation in the demonstration.

After a successful college career during which he was a two-time All-American, the “Kansas Comet” – as Sayers was known at the time – was the first round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 1965.

Sayers was named the 1965 Rookie of the Year after scoring a record 22 touchdowns for the season, including an incredible six touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers. Known for his remarkable recovery after a career-threatening knee injury in 1968, Sayers was the comeback player of his generation. In 1969, Sayers returned to the Bears’ lineup where he achieved the second 1,000-yard rushing season of his career. To mark this feat and his successful return to football, Sayers received the NFL’s Most Courageous Player Award from the Pro Football Writers of America in 1970

Although Sayers only played 68 professional football games – roughly four seasons in today’s game – at 34 years old, he became the youngest player elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1977

Sayers’ 1970 autobiography, I Am Third, details his meteoric rise in football, as well as his friendship with Bears teammate Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer. The moving memoir was the inspiration for the 1971 Emmy Award-winning film, Brian’s Song

While Sayers’ NFL career ended much too soon due to injury, he deftly transferred his skills into the business arena. As a world-class provider of technology products and services, Sayers’ business savvy earned him the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Also, Sayers was honored with his second Hall of Fame installment – induction into the Chicago Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 1999

Also known for his philanthropic contributions, Gale Sayers will soon open the Gale Sayers Center in the Chicagoland area in Fall 2007. The Gale Sayers Center will be a cost-free, full-service after-school learning experience for children. Complete with computer-stocked classrooms, a 99-seat theatre, and a mentoring program involving the nation’s finest in business, civics, and sports, the Gale Sayers Center will give children the tools they need to become responsible community leaders “Today I stand with a NFL legend, a man whose impact has gone far beyond the limits of the football” Quinn said. “Gale Sayers is a true athlete and role model who has made an impact in the lives of many. It’s only fitting to acknowledge his contributions by declaring “Gale Sayers Day” throughout the State of Illinois".