CONTACT: Julie Navejar
kajam03@tamuk.edu or 361-593-2590

NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers to Speak at Texas A&M-Kingsville

Gale Sayers

KINGSVILLE (February 28, 2002) — He is now a successful businessman, but more than 35 years ago, Gale Sayers was setting National Football League and team records as a popular halfback with the Chicago Bears.

Sayers will talk about both successful careers when he speaks as part of the University Lectureship Series at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, at Jones Auditorium on the campus of Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Tickets are now available for the lecture. General admission tickets are $10. A&M-Kingsville faculty and staff tickets are $5 and students are admitted free with their current university identification card. Tickets are available at the ID center in room 110 of the Student Union Building on campus, by calling toll-free at 888-597-7827 or online at www.startickets.com.

Sayers was born in Wichita, Kansas and attended Kansas University before being selected the fourth draft pick in the first round in 1965. He was chosen by the Chicago Bears and went on to be named Rookie of the Year for that first season. While playing for Kansas University, he was named an All-American tailback twice.

He still holds the Bears record for the number of touchdowns scored in a single season, 22, set his first year in the NFL. Sayers also still holds the Bears record for the most touchdowns and points scored in a single game. He scored six touchdowns for 36 points in a 1965 game against San Francisco.

During his career, Sayers had nearly 9,500 combined net yards, almost 5,000 yards rushing and scored 336 points. He also is the NFL's lifetime kickoff return leader.

Sayers was named the Pro Bowl's Player of the Game in 1967, 1968 and 1970, and was named to the 75th Anniversary All Time NFL Team. He was also named to the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame in 1980, the Blacks Sports Hall of Fame in 1975 and the NFL All-Time Millennium Team. In 1977, he was the youngest player ever inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Writers of America once named Sayers the NFL's most courageous player to acknowledge his dedicated comeback from career-threatening knee surgery.

After completing his professional football career, Sayers returned to Kansas University and earned his bachelor's degree in physical education while also handling duties of assistant athletic director. He then accepted the assignment as assistant director of the Williams Education Fund for three years and earned his master's degree in educational administration. From 1976 through 1981, he was athletic director at Southern Illinois University.

Following a successful career at SIU, Sayers moved back to Chicago and launched a sports marketing and public relations firm, Sayers and Sayers Enterprises.

In 1984, Sayers and his wife, Ardythe, started a computer reseller firm. Today, the Sayers Group is a national technology solutions provider with locations across the United States and revenues of more than $300 million.

In 1998, he received the Apple Award for Distinguished Achievement in Education from Kansas University.

In 1999, Sayers was inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame and was named Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. The Kansas University School of Education also recently unveiled the Gale Sayers Microcomputer Center.

Sayers devotes a great deal his of time to a variety of charitable organizations including the Boys and Girls Club of America, Marklund Children's Home, Boy Scouts of America, American Cancer Society, Better Boys Foundation, Junior Achievement and the Cradle Adoption Agency.

In addition to his business and personal interests, Sayers has authored an instructional publication on the fundamentals of football's offensive strategies called "Offensive Football." His autobiography, "I Am Third," was produced into an award-winning television movie, "Brian's Song." The movie features the special personal and professional relationship between Sayers and his cancer-stricken teammate Brian Piccolo.

There are still sponsorships available for this lecture. For sponsorship information call 361-593-3612. For ticket or general information call 361-593-2760.

-TAMUK-