Bill Wade #1

Raw interview footage in Nashville, TN with Bil Wade, former quarterback for the Chicago Bears, who started in their 1963 world championship season.

00:03Copy video clip URL Color bars with production crew audio introducing segment. 11/13/1985.

00:57Copy video clip URL Open to Bill Wade describing the holdings of his bank ($4.8 billion in assets) and his position in their government and institution finance department, including personal relations.

2:04Copy video clip URL Weinberg asks him whether he uses his reputation as a champion football player to the advantage of the bank, like a Booster. Wade responds by reiterating the personal relations aspect of his position.

3:03Copy video clip URL Movement of Saturn Auto helped Nashville.

3:55Copy video clip URL Wade was a Bonus Draft choice of the L.A. Rams and then went to the Navy for two years, had seven years with LA and then seven years with the Chicago Bears.

4:33Copy video clip URL Weinberg asks about life with the Bears. Wade goes on to describe how many Bears fans there are in Nashville and the origins of Monday Night Football in Nashville.

6:24Copy video clip URL Weinberg asks Wade to elaborate on some of the Bears Players. Wade begins with George Halas and Sid Luckman.

9:12Copy video clip URL Wade wishes he’d been paid more, but out of respect for Coach Halas never asked for a raise.

10:04Copy video clip URL Wade describes how football could be, as a “combat sport”, a good outlet for people.”We’re getting to be a weak country..” He describes how important it is to stay fit, and that “football and the United States go hand in hand.”

11:46Copy video clip URL Topic shifts to Ditka and the 1963 World Championship. The Championship rings “represents 33 years of my life.” He mentions Doug Atkins, Bill George, Johnny Morris, Mike Pile, and Halas’s secretary Gene Doyle.

13:45Copy video clip URL “You have to be a championship organizations…you can’t expect the players to be first class if the organization isn’t first class.”

14:11Copy video clip URL Weinberg asks: “What does it feel like building to a championship team?” Wade: “I didn’t feel great about our team in ’63…I believe in the excitement of football…I believe in the Brigham Young type of football, throw it every play.”

16:47Copy video clip URL Topic moves to the championship game against the NY Giants, with a windchill of -17 degrees. “It was a tremendous challenge to be on the football field.” He goes through the important plays of the game.

19:30Copy video clip URL End of tape.