Village Laundromat owner Roy Burton did not receive his Chicago Bears season tickets by certified mail like he usually does. Instead the Oak Park resident’s tickets were hand delivered this year by former Chicago Bears player Dan Hampton.
Burton said he was one of three season ticket holders in the area honored in this way. He said the Chicago Bears have been delivering season tickets to certain long-time ticket holders in a similar fashion for the past five years.
Burton has been a ticket holder for 40 years.
Before Hampton and a small entourage of Bears staffers arrived, Burton waited on the front porch of his home on the 200 block of South Ridgeland Ave. surrounded by family and friends eager to see who the surprise player would be.
Burton had guessed it would be Jay Cutler. He was decked out, though, in his number 22 Bears jersey. Matt Forte would have been pleased.
Upon meeting Hampton, who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002, the two discussed Burton’s favorite Chicago Bears moment — the 1985 NFC championship game against the Los Angeles Rams, in which Hampton played.
“It was a clear day. Not like this,” said Burton, panning is hands up toward the sky scattered with clouds. “Then all of a sudden it started to snow.”
Burton said there was no doubt during that game who was going to win.
The Oak Park business owner may not have had much “Bearaphernalia” before today’s meet-up, but now he has a number 99 jersey to sport this season.