DISEASE CLAIMS LEGEND PAYTON.Byline: Don Pierson Donald Grey Pierson (born October 11, 1925, died March 30, 1996 in Eastland, Texas) was a well-known business innovator, communications pioneer and civic leader. He became famous both as the founder of the British offshore radio stations Wonderful Radio London, Swinging Radio Chicago Tribune Chicago Tribune Daily newspaper published in Chicago. The Tribune is one of the leading U.S. newspapers and long has been the dominant voice of the Midwest. Founded in 1847, it was bought in 1855 by six partners, including Joseph Medill (1823–99), who made the paper Walter Payton Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1954 – November 1, 1999) was an American football player, who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football. , the Chicago Bears' Hall of Fame running back and the NFL's all-time leading rusher, died Monday after battling a rare liver disease Liver Disease Definition Liver disease is a general term for any damage that reduces the functioning of the liver. Description The liver is a large, solid organ located in the upper right-hand side of the abdomen. that turned to cancer. Payton, 45, was suffering from primary sclerosing cholangitis Primary sclerosing cholangitis A chronic disease in which it is believed that the immune system fails to recognize the cells that compose the bile ducts as part of the same body, and attempts to destroy them. , a disease of the bile ducts Bile ducts Tubes that carry bile, a thick yellowish-green fluid that is made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and helps the body digest fats. Mentioned in: Liver Transplantation, Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography . The only treatment is a liver transplant liver transplant Hepatic transplant Transplant surgery A procedure that replaces a cancer conquered, metabolically defeated, or substance subjugated liver with one no longer required by its owner, many of whom donate same after an MVA Diseases requiring transplant , but the cancer precluded that option. ``A known complication of this liver disease is this type of cancer,'' said Dr. Greg Gores of the Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic: see Mayo, Charles Horace. Mayo Clinic voluntary association of more than 500 physicians in Rochester, Minnesota. [Am. Hist.: EB, 11: 723] See : Medicine , where Payton received treatment after revealing his disease to the public in February. ``Unfortunately, Walter's malignancy was very advanced and progressed extremely rapidly.'' Teammates who had stayed as close as Payton allowed to the situation still expressed surprise. Payton died at his suburban home with his wife Connie, son Jarrett, and daughter Brittney, with him. Mike Singletary Michael Singletary (born October 9, 1958 in Houston, Texas) is a former linebacker in American football who played his entire career for the Chicago Bears in the NFL, after starring in college at Baylor University, whose team is also known as the Bears. , a teammate and fellow Hall of Fame player, said he prayed and read scripture with Payton over the weekend. ``Outside of anything I've ever seen - the greatest runs, the greatest moves - what I experienced this weekend was by far the best by Walter Payton,'' Singletary said. Jarrett Payton, a freshman football player at the University of Miami This article is about the university in Coral Gables, Florida. For the university in Oxford, Ohio, see Miami University. The University of Miami (also known as Miami of Florida,[2] UM,[3] or just The U , was called home Thursday and addressed the media at Bears headquarters in Lake Forest. ``The last 12 months have been extremely tough on me and my family,'' Jarrett said. ``We learned a lot about love and life. Our greatest thanks goes out to the people of Chicago. You adopted my dad and made him yours. He loved you all.'' Former Bears coach and Hall of Fame player Mike Ditka called Payton ``the greatest Bear of all,'' and Bears owner Virginia Halas McCaskey Virginia Halas McCaskey (born January 5, 1923) is the principal owner of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. She is the eldest child of legendary Bears coach and owner George Halas, who left the team to his daughter upon his death in 1983. paid special tribute to the only Bears player other than founder George Halas to graduate from the playing field to a member of the board of directors. ``After Brian Piccolo died (in 1969), my husband Ed and I promised ourselves we wouldn't be so personally involved with any of the players,'' said McCaskey, fighting back tears. ``We were able to follow that resolve until Walter Payton came into our lives.'' In 13 seasons with the Bears from 1975-87, Payton set NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga records for yardage yard·age 1 n. 1. An amount or length measured in yards. 2. Cloth sold by the yard. Noun 1. (16,726) and rushing attempts (3,838) that still stand. His 10 seasons with 1,000 or more yards, his 275 yards in one game, and his 77 games with more than 100 yards rushing also are records that have not been broken. From the time he was the team's No. 1 draft choice in 1975 as a 20-year-old from Jackson State, Payton's relentless running style and charismatic personality earned him the admiration of Chicagoans starved for sports heroes. For years, Payton patiently carried a team with less talent until his effort was rewarded with a Super Bowl season in 1985. His failure to score a touchdown in the team's splendid 46-10 rout of the New England Patriots  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled until (UTC) due to vandalism. in Super Bowl XX still haunts Ditka, who forgot about him, and quarterback Jim McMahon, who blames himself for not changing Ditka's plays. When he retired, the man who drafted him, general manager Jim Finks, said: ``He's rare in his whole approach to this business. He has answered the call every Sunday for 13 years at a very demanding position.'' Arguments over who was the ``greatest'' runner revolve around style and opinion. O.J. Simpson and Tony Dorsett and others were faster. Jim Brown and many others were bigger. Gale Sayers and Hugh McElhenny were fancier. Earl Campbell and John Riggins were more powerful, although pound-for-pound, nobody was stronger than Payton. No man ever played harder; no kid ever loved it more. Payton bounced up from tackles, often helping the tackler to his feet after delivering the first blow with his Popeye-sized forearms. The style was calculated to suggest invincibility, a ruse exposed on Bear sidelines when Payton would surreptitiously sur·rep·ti·tious adj. 1. Obtained, done, or made by clandestine or stealthy means. 2. Acting with or marked by stealth. See Synonyms at secret. seek pain-killing medicine from trainer Fred Caito or rub an ankle when it was really a knee that hurt. He didn't want anyone to know. Payton was diagnosed with PSC (Public Service Commission) Same as PUC. in the fall of 1998 and revealed it at a press conference Feb. 2 only after he could no longer explain his weight loss. PSC is a rare disease in which the bile ducts inside and outside the liver narrow due to inflammation and scarring. This causes bile to accumulate in the liver and results in damage to liver cells. It is a progressive disease that leads to cirrhosis and liver failure liver failure Clinical medicine Liver insufficiency that results in death, requires a liver transplant, or is characterized by recovery after encephalopathy, or while awaiting a transplant; also defined as a condition with ≥ 3 of following: albumin < 3. . The exact cause of PSC is unknown. ``I'm looking at it as a sprained ankle or twisted knee,'' he said. ``I have to stay positive. Nobody else can make me stay positive. I have to do that. Then whatever happens, happens. If in two years something happens and I get a transplant and my body accepts it and I go on, that's fine. And if in two years I don't, then that's the way life was meant to be for me.'' SWEET SOMETHINGS Important records and milestones in the career of Walter Payton: 16,726 Yards, career 3,838 Attempts, career 275 Yards gained, game, vs. Minnesota, Nov. 20, 1977. 10 Seasons with 1,000 or more yards, 1976-81, 1983-86, tied first 77 Most games, 100 or more yards, career 21,803 Total yards, career Payton's Career Statistics Regular Season RUSHING Att Yds Avg TD 1975 Chicago 196 679 3.5 7 1976 Chicago 311 1390 4.5 13 1977 Chicago 339 1852 5.5 14 1978 Chicago 333 1395 4.2 11 1979 Chicago 369 1610 4.4 14 1980 Chicago 317 1460 4.6 6 1981 Chicago 339 1222 3.6 6 1982 Chicago 148 596 4.0 1 1983 Chicago 314 1421 4.5 6 1984 Chicago 381 1684 4.4 11 1985 Chicago 324 1551 4.8 9 1986 Chicago 321 1333 4.2 8 1987 Chicago 146 533 3.7 4 Totals 3838 16726 4.4 110 RECEIVING No Yds Avg TD 1975 Chicago 33 213 6.5 0 1976 Chicago 15 149 9.9 0 1977 Chicago 27 269 10.0 2 1978 Chicago 50 480 9.5 0 1979 Chicago 31 313 10.1 2 1980 Chicago 46 367 8.0 1 1981 Chicago 41 379 9.2 2 1982 Chicago 32 311 9.7 0 1983 Chicago 53 607 11.5 2 1984 Chicago 45 368 8.2 0 1985 Chicago 49 483 9.9 2 1986 Chicago. 37 382 10.3 3 1987 Chicago 33 217 6.6 1 Totals 492 4538 9.2 15 NFL RANKINGS Most seasons leading league, attempts - 4, 1976-79, tied second. Consecutive games, 100 or more yards - 9, 1985, third. Most rushing touchdowns, career - 110, third. Most games, 200 or more yards, season - 2, 1977, tied third. Most total touchdowns, career - 125, fifth. MISCELLANEOUS 2,000 combined net yards, Season - 4, 1977, 1983-85. Years led the NFL in rushing - 1, 1977. Years led the NFC NFC abbr. National Football Conference in rushing - 5, 1976-80. Broke Jim Brown's NFL all-time career rushing mark of 12,312 yards - at Chicago, Oct. 7, 1984. CAPTION(S): 3 photos, 2 boxes PHOTO (1) no caption (Walter Payton) (2) Walter Payton's aggressive running style often punished defenders and himself, but he never missed a game after his rookie season. John Swart/Associated Press BOX: (1) Sweet somethings (see text) (2) Payton's career statistics (see text) |
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