Kevin Butler was expecting to get the discouraging word Tuesday.
The Bears’ alltime leading scorer just knew the Arizona Cardinals were going to release him before it became fact later in the day.
“I gave it a good shot, but they have to start rebuilding somewhere,” Butler told us.
Butler left himself vulnerable after missing what could have been winning field goals at the end of two straight losses and then an extra point in a 27-13 loss to the New York Giants last Sunday.
Butler set 19 club records in 11 years with the Bears and ranks fifth among NFL kickers with 1,207 points.
Cats’ meow: Northwestern is host to Michigan State Saturday in a homecoming matchup at Ryan Field. Kate Shindle, a Northwestern student and the current Miss America, will be the grand marshal of the homecoming parade starting at 8:30 p.m. Friday on Sheridan Road. . . . Four Wildcats football players are enrolled in graduate school–KeJaun DuBose and Chris Hamdorf are in the Medill School of Journalism and Nathan Strikwerda and Toussaint Waterman are pursuing their master’s degrees in biomedical engineering.
Quicker to run: Defending Chicago Marathon champion Paul Evans, who toured the 26.2-mile course in 2:08.52 last year, was driven around the area by tournament director Carey Pinkowski Monday in preparation for Sunday’s race. The drive took longer–2 hours and 15 minutes. . . . Editors from Runners World Magazine will be leading several pacing teams in Sunday’s marathon.
Local spirit: Lee Stern, a general partner of the White Sox, founder of the Chicago Sting soccer team that won the North American Soccer League championship in 1981 and `84, and a 48-year member of the Chicago Board of Trade, will receive the Yonatan Netanyahu Memorial Award from the Friends of Israel Defense Forces at its 10th annual dinner Nov. 19 in the Fairmont Hotel. . . . Alumni from the University of Southern California will stage a rally and concert at Daley Plaza Friday in anticipation of Saturday’s football game at Notre Dame. The “Spirit of Troy,” USC’s 250-member marching band, will perform at noon. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., a rally for 5,000 alumni and friends will be at the Grand Ballroom of Navy Pier. Call 847-825-8806, ext. 239 for more info. . . . The Mid-Town Tennis Club will be the official practice site of the Ameritech Cup players (including Martina Hingis, Monica Seles and Lindsay Davenport) next month. Practice is open to the public. . . . With the Maroons’ 16-14 victory over Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology a couple of weeks ago, University of Chicago head football coach Dick Maloney became the winningest coach of the school’s modern era. Maloney has compiled a record of 20-13. In 77 years of football at Chicago, only College Football Hall of Fame coach Amos Alonzo Stagg has won more games than Maloney. Stagg won 242 games and compiled a .671 winning percentage from 1892-1932. After the 1939 season, Chicago discontinued major college football. . . . Donnie Torres has been named head diving coach at Northwestern. And Sonja Porter was tabbed as assistant women’s swimming coach for the Wildcats. . . . Singer/dancer Paula Abdul will bring her 15-city exercise tour sponsored by Boost Nutritional Energy Drink to Lakeshore Athletic Club Friday. . . . A Michael Jordan autographed baseball bat, a Ken Griffey Jr. autographed baseball and a Mike Ditka autographed football are among the 160 auction items at the Ronald McDonald House Charities Awards of Excellence Gala Saturday at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.
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Send e-mail to Fred Mitchell at Kick3485@aol.com
