In the autumn of 1966 Cecilia Shepley handed her four month old son to this man in the vestibule of Saint Ita’s.
Back in the day The Bears played at Wrigley Field and Poppa Bear Halas lived in the Edgewater Beach Apartments. His parish was Saint Ita’s, the same church my
Parents attended.
On the Saturday night before a home game the Catholic players on BOTH teams would attend mass with Coach Halas.
After mass Mr. Unitas was walking out next to my parents. He turned to my mom and told her she had a future lineman and asked if he could hold me.
My mom handed me over and Johnny Unitas held me for several minutes and talked with my parents.
The next day he threw a 79 yard TD pass to John Mackey. Went 18/38 for 274 yards. The Bears still won the game, 27-17.
My mom was a Baltimore Colts fan from that day on. She was so happy when they moved to her hometown of Indianapolis. I never had the heart to tell her Johnny U disenfranchised himself from the Colts after they left Baltimore in the middle of the night.
