Mike Ditka and the Chicago Bears’ Unexpected Tradition
Real Chicago stories often begin in its neighborhoods, and this one involves a legendary coach, a winning team, and a rather unusual culinary habit. Forty years ago, Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka stumbled upon a way to help the team win – and it wasn’t a lucky charm. It was alligator.
The Origin of the Gator Ritual
In October 1985, during a historic season for the Bears, columnists Skip Myslenski and Linda Kay of the Chicago Tribune revealed a good luck ritual that began two years prior with Ditka and General Manager Jerry Vainisi. “What about that little tidbit that Dick Butkus offered during the Bears’ broadcast on WGN-AM Sunday? The one about … eating alligator Saturday night? Yep, it’s true,” they wrote.
Ditka and Vainisi first tasted alligator in 1983, the night before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bears won, and a tradition was born. “Since the team won that year, they’ve eaten alligator on each succeeding visit,” Myslenski and Kay noted. “Yum, yum!”
Mike Ditka himself confirmed the story in his 1986 autobiography, Ditka: An Autobiography. He explained, “I do things a certain way because I get into a pattern, like a ritual… We went to Tampa Bay and Jerry Vainisi and I ate alligator meat and we won. So you better believe I’m going to eat alligator meat every time we go to Tampa Bay. We even started serving it on the team plane.” He even admitted to occasionally confusing it with crocodile!
A City Embraces the Gator Craze
Once the public learned about the team’s peculiar ritual – especially with the Bears heading to the Super Bowl in January 1986 – Chicago went into a frenzy. Reporter Andy Knott wrote in the Tribune that alligator meat had “become the unofficial victory victual for the Bears.”
Businesses quickly capitalized on the trend. Penelope Catering advertised alligator appetizers for Super Bowl parties. Burhop’s Seafood touted its Cajun-style ‘Gator-Mates’ as the “secret to the Bears’ success.” Pizzerias like Hot Lips Pizza ‘n’ Ribs and Whatever IV began selling “Mike Ditka alligator meat pizza,” with one owner quipping that alligator was to the Bears what spinach was to Popeye – a superfood!
Hot Lips even delivered four alligator pizzas to the Bears’ headquarters as a “luncheon tribute.” When asked about it, Mike Ditka reportedly told sportscaster Johnny Morris it was “great!” Alligator meat even appeared in butcher shops and specialty stores, though it wasn’t cheap, selling for around $9.95 per pound (approximately $30 today).
On Super Bowl Sunday, Hot Lips Pizza ‘n’ Ribs hosted a party covered by local TV news, where customers sampled the delicacy and two lucky winners received alligator belts.
The Legacy of a Quirky Tradition
Today, Bears fans looking to revive the old-school ritual might add a sprinkle of freshly grated cheese. The story of Mike Ditka and the alligator remains a fun and memorable chapter in Chicago sports history, showcasing the unique connection between a team, its coach, and its passionate fanbase.
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