MIKE DITKA'S WATCH, WORN BY HIM DURING SUPERBOWL XX

The 1985 Bears reigned as Super Bowl champions for one season, but have reigned as cultural icons ever since.  They connected with their fans and non-football fans alike, transcending the sport of football to become a cultural phenomenon.  

Their inevitable legacy was evident even as their 15-1 season and Super Bowl XX drew to a close. Writing the day after the Super Bowl, Chicago Tribune reporter Phil Hersh concluded: "It is a good thing Chicago is the city of the big shoulders. How else could it Bear up to the task of carrying an entire football team in a victory parade from here to eternity? Sporting immortality is where the Chicago Bears are headed. They proved you can get there from New Orleans in a day trip."

Having coached the dominant Chicago Bears through the 1985 season to their first Super Bowl victory (and their first championship since 1963), Mike Ditka remarked: "A lot of dreams have been fulfilled, and a lot of frustrations have ended."

It was winning time for the Bears and this Tag Hauer watch was worn by Ditka throughout the unforgettable 1985 season and the Bears' triumph in Super Bowl XX. It remained in Ditka's possession since as a reminder of a time that he and Bears fans will never forget.

Offered with the books: "The Bears — A 75-Year Celebration" where a photo of Ditka wearing this watch talking with NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle before the kickoff of Super Bowl XX is featured on page 177 and "The '85 Bears Still Chicago's Team" showing Ditka on the sidelines during Week One wearing the watch on page 25.

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