Mike Ditka
Above are some of the items that I have purchased to update my Ditka shelf. The smaller #89 figure is a loose Starting Lineup. The larger one resembles the Hartland Statue back in the early 60s. However, this one is made of resin, not plastic like the originals. A gentleman claimed to have found the original mold and refabricated some. Mine was customized to represent Mike Ditka.
I have also added 2 promotional bobbleheads. One is from Electrolux where Ditka probably was the hired speaker, and the 2nd one is from a Natural golf outing.
I have only seen 3 Mike Ditka Bobble Heads in 15 years of collecting. If my numbers are correct, there are NINE scheduled for release in 2014. I have purchased the 2 very limited figures so far, and hope to obtain the rest.
SPECIAL EDITION COACH AND PLAYER ISSUE
LIMITED EDITION BOBBLE HEADS
From FOREVER COLLECTIBLES
THESE FINELY CRAFTED MOMENTOES ARE MADE WITH SPECIAL ATTTENTION TO DETAIL THAT IS UNPARALLELED. UNLIKE OTHERS, THESE ARE NOT PLASTIC. FIGURES ARE WELL SCUPLTED FROM 'PORCELAIN' RESIN, ABOUT 7" TALL, AND ARE HAND PAINTED.
THESE LIMITED EDITION FIGURES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SETTING NEW STANDARDS FOR VALUE AND LIKENESS.
2 More......limited to 500 each
And also got the March 2014 bobbleheads below.
The only one I don't have is Ditka in his Pitt uniform. I am not sure I even want that one.
Mike Ditka's rookie card came out in 1963. However, a couple of other cards came out prior to that in 1962. One was from a Post Cereal box and another was a small 1 3/4 inch by 5 inch Topps insert called Football Bucks.
The 1962 Post Cereal cards are very hard to find in really good condition. It was a 200 card set that had photos and biographies of the players on the front, with blank backs. There could be one to seven cards on each box and they had to be hand cut to retrieve them. This was a difficult task, considering the “cutters” were usually kids. There was a dotted line around the black bordered cards, and
http://www.psacard.com/Articles/ArticleView/6982/the-1962-post-cereal-football-set-a-challenge-to-collect-in-high-grade
The Mike Ditka card is considered a rookie and is short printed (not a ton available). Fran Tarkenton was also a Rookie this issue and there were many Hall of Famers to be (HOF opened in 1963) included on the boxes i.e. Paul Hornung, Bart Starr , Jim Brown and Johnny Unitas .
My card has the full black border and seems NrMt.
1962 Topps Football Bucks
I have the 3 sets of playing cards from 1993, 1994 and 1995 called Ditka's Picks in which Ditka selected what he deemed the best players of the year and assigned them to a specific card.
I found an old computer football game called Mike Ditka Ultimate Football by Accolade. Note the floppy discs, so obvioulsy I have nothing to play it on. I bought it as a collectible, anyway.
Here's a collage which includes a couple of other items that were autographed.
The next football is really sweet. It has a color image of Ditka (which is a little faded) which must have been available during his playing days. It is made by McGregor and is not full size, I don't believe.
Mike Ditka's jersey #89 was finally retired and a pin set was given out at Soldier Field that day. I was not there, but naturally some fool just had to sell it on Ebay.
How about this empty 2010 Merlot bottle featuring Iron Mike. It looks nice next to my full bottle wines.
Just bought a t-shirt that duplicates the infamous Ditka sweater and tie. I plan on wearing this to certain occasions!
Check this interesting item out: It might have been a salesman sample. Here is how it was described to me: Attractive plaque of American Black Walnut size 8"x 10" with brass image of the Championship ring with a blue velvet background (it is showing up as black in this scan) The ring is marked DITKA and has the date 1-26-86 inscribed--the plaque reads "Chicago Bears Super Bowl XX Champions Mike Ditka"--made by Jostens, The Recognition People, Memphis, Tennessee--new in box
1990
I had the opportunity to buy a 1989 Mike Ditka can....yeah, a can...with a lid. It might have had popcorn it in, I don't know. So, now I have a Ditka can. Do you?
Speaking of Ditka....maybe I should have put this in the 1986 section. Iron Mike made some cologne that year and I have found an empty bottle and original box. I guess cologne was big that year. Michael Jordan had some too, I believe.
I have also added some Ditka restaurant items to my existing collection of wine, steak knives and cigars. I now have a restaurant plate, a table cloth, some coasters and a supply of Ditka sauces. The pork chop sauce is pretty darn good.
MORE DITKA! You can never have enough Ditka. Here's a grille glass from his restaurant and a carry out "Ditka Dogs" bag.
I FINALLY found a Ditka rookie card that looked GOOd online. However, when it was delivered to me, it just didn't feel right. It felt lightweight. The corners were sharp which is rare for a 1962 Topps.
Well, that tragedy was more than made up for when I came across this Mike Ditka cardboard "circle" card. I could find no history on it, but it's oddness intrigued me. I bought it for $4.95. There were other "disc" cards around that were considered rare, so I figured that this might be one too.
LOW and FREAKIN' behold, the card (which is in GREAT condition) was a 1967 Pro's Pizza card!..Pro's Pizza was owned by former Cub and recently deceased, Ron Santo. Local sport's heroes (Gale Sayers, Ernie Banks, etc) images were printed on the pizza box lids and perforated to cut/tear out. Because the were on pizza boxes, most of these cards got thrown away. The value. you ask? $850.00!!!!!!!
After his playing days, Ditka bought a bowling alley and I have procured an empty matchbook from there. Willowbrook Lanes in Bolinbrook, Il.
The next item is rare and I have only seen one of these. It is a Mike Ditka rectangular candy dish of some sort. It has a nice depiction of Ditka as a player and I assume that it was some sort of a reward acknowldeging fan support for the Bears' 1963 World Championship. It says "Mike Ditka's Bowl - In Sincere Appreciation Of Your Support" and measures about 5 inches by 7 inches. Certainly, it has become one of my all time favorites of my collection.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Mike Ditka Wine
If Mike Ditka was to decide to develop and market wine, well I'm certainly going to collect it. And that's what he did. And now I'm collecting and storing it. I don't know whether his restaurant had anything to do with it, or maybe even his heart attack, but I know that Mr. Ditka now enjoys wine, specifically red wine (as do I). On November 7, 2006 it was announced that Ditka had joined forces with The Mendocino Wine Company of the top wine regions of California to produce a selection of 5 wines that will be offered in his restaurants, as well as being distributed with select dealers.
The following are the wines in my collection (750 ml) as well as their current retail values: 2005 Chardonnay @ $17.99, a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $19.99, two lower end wines that are house wines at the restaurant; the 2006 Pinot Grigio and the 2004 Merlot, both priced @ $11.95. The top of the line bottle is Ditka's finest creation and suitedly labeled "Kick Ass Red" 2005 and it retails for $49.95. According to the Mendocino website re: Kick Ass Red "It is a brilliant, concentrated dry red wine with luscious aromas and flavors of jammy wild blackberry. It has a lingering finish of freshly ground black pepper and toasty vanilla. Worthy of cellar aging, this wine is delicious now with fine beef, wild game and artisan cheeses." It is a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah and Petitie Sirah.
As Ditka himself says when describing the Kick Ass wine, the one that he spent most of his time developing: "I'm looking for a big, brawny red wine, with a lot of ripe fruit flavors and a firm grip in the mouth. It needs to be the best possible expression of its growing region, and, of course, it needs to taste great with a good steak
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| 1960s MacGregor Advisory Staff Photo |
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| 9 Inch Doll |
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| 1985 Coach Poster 23x35 |
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| 1963 Kahn's Wiener Card |
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| 2004 Playoff Prime Signatures Signature Proof - PLATINUM 1/1 !!! |
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| Handmade 3 inch ornament - DA COACH! |
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| Ditka Hearing Aid Playing Cards |
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| Montgomery Wards "Whatever it Takes" Lifesized poster |
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| 2004 Playoff Prime Signatures Proof - ANOTHER 1/1 |
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| SWAG Golf Da Coach Ditka Chicago Bears OG Driver Head Cover SEASON 1 - New in Package |
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| Newspaper Sectiona |
This is a 1967 Caprolan Premium Photo of
Mike Ditka of the Chicago Bears
(also inc bio sheet)
3 1/2" button was also issued using
same photo - but NOT owned by me - Just FYI
(NOTE - several other items pictured
were distributed that I do not own)
This Picture was part of a premium set released
at meeting at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. VERY
RARE!! 8x10, glossy, blank back. On bottom it
reads: "Mike Ditka – Chicago Bears A Caprolan All Star".
It comes with a bio sheet (8 1/2" x 11). Attended
University of Pittsburgh. Photo and Bio Sheet is all that I own; the black
pouch pictured (the pouch is what the premiums originally
came in - NOT a part of my collection).
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