Hall of Famers Deck the Halls at Local Mall

Standing in a checkout line to purchase that special item for a loved one is a constant, common occurrence during the holiday season at Lombard's Yorktown Mall.

But when lines form outside a particular retail outlet during the busiest shopping weekend of the year, shoppers and passers-by take notice.

So, what's all the commotion in front of the main entrance at Mike's Sports and More? Well, it's not every day that two Hall of Famers from two different sports—Chicago sports legends, to boot—are sitting within 10 feet of each other. Add to them a former Chicago relief pitcher who's a current candidate for the Hall of Fame, and it becomes apparent why people are standing on either side of the store's entrance, waiting to get inside.

Chicago Bears great Gale Sayers, elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977, and Cubs right-hander Fergie Jenkins—enshrined into Cooperstown in 1991—were joined by former Cub Lee Smith, once baseball's all-time saves leader, to sign autographs and greet well-wishers and fans.

But there's a purpose behind this trio posing for pictures with fans, and/or signing T-shirts, photos, footballs, baseballs, memorabilia, you name it. Proceeds from the weekend-long autograph sessions—Sayers, Jenkins and Smith were at Mike's Dec. 17-19—went to benefit specific charities: The Gale Sayers Center, the Fergie Jenkins Foundation and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Sayers, the youngest player ever elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (he was 34 when enshrined), has appeared each of the past five years to sign autographs at Mike's Sports & More—which sells sports, music and movie/entertainment memorabilia such as T-shirts, posters, pennants and photos of celebrities (both signed and unsigned).

This year marks the second year in a row that Jenkins and Smith have appeared at the store.

"It brings a lot of buzz to the store and (it) gets people excited," said Lockport resident Mike Cericola, owner of Mike's Sports & More, which has been in the mall since the fall of 2005.

Sayers: It's "a real good atmosphere"

"It's been a really good atmosphere as we've had great crowds and sign autographs," said Sayers of the turnout at Sports & More. "We have pictures and balls and a lot of things that we sign. And it's been going very, very well."

Known as the "Kansas Comet," Sayers was drafted in the first round by the Bears out of the University of Kansas in 1965—the same year Chicago also drafted another future hall-of-famer, middle linebacker Dick Butkus.

These days, Sayers oversees the Gale Sayers Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring, motivating and educating youths in the Lawndale community of Chicago. It features an after-school program for kids ages 8-12.

"We have computer training and also a junior toastsmaster's program which is a public speaking program," Sayers explained. "And a mentoring program where business people and athletes come in and talk to the kids."

Naturally, those who met Sayers wanted his take on the current Chicago Bears, who clinched the NFC North Division title with their win over Minnesota on Dec. 20.

"They've got to win these next three ballgames," Sayers said prior to the game against the Vikings. "I'll put it this way: If they can't beat Minnesota, or the Jets (Dec. 26) or the Packers (Jan. 2), it's going to be tough."

A member of the NFL's all-time Millennium Team, Sayers' career with the Bears lasted only 4 ½ seasons because of knee injuries. But during his prime, he was the most feared running back—and kickoff returner—in football.

Blessed with breakaway speed and the ability to change direction on a dime—much like Devin Hester, who set a new NFL record for punt and kickoff return touchdowns (14) in the Bears victory over Minnesota—Sayers still holds the league record for average yards gained per kickoff return in a career (30.56). He's also No. 2 all-time for the highest average per kickoff return in a season (37.69 in 1967).

Sayers injured his right knee in 1968, but returned in 1969 to win his second NFL rushing title with 1,032 yards (NFL teams played a 14-game schedule at that time). The following year, Sayers tore ligaments in his left knee. He attempted comebacks in both 1971 and 1972, but was unsuccessful.

"I think if I had the (medical) technology today, I could have played probably another three to five years," he said. "And that would have been an eight-year career, and probably I could have set some records that probably would have never been broken. But Somebody Else (referring to God) had something else for me to do, so I did what I had to do and got into another business and everything's fine."

Santo is on Jenkins and Smith's minds

Smith and Jenkins' work on behalf of juvenile diabetes was fresh on their minds in lieu of the recent passing of Cubs radio commentator and former all-star third baseman Ron Santo, who was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age 18.

Santo, a nine-time all-star and five-time Gold Glove winner, died of complications from bladder cancer on Dec. 2. However, he battled diabetes all his life and eventually had to have both legs amputated below the knees because of it.

Nevertheless, Santo tirelessly worked with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to raise awareness of the disease. Over the years, he helped raise over $60 million for diabetes research.

"We're signing (autographs) for juvenile diabetes and there have been a lot of great customers," said Jenkins, a native of Chatham, Ontario, whose foundation benefits several charities for children in the U.S. and Canada, including juvenile diabetes research. "Lee Smith and I have been signing quite a few autographs."

One of the most durable and successful pitchers of his era, Jenkins spent the majority of his 19-year major league career with the Cubs. Jenkins won 20-or-more games for six consecutive seasons (1967-72), and posted 284 career victories. Jenkins also is one of only four pitchers in major league history to record 3,000 career strikeouts while walking fewer than 1,000 batters.

Jenkins and Santo were teammates for eight summers on the North Side.

"I think that Ronnie suffered quite a bit, and right near the end, he got pancreatic cancer, which is unfortunate," Jenkins said. "He's such a good man. He's got a gigantic heart and he was a Cubs favorite because he broadcasted every summer with the Cubs."

Smith, one of baseball's premier closers throughout the 1980s and most of the 1990s, said he had the privilege of getting together with Santo on a few occasions over the years.

"I never got an opportunity to play with Ronnie, but the few times that I ever was around him, he always was a fun guy," said Smith, who's third on baseball's all-time saves list with 478 career saves. "And he was a fighter. Just to think about what he's done on and off the field, and really for the community around here, it's just unbelievable to think that Ronnie's gone."

Like Jenkins, Smith spent the majority of his big-league career—eight of his 18 seasons—with the Cubs. But Smith had a bond with Santo outside of baseball because four of Smith's nieces and nephews have been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.

"So that's one thing: To get the kids to be aware of getting the checkups," Smith said. "But the main thing is with Ron Santo and the situation that he had. He didn't want us to do anything for his funeral. He just wanted to make sure we make a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Association."

Smith, who's a roving pitching instructor for the World Series champion San Francisco Giants, has been on the ballot for baseball's Hall of Fame every year since 2003. He received 47.3 percent of the vote in 2010—his highest vote total yet. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, a player must secure at least 75 percent of the vote of the total ballots cast by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Smith says he still follows the Cubs, and likes the team's recent free-agent acquisitions. Chicago brought relief pitcher Kerry Wood back for the 2011 season, and also inked first baseman Carlos Pena to a one-year, $10 million contract.

"I've known Carlos since he was in the minor leagues in Oakland," Smith said. "Pena is a good first baseman and a good hitter. I just hope the Cubs can stay healthy and put something together with their pitching because they have a good (back) end of that bullpen with Kerry, (Carlos) Marmol and the things that he's done and how he's progress.'

"You just think about the numbers they could possibly put up (offensively), with (Alfonso) Soriano and the third baseman, (Aramis) Ramirez and guys like that. Hopefully they can stay healthy because that's the main thing."