On the left is Bob Thomas, onetime Chicago Bears kicker. He's now Illinois' Chief Justice.
There's a precedent, well one, of football players moving on to serve on a state supreme court. Minnesota Vikings legend Alan Page
was a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court, although he never ascended to the top job on that court as Thomas has here in Illinois.More similarities: Page ended his career with the Chicago Bears, as a teammate of Bob Thomas. Both Page and Thomas are graduates of Notre Dame.
From AP:
Former Chicago Bears football player Robert Thomas has begun his tenure as the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.The NFL season starts tomorrow. Go Bears!
Thomas, 53, officially began his three-year term Tuesday and he'll also take part in an installation ceremony Wednesday.
Thomas was chosen by his fellow justices in May to serve as the head of the court. He replaces Chief Justice Mary Ann McMorrow, who was the first woman to hold the post.
Thomas was a placekicker for the Bears from 1975 to 1984. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 2000 and previously served as an appellate judge and circuit court judge in DuPage County.
1 comment:
Dear Mr Thomas,I am trying to contact an old friend of mine who was a teammate of yours during the '81 season with the Bears. His name is Hans Nielsen. We became very close friends in '83 and we even roomed temporarily together. As a lifelong Bears fan I understood after knowing him why his career was so lackluster. He had a huge temper which I attempted to subdue in many situations. But he had a good heart and he was a great friend of mine. If you happen to know how I may be able contact him I would deeply appreciate the lead. I often think about Hans and the good times we had together and would like to reunite with him if he is still around. Thank you for any help that you may give.
Steve Katz
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