While I was in school, I was perhaps 80lbs. soaking wet. I was an altar boy in church. They had the altar boys lined up by height and I was at the end of the line because I was the shortest and smallest. The choir boys followed us, and they were lined up according to a height as well.

The biggest choir boy was right behind me. His name was Mike Ditka Who later played football for the Chicago Bears!

He kept stepping on the back of my cassock as I was walking, causing me to choke. I told him twice to stop it, but he kept doing it. I didn’t say another word but I turned around and hit him as hard as I could. Mike fell back over the pew and I jumped on top of him. He couldn’t do anything because he was pinned. I just kept punching him. A nun pulled me off of him and then Mike told that nun that I started it!

When I got away from the nun I started hitting might begin. She let him go, I need him again, and he fell over the baptismal font!

I was mad!

That was my big moment: kicking Mike Ditka’s butt!

One time while I was in the Air Force I came home for a leave. Mike’s dad ran a tavern and I dropped in for a beer. Mike was sitting at the end of the bar, and he had a neck that was about 18in. around. I quietly slid out of that tavern, got into my car, and left. I didn’t want to see him anymore.