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Mike Ditka honored with 'Ditka Day' in Illinois

Mike Ditka Day: Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's office says today is 'Mike Ditka Day' in honor of 'Ca Coach' – the former Chicago Bears player and football coach whose jersey is being retired.

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AP/File
This 1986 file photo shows Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka (top) reaching to shake hands with New England Patriots coach Raymond Berry after the Bears won Super Bowl XX in New Orleans. Ditka is being carried by William Perry (r.) and Steve McMichael.
  • By Associated Press

| SPRINGFIELD, Ill.

It's Ditka Day in Illinois.

Gov. Pat Quinn's office says Monday that he's declared it "Mike Ditka Day" in honor of the former Chicago Bears player and football coach whose jersey is being retired.

The Hall of Famer's No. 89 is being retired during a halftime ceremony Monday night when the Bears host the Dallas Cowboys.

Dikta is the 14th Bear to have his number retired by the team.

In a statement, Quinn calls Ditka "the best tight end of all time." And he says "Da Coach" ''molded and guided arguably the best football team," referring to the 1985 Super Bowl champs.

Ditka was drafted by the Bears in 1961 and played for the team through 1966. He returned to coach from 1982 until 1992.

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