Think of the most iconic plays in pro football history. Joe Montana to Dwight Clark, “The Catch,” is right up there. One of the most iconic plays in American sports history, period.
Many 49ers fans can remember being there, or watching or listening, on that pivotal day in 49ers and NFL history,
35 years ago. Joe, Dwight, and the rest of those 49ers were young and agile, just beginning an amazing journey.
That’s the image we all have in our minds, and in subsequent years, Dwight was always the guy who lit up a room,
the “hail fellow well-met,” such a great ambassador for the sport and for the 49ers. He was always such fun on his
weekly guest shot on KNBR, too.
For those reasons and more, his announcement Sunday night — that he has ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease —
struck like a lightning bolt. There’s no other way to put it. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.
Dwight, who is 60, said he is already feeling the effects of nerve degeneration from a progressive disease for which there is no cure. In his announcement he said “I can’t run, play golf or walk any distance. Picking up anything over 30 pounds is a chore. The one piece of good news is that the disease seems to be progressing more slowly than in some patients.”
The average life span is about three to five years from the time of diagnosis, although it is variable, and maybe
Dwight can push the edge of the envelope. Who knows what kind of medical breakthroughs can be made in that time?
Dwight said in his statement, “the only thing I know is that I’m going to fight like hell and live every day to the fullest.” He doesn’t plan any news conferences or interviews right now, but that time will come. He’s focusing on preparing to fight the disease but vows to help in finding a cure for ALS.
He suspects his football playing days may have caused his condition, but can’t know for sure. The numbers suggest
a link — a 2012 article in “Neurology” found pro football players are four times more likely to die of ALS than the general population, and concussions are considered a risk factor for ALS, but researchers can’t draw a straight line yet. It’s also true that about 40 percent of ALS patients are women.
I know all 49er fans are rooting harder than ever for Dwight, and if you’re so inclined, say a prayer. Even more, if you’re able to do so, please donate to the ALS Association. Ex-players with ALS like Steve Gleason and Tim Shaw are trying to move the ball forward, but these are tough yards.
Dwight will need a lot of help. His ex-teammates, from Joe Montana to Ronnie Lott to Eddie DeBartolo, pledged to stand by him. Harris Barton sent out this message: “DC changed the course of history with The Catch. Don’t be surprised if he changes the course of this disease as well.”
I’d bet Harris and his other ex-teammates would trade in their Super Bowl rings to make that come true. I won’t bet
against Dwight.