Purdue student finds, returns lost Super Bowl ring

By Jason Tomcsi
Sports Editor

When looking at the old, black leather couch that sits in the living room of sophomore Phil Hong's house, it looks like many that rest in residence hall rooms and apartments throughout campus.

However, this couch and what was found inside of it caused a visit from an ESPN television crew Friday.

The ESPN crew was there to film a segment about a lost Super Bowl ring Hong found underneath his couch one night in late November. The ring belonged to former Chicago Bears' running back Walter Payton.

Hong was watching television when his dog, a Doberman named Bailey, began to dig at the couch to get one of his rubber balls that had been lodged underneath it.

"I reached underneath the couch to get the ball and while I was reaching for it, I felt the ring," said Hong. "It was sitting on the floor; somehow it got shaken out."

The lost ring's journey to West Lafayette begins in 1996 in the town of Hoffman Estates, Ill., where Payton was a volunteer assistant coach for the Hoffman Estates High School boy's basketball team.

Before a sectional game, Payton gave the ring to the boys on the team to give them an extra boost. The ring made its way to the house of Hong's friend Joe Abruzzo, whose older brother was a member of that basketball team. Somehow the ring was misplaced and could not be found; it had been lost within the cushions of the couch.

Hong said it did not surprise him that the ring was easily lost within the couch.

"Well, anytime anyone sits in this thing, something is bound to get lost in it," said Hong. "I have had friends stay the night here and there are credit cards in there and change flying out of pockets."

Hong said that the instant he saw it he knew what it was.

"I couldn't believe what it was," said Hong. "I was speechless, but I knew that it was Walter Payton's Super Bowl ring."

Payton won the gold ring in 1986 after the Bears defeated the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. It has 41 diamonds in it and an engraving of Payton's name and a capital "C" for Chicago.

After Hong's discovery, he set out to return the ring to the Payton family. The thought of keeping the ring or selling it never crossed his mind.

"It was just so much disbelief for me and I was so shocked I never even thought about it," said Hong. "Not even once. My main goal was to get it back to the Payton's as safely as possible."

Hong also said it was not his place to keep the ring.

"Walter Payton worked his butt off for his whole career to achieve that goal of winning a Super Bowl and gaining that ring," said Hong.

Hong, who is a Bears fan, said being a fan of Payton's was also why he never thought about keeping the ring for himself.

"When you think Chicago Bears you think Walter Payton," said Hong. "Playing backyard football, everyone wanted to be Walter Payton."

Payton, who died on Nov. 1 1999 of complications due to liver cancer, eventually purchased a duplicate ring. Hong said the ring is something his family should have.

"With him being deceased now, I think it would be a good thing to keep in the family," said Hong. "And I know that if that was my father's I would want it."

Hong's first attempt to return the ring involved calling the University of Miami's athletic office in an attempt to get a hold of Payton's son Jarrett, who is a running back for the Hurricanes. However, Hong was never able to get a hold of him.

He next tried to call the restaurant Payton's widow Connie owns. He talked to the manager, who put Hong in contact with Connie Payton's business partner Mark Alberts. Alberts then gave Hong Payton's phone number.

Hong then contacted her and visited her South Barrington home to return it.

"It was good to sit down and talk to her and get to know her," said Hong. "She was very grateful."

Since finding the ring, Hong has made appearances on The Early Show with Bryant Gumble and Fox News in the Morning in Chicago.

ESPN reporter Greg Garber conducted the interview and said that the story is a very special one.

"Some people look at this story as sort of heartwarming and it almost is," said Garber. "Not everyone would have done what he did."

The segment will air this Sunday on ESPN's NFL Countdown, which will be on from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

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SPORTS DESK PHONE:
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Sports editor: Jason Tomcsi

Assistant sports editor:
Andrew Hershberger

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