This weekend, although many of us were prepared for it, we heard about the passing of former Seattle Seahawks’ coach, Chuck Knox. Upon hearing the news of his passing, of course, my mind and memories went to the days that he coached the Seahawks. It’s hard to believe that this was close to 35 years ago.
This is also a story about my dad, Allen Perkins, who was born in 1913. Dad was a successful workaholic entrepreneur of The Greatest Generation, and as a result, he wasn’t around very often when I was growing up. For me growing up in the 60’s, I adored my father. Dad instilled in me the value of competition, achievement, and career success, and yes, he was a die-hard football fan.
Like many of you reading this, you may relate to football weekends being sacred in your home as it was in ours. Before the Seahawks ever existed, Dad would sit in his chair on Sundays, and I would sit with him, and over the years I grew to love it as much as he did. He spent many hours teaching me the rules and strategy of the game.
At a young age, I could tell you the difference between a blitz and a zone, a line and a secondary. I could describe what “in the pocket” was, and knew all the hand signals of the officials. Dad taught me the names of each QB and Coach of each NFL team, and I could rattle them off proudly, even better than the multiplication tables I was supposed to learn in school. So, when it came time for Seattle to finally get our own team, Dad was first in line to get season tickets for The Seahawks.
I had the privilege of attending many of the early games in the Kingdome with Dad, and we would have the chance to spend the day together. As I grew up, one thing that always kept us together was our love of our football team. I remember Dad being thrilled when Coach Knox came to Seattle. Dad had followed him in his previous coaching career, and the first time I heard the phrase: Ground Chuck was from my father before his team here ever played a down, or before it was mentioned here.
My dad always was always excited about going to a Seahawk game- whether they won or lost. He was excited to be in the beginnings of something special, and he would say — “It will take awhile for the Seahawks to be contenders in the NFL.” Dad never ever missed a home game even though he would make a three-hour trek from Vancouver/Portland to get to Seattle to watch them. We always had dreams of the Seahawks making it to the Super Bowl, and I can still hear him talk about the virtues he instilled in me — those of competition, achievement, and greatness that believed would take Seahawks to that Lombardi Trophy. He was very proud of the fact that he was an “original” season ticket holder.
Then Coach Knox took the Hawks to their first playoff game! Wow! At the time this was unimaginable! We were making the Wild Card game! On top of that, it was a home game! I believe we played the Broncos. The energy was electric! I remember visiting my Dad in his motorhome, as we tailgated outside the Kingdome before the game, where so much was on the line. Here we were — an NFL Franchise that was only 8 years old! We watched diligently as news reports would be predicting that Seattle would lose, but we were firm in our devotion to our Hawks! Coach Knox had that quiet confidence. He wouldn’t speak a lot. He wasn’t specifically expressive, but when he did, his words always had an impact. Needless to say, we were beyond ecstatic when our Hawks not only beat Denver at home handily in front of the 12s, but we went on to beat the Divisional Round playoff game that we were predicted to lose again to Miami! Coach Knox took a young expansion team, only 8 years old, to the AFC Championship! We lost that game to the Raiders, but I still couldn’t have been more proud of our young team.
Coach Knox could see a higher potential in his young team, and it rubbed off on the fans. We found a new potential within us — the Fans!
A Difficult Life Turn
In 1985 Dad was diagnosed with colon cancer. We were all concerned and very worried as a family. In addition, it involved a major surgery, and as the surgeon came out to speak with us after the procedure, he wasn’t sure what the lab tests, which would be 10 days away, and only then, would reveal if he was able to get all of his cancer or not.
Dad was lying in a hospital bed in limbo. He wasn’t sure where his life would turn. He was sad, despondent, depressed, we as a family was trying to give him all the hope in the world. Yet we all were worried about what the final results would reveal.
I would talk to him by phone every day from here in Seattle, and Dad was mostly depressed (he mentioned it several times during our talks) because it meant that he would be missing a couple of home Seahawk games. I was heading down to see him in a few days and got an idea. I called the Seahawk offices at the time and told their Community Relations manager all about my dad and that he was an original ticket holder. I asked- Would there be a way I could get a poster for him that would be signed by a few of the players for his hospital room? I was thrilled when they told me they would be happy to, and that they were sad to hear about what had happened to my father.
In a couple days I arrived at their office and asked for the nice woman who helped me, and she came out with a poster that was signed by close to 2/3 of the players! I was thrilled! There were a few short notes to Dad from some of the key players who were Dad’s favorites. (I remember one in particular from Manu Tuiasosopo, as he was one of my dad’s favorite players, as well as he was overjoyed to have autographs of so many of the players he loved to cheer for!) I remember standing in the Seahawks’ Kirkland offices- lobby area, viewing all of the signatures and sentiments that were left for Dad, who emerged from the back offices into the reception area, but none other than Coach Chuck Knox!
Coach Knox came directly toward me, extended his hand and said he had heard about my Dad’s plight of colon cancer.
“Please tell Al that he is in our thoughts and prayers!”
I was truly touched that he would take the time to come out to meet me. He then looked at the poster that I was so fondly viewing and looked up at the woman who had been helping me and said,
“Is that all we are doing for Al?”
Without missing a beat he reached up and took the hat off of his head, and grabbed a Sharpie pen from the front desk. He wrote on the hat: “Al, Get Well Soon! We need you up there cheering for us! – Coach Chuck Knox.”
Again, Coach Knox went to the higher level- for my father. His kindness and sincerity were authentic. Our interaction was minimal- maybe five minutes, but there was no doubt — I believed — that he felt like he knew my dad, which I knew intellectually he really didn’t. Whether they had ever spoken a word, Coach Knox knew of my dad’s devotion to his Seahawks, and that devotion is what brought them together, in spirit.
When I arrived at the Hospital with these precious items from his favorite team and handed them to Dad, I will never forget the look of joy, emotion, and hope in my father’s eyes! It gave him a renewed spirit and something of a mission to look forward to! When the test came back as negative for cancer, his commitment to his Seahawks was not only affirmed, it became a mission until his death in 2002 at the age of 88. He knew that he was needed up there to cheer on his team!
From the 12th Man to Seattle’s 12’s
Dad was one of the individuals that set a foundation for what the fan base in Seattle has become. Today we are simply The 12s. We are notorious throughout the world for our overwhelming passion and loudness in Century Link Field. Those who play us here rarely, if ever, win. We know just how important we are, and yes, we embrace the sentiments that Coach Knox wrote to my father back in the 1980’s. We know we are needed up there!
Now instead it’s up to me to carry on the tradition — to effect and contribute to the field of play, just as we fans do as we break the Guinness World Record for sound, and cause seismic activity.
One Super Bowl Sunday, I cheered on my Seattle Seahawks. I watched them win a statement 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos, and sent out a special toast of thanks to my dad! Somewhere up there, no doubt, I have to believe that Dad also was in that Met Life Stadium, cheering them on too, wreaking havoc with Denver’s offense with the opening snap/safety of the game, and so many plays that came after.
He and Coach Knox, along with the entire generation of those who came before us, founded 12th Man Culture, and now, The 12s — our fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and older brothers. Many of them are our seniors today. We sons and daughters are now also able to embrace a common ground with them. I will always share my joy, my anticipation, and the competitive spirit that I inherited from Dad through my loyal devotion to the Seahawks with the rest of the 12s.
Yet, I know just where it all started.
It all started with them.
Photo credit: KOMO-TV
