My father was one of the individuals that set a foundation for what the fan base in Seattle has become. Today we are The 12s. We are notorious throughout the world for our overwhelming passion and loudness in Century Link Field.
A Daughter’s Tribute to a Father’s Influence
As the Seattle Seahawks have become Super Bowl Champions, the national news media is full of the stories of our Seattle fandom, aka as The 12th Man, or now “The 12s” what we are called today, The over the top passion that we have and our rabid intensity toward our Seahawks is notorious to the point of us being obnoxious.
As excited as I am however about our Super Bowl Victory in this era and the successful NFL seasons that the Seahawks have had- even now, when it was supposed to be a rebuilding year, there is a part of this that is bittersweet for me. You see, I have been a football fan since the beginning, since the franchise was founded in 1976.
The Original Seahawks 12th Man
Let me share with you a story about my dad, Allen Perkins. Born in 1913, he 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 Seattle 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 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 believe that is the case with many families across the USA. Whether it’s the love for a professional or college team we often form our college decisions, sports teams, and loyalties based upon the influence of our fathers.
Dad never ever missed a home game even though he would make a three-hour trek from Vancouver/Portland on Amtrak, 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.
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, 10 days away, 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. We as a family were trying to give him all the hope in the world, and yet we all were worried about what the final results would reveal.
I would talk to him by phone every day, and Dad was mostly depressed 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. 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?
In a couple days I arrived at the Seahawks’ 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. As I was in the process of 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.”
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, and thus when the test came back as negative for cancer, his commitment in 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!
The Seahawks’ Role in The Seattle Community
Today, the Seahawks in Seattle are more than just a “sports team” to us. They are an integral, synergistic part of what we in Seattle call Community. Our Seahawks represent fighting against all odds. They represent the aspirations that we all desire- that of competition, achievement, and an ever present commitment to contribution and the creation of a community culture.
Most of the fans who started the 12s created that culture that we have all had the privilege to carry on. They are our fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, and great-grandparents. They had passion as a 12, whether the Hawks won or lost. They created traditions in the Kingdome like “The Wave”, and had iconic fans like “Bill the Beerman”, or “Rick the Peanut guy.” It was a time when the players would arrive in their own vehicles to the Kingdome and having many resources like they do today were non-existent.
My dad never got to see the day, either in 2006 or in 2014 or 2015 as they finally went to the Super Bowl and accomplished what he aspired to for them. In all this excitement, in my heart it’s hard for me to fully embrace it without a wish that Dad was here to share it. This would have been his dream- what he contributed to and was a part of, in those early beginnings.
I also believe that our Original 12s are a part of who the Seahawks are today. So, if you are a 12, likely you can thank those who came before you for helping to inspire a culture and a passion that is infectious! You can thank your older loved ones for the many holidays and Sundays in front of the TV to watch the Hawks, and to be a part of the culture that we enjoy today.
Our Seattle Seahawks have always been there for their fans. They show up in hospitals and times of hardship. They have spent an incredible amount of time in devotion to our community. They speak to at risk kids. They help the Homeless. They provide Christmas Shopping trips for families who cannot afford it. Most of all, they remind each individual in this community that it is possible to come from humble beginnings and achieve your dreams. We fans know that we are part of that dream.
Now during the holidays, every year, the Seahawks Legends and super fans like the Seahawks Rooster and Mama Blue (also an original 12) also are inspiring you to remember the original 12s in your life through the 12 Days of Goodness. From 12/12-12/23 they make visits to senior center around Greater Puget Sound, to Touch the Hearts of Seniors.
As a true 12, they want to inspire you to visit your own elders in your life and be mindful of who they are and spend precious time with them. Ask about their stories, their own memories, and the times they held most precious around the game of football. I am willing to bet that they have some amazing things to tell you, and you may also hear the same conversation that I did, so many years ago- about overcoming odds, the value of competition and achievement, and that, of community.
I believe strongly, that we wouldn’t have the passion and fervor for our Seahawks unless the foundation was built. We have our seniors to thank for who we are today. It all started with them.
