From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William Perry (American football)
William Perry (American football)
William Perry either as a ball carrier or a lead blocker for running back
No. 72, 90, 95 Walter Payton. During his rookie season, Perry rushed for
2 touchdowns and caught a pass for one. Perry was once
Defensive tackle, Fullback
used in a surprise play during a Pro Bowl game as an of-
Personal information fensive lineman.
Perry even had the opportunity to run the ball during
birth:
Date of birth December 16, 1962 (1962-12-16)
Super Bowl XX, as a nod to his popularity and contribu-
birth:
Place of birth Aiken, South Carolina tions to the team’s success. The first time he got the ball,
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Weight: 335 lb (152 kg) he was tackled for a one-yard loss while attempting to
throw his first NFL pass on a halfback option play. The
Career information second time he got the ball, he scored a touchdown.
College Clemson
College: Perry went on to play for ten years in the NFL. His Su-
per Bowl ring size is the largest of any professional foot-
Draft:
NFL Draft 1985 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22
ball player in the history of the event. His ring size is 25,
Debuted in 1985 for the Chicago Bears while the ring size for the average adult male is between
10 and 12.[1]
Last played in 1994 for the Philadelphia Eagles
Perry retired after the 1994 season. In his 10 years as
a pro, he played in 138 games, recording 29.5 sacks and
Career history 5 fumble recoveries, which he returned for 71 yards. In
his offensive career he ran 5 yards for 2 Tds. Perry later
• Chicago Bears (1985–1993)
attempted a comeback, playing the 1996 season with the
• Philadelphia Eagles (1993–1994)
• London Monarchs (WLAF) (1996) London Monarchs of the World League of American Foot-
ball (later NFL Europa).
Career highlights and awards
• 1× Super Bowl champion (XX) Beyond football
Stats at NFL.com
After retiring from football, Perry was involved in a few
other entertainment endeavors, including the following:
William Perry (born December 16, 1962) is a former pro- • In 2006, he began marketing his own branded
fessional American football player. He is best known for barbecue sauce.[2]
his years as a defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears. • In 2006, he participated in the Lingerie Bowl as the
In reference to his large size, he was popularly known as super sub.
The Refrigerator" The Fridge".
"The Refrigerator or, abbreviated, "The Fridge • Perry participated in a World Wrestling Federation
battle royal at WrestleMania 2 in Rosemont, Illinois. In
Life and athletic career 2006, he returned to the Chicago area to be inducted
into the "Celebrity Wing" of the WWE Hall of Fame
Perry was born in Aiken, South Carolina. He has stated
by John Cena.
in an interview that, "Even when I was little, I was big."
• In 2002 he lost in the third round to 7 ft 7 in (2.3 m)
After a successful career at Aiken High School (South
former NBA basketball player Manute Bol in a
Carolina), Perry played college football at Clemson
charity boxing match on the Fox Network’s Celebrity
University. In 1985, he was selected in the first round
Boxing program. Perry entered the match visibly
of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Nicknamed
above his NFL playing weight.
"The Refrigerator" for his gargantuan, almost rhomboid,
• The Fridge is one of several real people to be
frame, Perry was 6 ft 2 in (1.9 m) and weighed 382 lb
immortalized as a 3.75 in (9.5 cm) G.I. Joe action
(173.3 kg) at his peak weight.[citation needed] He quickly be-
figure. Like Sgt. Slaughter before him, Perry’s figure
came a favorite of the Chicago Bears fans.
was available through mail order. The figure was
Perry, who wore number 72 as a Chicago Bear, be-
offered in 1986, the same year the Bears defeated the
came famous for his prowess as a defensive lineman. In
New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
addition, Perry was used as a fullback when his team was
near the opponents’ goal line or 4th and short situations,
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William Perry (American football)
• During his popular tenure with the Bears, Perry After he retired as a player, Perry founded his own small
participated in the recording of two rap records, commodity hedge fund in his native South Carolina and
both in 1985, in addition to the team’s very popular made numerous public appearances.
"Super Bowl Shuffle". Recently, he was named Director of Football Opera-
• Walter Payton and Perry recorded an anti-drug, pro- tions for the Continental Indoor Football League’s Chica-
peace rap tune entitled "Together" which was go Slaughter.
written by four Evanston, Illinois teens. It was re- In June 2008, he was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré
released in 1999 with part of the profits going to the syndrome, a chronic inflammation disorder of the pe-
Walter Payton Foundation. ripheral nerves.[5] On April 22, 2009, Perry was hospi-
• Popular rap trio The Fat Boys recorded a twelve-inch talized in South Carolina in serious condition from his
single titled "Chillin’ with the Refrigerator" released Guillain-Barré syndrome.[6] Perry spent approximately a
on Sutra Records.[3] month in the hospital before being released. At one point
• A novelty hit, "Frig-O-Rator", was released in his weight fell to 190 lb (90 kg), before going back up to
December 1985 on the Motown label by Roq-In’ Zoo 275 lb (120 kg).[citation needed]
and featured sound bites of Bears game plays. The During Super Bowl XLIV, Perry joined other members
following year The Fridge was yet again remembered of the 1985 Chicago Bears in resurrecting the Super Bowl
in a rap song, this time by the obscure Los Angeles- Shuffle in a Boost Mobile commercial.[7]
based hip-hop group Hard Machine who released the In June 2010, it was reported that Perry now suffered
single "Refrigerator". from hearing loss, but also that he was improving after
• In 2000, he was defeated by Bob Sapp in a toughman his diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome. He had lost
boxing competition on FX. more than one hundred pounds (50 kg), but was, by this
• In 2003, he appeared in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating time, back up to 330 lb (150 kg).[8]
Contest as a "celebrity contestant". He stopped In February 2011, ESPN ran a somber article about
eating 5 minutes into the competition. This was him, citing ongoing health and drinking problems, and a
parodied in an episode of TV Funhouse from the weight of 400 pounds (180 kg).[9]
November 11, 2006 episode of Saturday Night Live in In April 2011, Cliff Forrest, a 10 year-old child, mis-
which Takeru Kobayashi plays a hot dog eating takenly bought a replica Perry Super Bowl ring for $8,500
superhero. After Kobayashi saves the day by eating a thinking it was the actual, and gave the ring to Perry. [10]
lot of hot dogs, a cartoon William Perry makes an After his NFL career, The Fridge also does paid cor-
appearance saying "Damn!" in Japanese. porate appearances and autograph signings. His official
• In 2003, he appeared in a TV movie by Comedy website is www.Fridge72.com.[11]
Central called Windy City Heat, where a man named
Perry Caravello was made to believe he was acting in
a major motion picture.
Sources
• He starred in a commercial in the 1980s with Jim • Chicago Sun-Times article "Sweetness in the words of
McMahon, fellow Chicago Bears teammate for Coke old duet with Fridge", Monday 8 November 1999,
Classic and Coke. page 97.
• Appears on the Chef Tony infomercial endorsing My • Roq-In’ Zoo, "Frig-O-Rator", 12 inch single, Motown
Rotisserie in a number of acted scenes where he plays 4554MG, December 1985.
poker with his friends, while singing the praises of • Hard Machine, "Refrigerator". 12 inch single, On The
the kitchen appliance. Spot NRS-112, 1986.
• He made a guest appearance in the ’80s TV show The
A-Team. In the 21st episode of the 4th season (’The
Trouble with Harry’) "Fridge" signs in to the same
References
hospital The A-Team is using to help their friend [1] Sports Illustrated for Kids, p. 39, February 2007.
Harry recover. Throughout the episode, Perry only [2] http://www.thefridgebbqsauce.net/
has a few lines (including the funny: "They’ll never [3] "Fat Boys - Discography".
catch him," referring to his NFL playing days), but he http://www.originalfatboys.com/
gives out ’Bears’ caps in the final scene. B. A. Baracus discography.html.
and Hulk Hogan (who guest starred in the episode as [4] "Episode 15 Summary". http://www.tv.com/
well) react angrily when they don’t get a cap, but the According+to+Jim/King+of+the+Nerds/episode/
large sized Perry is able to calm them down with his 1266064/summary.html.
huge smile. [5] Yumasun.com article.
• He also made a short appearance in the opening of [6] Fridge in serious condition.
According to Jim (Season 8, Episode 15).[4] [7] Unwronged.com link.
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William Perry (American football)
Achievements
Preceded by Bears 1st round draft pick Succeeded by
Wilber Marshall 1985 Neal Anderson
[8] Associated Press (21 June 2010). "’Fridge’ back up to
330 pounds". http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/
External links
nfl/news/story?id=5311685. Retrieved 22 June • WWE Hall of Fame Profile of William Perry
2010. • The Fridge Action Figure
[9] Tom Friend (6 February 2011). "How ’The Fridge’ Persondata
lost his way". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/
Name Perry, William
nfl/playoffs/2010/news/story?id=6091766.
Retrieved 2011-02-07. Alternative names
[10] "Boy, 10, buys The Fridge’s Super Bowl ring, then Short description
returns it". http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/ Date of birth 1962-12-16
shutdown_corner/post/Boy-10-buys-The-
Place of birth Aiken, South Carolina
Fridge-8217-s-Super-Bowl-ring?urn=nfl-
wp819#mwpphu-container. Retrieved 8 April 2011. Date of death
[11] http://www.Fridge72.com Place of death
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Perry_(American_football)&oldid=461304297"
Categories:
• 1962 births
• Living people
• People from Aiken County, South Carolina
• American football defensive tackles
• American football defensive linemen
• Clemson Tigers football players
• Chicago Bears players
• Philadelphia Eagles players
• London Monarchs players
• G.I. Joe
• African American players of American football
• WWE Hall of Fame
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