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How a small, rough Oklahoma town helped shape former Chief and future Hall of Famer Will Shields

LAWTON, Okla.

Will Shields with his Walter Payton Man of the Year Trophy in 2004

The boys jumped out the front door and went right down 35th Street toward the fun. On their feet, they could cover the half mile or so in 10 minutes, maybe less, by cutting through some apartments and across 38th. But they were almost never on their feet.

Riding BMX bicycles was everything in small towns like this during the 1980s — wheelies, racing, seeing who could land the longest jump. And on their bikes, the boys could take the trails and cut down their trip by a few minutes, leaving more time for tricks.