As the supersized man affectionately known as “The Fridge” tumbled into the end zone, the manager of the sportsbook at Caesars Palace could scarcely hide his dismay.
Art Manteris dreaded explaining to his bosses that the casino had just lost well over $100,000 because the Chicago Bears had entrusted a 340-pound defensive tackle with a goal-line handoff instead of their Hall-of-Fame-bound running back.
It had been Manteris’ idea to post odds on whether William “The Refrigerator” Perry would score a touchdown in the 1986 Super Bowl, to that point easily the zaniest proposition bet ever offered on pro football’s biggest game.