Jason Dailey recently photographed former Chief, Hall of Famer, restaurateur and teacher Bobby Bell, and as it turned out, it was both work and play.
After the initial contact (“How long do you need?!”) Jason arrived with a green assistant, a car full of bags and a big smile. At 74 years old, Bobby Bell is still a giant of a man. "Having a keen sense he could tell right away who the athlete was in the room and apparently it wasn’t me", says Dailey. Turns out it was Jason's assistant and that started a conversation about life in sports, injuries, being a Chief and ultimately spending a few decades working the restaurant biz.
"So we went about finding our shots and setting up (among tons of memorabilia, awards and accolades)", says Dailey. "Bobby starts talking about the age of speed. And he’s talking to Levi, my assistant, who’s 20, about visualizing instantaneous movement. “If the guy across the line is thinking about what to do, I was already past him”.
Dailey continues to say, "Seemed like a set-up. Bobby asks Levi for a quarter, he doesn’t have one so is given one “on loan”. Bobby places the quarter in Levi’s open palm, if he can close his fist before Bobby reaches from underneath to grab it he can keep it. So they’re standing there, waiting, and I see a little movement and Levi’s hand snaps shut. I’m thinking, “well that seemed easy, no way Bobby got that coin”. Levi shows us an empty hand. Bobby lent him another (the same quarter), did it again. Reached right up and plucked that coin right out from Levi’s palm. This time I got it on camera."
Click on Jason' Video link below.
