CHICAGO — Mike Pantazis has advice for his three sons: Don't try to make the catch he did.
Pantazis is celebrating the 20-year anniversary of his infamous catch of an extra point from the Soldier Field stands with a party at Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace St. in Lakeview, on Saturday.
Pantazis, a Rogers Park native, said the coolest part of the catch was having three sons — Michael Jr., 11; Joey, 10; and Nick, 7 — old enough to understand "what this is all about."
"They are so amazed and have so much fun with it," Pantazis said Monday night. "Their teachers ask them about it, their friends watch clips of it, and although they know not to attempt something like this, they are proud of it."
Pantazis became instantly famous when he jumped out of the Soldier Field stands and snatched a converted extra point out of midair during a Bears game against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 11, 1995. Pantazis was interviewed by Lynn Swann immediately after the catch, when he proudly said he was "from the North Side of Chicago" and he "played football at Sullivan High School."
Pantazis later appeared on the David Letterman show, and ESPN named his catch one of the best in history. There's even been a documentary — "Off Into Space" — made about Pantazis' incredible leap and grab.
Off Into Space (2011): a mini-documentary from silentRebel on Vimeo.
"Twenty years seems like such a long time, but not in this case," Pantazis said. "It has been so much fun and I have had so many exciting endeavors with this."
Pantazis chose Abbey Pub for the event because its bar's main lighting fixture is fashioned from a drum kit used by Pantazis' band, Some Years Later (SYL). Pantazis, who plays guitar, said the band and the drum lighting piece were featured on Spike TV's "Bar Rescue."
At the party, which begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, Pantazis will be giving away free autographed pictures of his famous catch. Saturday is Pantazis' 49th birthday, and SYL also will be performing at the bar.
"I just want to express how thankful I am to everyone who has supported me over the years, the fun times that I have with everyone who come up to me to talk about it, and for the opportunities that have come from this," he said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
