Page 18 - Flathead Beacon // 2.4.15

18 | FEBRUARY 4. 2015 COVER FLATHEADBEACON.COM
BETTERS’
CLASSIC LEGACY
After 30 years of bringing NFL players and other celebrities to Whitefish for a renowned community bash and fundraiser, Doug Betters is bowing out as host of the Whitefish Winter Classic BY DILLON TABISH
Last weekend Doug Betters watched Super Bowl XLIX from inside his longtime home near the shores of Whitefish Lake. It was an event with which he’s all too familiar.
Thirty years ago – Jan. 20, 1985 – Betters was starring in Su- per Bowl XIX between the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers.
Betters, the 1983 Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Pro defensive end, helped lead Miami to two Super Bowls and five
AFC East titles throughout his professional career. In the 1970s and 80s, Miami fans were very familiar with No. 75, who was a vaunted member of the Dolphins’ menacing defense featuring a collective of intimidating players known as the “Killer B’s,” con- sidered one of the best defensive units in NFL history.
But nowadays, when people in Northwest Montana hear his name they likely think of another remarkable legacy. It’s a legacy that also dates back 30 years.
Doug Betters is retiring as host of the Whitefish Winter Classic after 30 years. His wife, Jennifer, has been helping with the event for the past 10 years.GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON