Not many names are synonymous with winning. Bart Starr is one of them. Starr was the catalyst for the NFL’s first dynasty of the Super Bowl era. But off the field, he was much more. Sadly, the NFL and football fans around the world lost the Hall of Famer at 85 years old over the Memorial Day holiday.
A Starr is Born
Embed from Getty ImagesBryan Bartlett Starr was born in Montgomery, Alabama in 1934. It was evident from early on that he was destined for great things. Starr took advantage of an injury to his high school’s starting quarterback and positioned himself to earn a scholarship to the University of Alabama. At Alabama, Starr played well enough to get drafted to the Green Bay Packers, where he would later become a key piece of football history.
http://gty.im/80810989Turning Green Bay Into Title Town
Bart Starr split time with Babe Parilli backing up starter Tobin Rote for his first three seasons as a Packer. But he finally got his chance in 1959 and in two years, Green Bay captured the NFL Championship. They would go on to capture 4 more NFL titles and the first two Super Bowls in his time in Green Bay. This would lead to them becoming the premier team of the 1960s. After a 15 year career that saw him become one of only 5 men and the first ever to win multiple Super Bowl MVPs, Starr retired. He was eventually voted into the pro football hall of fame in 1977.
Embed from Getty ImagesLife After Football
Off the field, Bart Starr was even more remarkable. Along with his wife of 60 years, Cherry, he spearheaded many philanthropic efforts including The Raw Hide Boys Ranch in New London, Wisconsin. He also an honorary chairperson for the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation, a foundation meant to honor his late coach that succumbed to the disease. For as much as he gave on the field to help his teammates, he gave even more off of it for those in need. And it is because of this we will never forget number 15 in the green and gold.