If, as hoped, three great Packers quarterbacks will be on the field today, this will be so much more than a game. On this special day, we gather for more than a game. This Thanksgiving Day, we have much to be thankful for and Packernation will see, front and center, how thankful we should be for three great quarterbacks, all of whom have led the team to championships. I will be writing about them in three parts today. This first installment is about Bart Starr, and it is admittedly tinged with a little sadness for what Bart, his wife, and his family are going through right now. But here it is…hope you enjoy it.
Dear Mr. Starr,
You have suffered and you may not remember a lot of things. But we just want you and your family to know…even if you don’t remember us…we will never forget you! Mr. Starr when someone mentions standing on the shoulders of giants…yours are the shoulders we think of. When someone talks about championships…we know that you have five and that you defined the Super Bowl. A championship by any other name…is still the same. And it was in the breeding ground of Green Bay Packers championships that the modern Super Bowl was born and bred.
You may not remember us, but we will never forget you.
Your personable, polite and genteel nature have shown to be intrinsic to your character. You show this today by being in Green Bay, at Lambeau Field to honor another Packer great. You and your family have worked very hard to get back on the field one more time (hopefully not the last). You did it…to honor someone else. Great leaders stand silent on their own accolades and shout the greatness of others from the mountain tops. You, sir, are a great leader.
You may not remember us, but we will never forget you.
Though the road may be long and hard, our single wish for you is a swift and full recovery. And we hope to see you today…we will cheer (at least) one more great memory straight into that big heart of yours. We are thankful for you, Mr. Starr, to us you are forever young.
And we will never forget you.
Please, if you were fortunate enough to have a personal memory of Bart Starr on the field or face to face…include it in the comments below or back on the Facebook Fanpage.
Go Pack!
I have been excited since hearing Bart Starr, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers will be on the same field. This is Packer History in the making, and I couldn’t want anything better this day. God Bless you Bart and your family, Congrats to Brett on his day, and Good Luck to Aaron and the rest of the Packers today.
Right on Max!
Bart Starr set the bar for greatness in the NFL, on and off the field. Packer fans and all fans salute you this day and every day. Go Pack Go
A very small memory but very endearing to me! When I used to live in Green Bay, I worked at the airport. Every time the Packers would fly out, Bart Starr would come purchase a pack of Wrigley’s Spearmint gum. He was always so kind, and polite and so obviously a true gentleman. I pray he comes back completely from his last illness, I know he is working so hard to get it done!! Well, done for a life well lived!
I have had the pleasure of having a couple of encounters with Bart Starr. Let me start by saying that Bart is my all time favorite player. When I was a boy I would wear my number 15 Packer jersey and pretend I was Bart. Back in 1983 I wrote Bart when he was fired as coach of the Packers expressing my admiration and support during that difficult time in his life. I also sent a letter to Judge Parrins who was the person responsible for letting Bart go. My letter to Judge Parrins was not as pleasant as the one I sent Bart and I enclosed a copy of the letter to Bart. I was surprise when a couple of weeks later I received a personal letter from Bart thanking me for my support. I know that it was personal because Bart referred to the letter I had sent Judge Parrins. In November 2007 I was involved in promoting hearing aids and I was at the Senior Expo in New York. Bart was also there with his wife Cherry Starr as he was promoting another product. I walked up to him shook his hand and said “I want to shake the hand of the greatest Green Bay Packer of all time” to which he replied “I don’t know they have a pretty good one mow”. He was referring to Brett Favre. Bart introduced me to his wife and spent the next 30 minutes talking about Lombardi, the Ice Bowl, the relationship with his dad and the 2007 Packer team. Not once did he make me feel that I was intruding on his time and was the nicest gentleman I have ever met. Bart Starr was not only a great leader but also a great human being. I have a lot of sadness knowing that we may never see Bart again but as you said, I will NEVER forget him.
That is just amazing Walter, and it is a recurring theme when I hear of Bart Starr that he is so patient and kind. Thanks for sharing that.
When I was a kid growing up in Racine, WI, Bart Starr was my hero. We’d play backyard football and I always played quarterback, pretending to be Bart. As an adult, I met Bart at a book signing in Atlanta (a book about the history of the Super Bowl, which Included a forward by Bart). A few years later, I saw him again at an airport lounge and he was gracious with my intrusion to say hello. Always the gentleman, always professional in everything he did. Bart, we will never forget you!
Thanks for recounting this memory for us Alan, he is just an outstanding person along with being a legend.
I grew up on a dairy farm in southern Wisconsin. We worked hard and on Sunday afternoons we watched the Packers play football. So many memories of Bart Starr leading the Packers to victory! I now live in FL but remain a Packer Fan and proud owner! Bart, Brett & Aaron…Packer fans are blessed and I am so grateful this Thanksgiving! Can’t wait till tonight!!
When growing up we visited our grandparents in Wisconsin every summer. We were lucky enough to live just down the road from Mr Starr’s aunt and uncle, who we visited often. We actually have a picture of Bart with them taken in the ’50’s or ’60’s not sure which. It’s a treasure to have. We are hoping for a full recovery, and know he’s been working very hard.
Growing up in Green Bay, I have many found memories of seeing, and even better meeting Bart. Green Bay was such a small town then, but it was a special place – and time. Thanks Bart for giving so much, to so many – on the field and off. God Bless.
I had the pleasure of meeting Bart Stars at the Airport in Milwaukee. I was 10 at the time. Some 40 years later I remember how kind and gracious a man he was .He patted me on the hard ask how I was doing and signed a comic book I had just purchased. In later years as a high school football player he sent me a very nice letter after I had written to him about some personal challenges I was facing in my life at the time. His kind words and encouragement meant so much to me not only taking the time to reply but showing he really cares. His letter is framed and hanging in my office to this day as a reminder that life may throw you an interception now and then but touchdowns come to those who persevere. A legend on the field bit more important than that is his legacy off the field.
Growing up in Green Bay during and after the Glory Years, Mr. Starr returned often to town and a bigger cheerleader for the team, city and people could not be found, Twelve years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Starr and chatting with him and he was every bit the gentleman I knew him to be. May God bless him and his family, a full and speedy recovery is my prayer.
I was most fortunate to find Bart and Cherry at a restaurant I had heard they go to often near Birmingham in spring 2014. Most fortunate because Bart was still healthy and had a firm grip of me as I had my picture taken with him. They were just as gracious as usual. Bart came over to my table soon after to get my address because he wanted to send me something he said. About a month later I received a personally autographed picture to my Green Bay address. I have both pictures framed together in one setting that I’ll always cherish along with that day we met.
When my daughter was 4 years old, 30 now, Bart was at Rock County Fair doing autographs, we were in line getting one for my son. When a gentleman from a vendor asked my daughter to get another autograph for him he would give her a free drink. We reached the table Bart said”Wow you are a very young fan” She replied “I’m just here to get a free pop”. I remember he reached over the table and hugged her and shook my hand. He is not only a great football player but a Great Man!.
One more special thing Starr did. When I was living in Colorado in the 80’s, Bart had a business office in Denver. At that time he was working with Bob Long to get the Rocky Rococo’s franchises going out there. When his son Bret tragically died I sent Bart a sympathy card to his business address. To my surprise Bart sent me a handwritten note thanking me for just sending a card. Blew me away.
I have been a Bart Starr fan since the early 1960’s. My biggest thrill was attending “fan day” and haven’t my photo taken with Bart (when he was coaching the Packers). I treasure that photo and posted it again on my Facebook page to remind everyone not to forget him.