Today in sports history, legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr was born in 1934. Starr was not only a winner in whatever he did, but he was one of the greatest quarterbacks of an entire generation. Bart Starr is enshrined in not only the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, but also in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
With a list of accomplishments few can ever come close to, Starr will forever be remembered as one of the greatest quarterbacks to play football.
Bart Starr Playing Career | Green Bay Packers History
When the Packers were a dynasty in the 1960s, it was Starr who was at the helm of the offense. Starr was the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers from 1956-71. He would amass a 94-57-6 record during his time as a starter. Starr led the league in completion percentage and quarterback rating four times, and he also led the league in interception ratio three times as well.
For his performance, Starr was selected to four Pro Bowls and was named the 1966 NFL MVP. He swept the award from all five major outlets (AP, PFWA, Sporting News, UPI, and the NEA). More notably, however, Starr was a part of a Green Bay Packers team that won two Super Bowls and five NFL championships. As a result, for his success throughout the 1960’s, he would be named to the Hall of Fame’s All-1960s Team.
Starr will forever be immortalized in Packers and NFL lore for his role in the 1967 NFL Championship Game. In the game more commonly referred to as “The Ice Bowl,” Starr scored a touchdown on a quarterback sneak to give the Packers a 21-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Coaching Career and Legacy
Unfortunately for Starr, his coaching career didn’t go anywhere near as well as he hoped. Starr coached the Packers from 1975-83. In just two of his nine seasons at head coach, the Packers had a winning record. Green Bay did make the playoffs in 1982, but they lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the playoffs.
For as incredible as he was on the field, Starr was just as impactful off the field as well. In 1965, he and his wife Cherry founded the Rawhide Boys Ranch. The nonprofit organization is still used to this day to help at-risk and troubled boys throughout Wisconsin. Starr even donated the Corvette car he won as Super Bowl II MVP to fund the organization.
In 1971, Starr and his wife started the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. The Foundation raises funds for cancer research in honor of the late coach Vince Lombardi. The couple also launched the Starr Children’s Fund within the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation to continue their support of pediatric cancer care and research.
