Thread by @AdamMcCalvy

If you’ll indulge me, a story about Bart Starr and Hardee’s and how sometimes you find your path in unexpected places...

I was maybe 9 or 10 when my dad one day took my kid sister and I to a Hardee’s at the corner of Moorland and National in good old New Berlin. I had probably just taken my first bite of delicious roast beef sandwich when Bob McCalvy whispered, “That’s Bart Starr!”

I was clueless, but Bart Starr apparently was the man sitting alone a few booths over, and he was a big deal. My dad, who threw the baseball or football with my sister and I every day until the sun went down (sorry about the double rotator cuff surgeries, pop), was fired up.

We acquired a pen and napkin from the counter and my sister and I received instructions on how to respectfully approach him. Yeah, we interrupted Bart Starr while the man was trying to eat his lunch — but c’mon, look how cute we were:

It was the moment of truth. I was appointed spokesperson on account of my superior age, looks and intellect (I assume). I took my sister’s hand and we made the long walk across those brown tiles.

“Mr. Starr, could we please have an autograph?”

And he said no.

For a moment, I was horrified. Then he said, “Do you know your address and can you write it down?” Being New Berlin’s foremost young genius, of course I could. I wrote it on the napkin and he folded it and put it in his pocket.

Some time later, we got an envelope in the mail. I don’t know about you, but Sarah and I didn’t get much mail when we were little kids, so it was like Christmas. Inside were two 8x10 photos from Starr’s tenure as Packers head coach, each personally inscribed.

“Hi Sarah, May Your Life Be Richly Blessed. Best Wishes.”

“To Adam, With Best Wishes For A Great Future.”

This sure beat a signed napkin.

I remember being excited because my dad was over the moon. I didn’t think there was anyone in the world bigger than Bob McCalvy, and here I come to learn that he had heroes, too. And one of them had just gone above and beyond to be kind to his own kids.

Looking back, I’ve always thought of that 8x10 as what motivated me to work in sports. My dad felt *connected* to this man. How cool was that? What could I do to be part of that?

And here we are. You’re stuck with me because Bart Starr was nice to a couple of kids at a Hardee’s.

When news of his passing spread Sunday, you heard Bart Starr described over and over as a Hall of Fame player and person. My little sister and I didn’t know a thing about the former, but we were lucky to experience a small moment of the latter.

R.I.P., Mr. Starr. Thank you.