Bart Starr
The ice-veined quarterback who engineered the Packers' dynasty, winning the first two Super Bowls with legendary precision under pressure.
1934–2019 (age 85)·American football player, coach, and executive·Birthday: January 9·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bart Starr quarterbacked the Green Bay Packers to victory in the 1967 NFL Championship, the 'Ice Bowl,' calling his own number for a game-winning sneak on frozen turf. Drafted in the 17th round, he lacked raw physical talent but possessed intellect and poise. Coach Vince Lombardi saw in Starr the perfect extension of his disciplined will. Starr was named MVP of the first two Super Bowls. He later served as the Packers' head coach, a tenure less successful than his playing career. Starr died in 2019 at age 85.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bart was born in 1934, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bart Was Born
The biggest hits of 1934
#1 Movie
It Happened One Night
Best Picture
It Happened One Night
Bart's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1934Born
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1939Started school
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1947Became a teenager
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Could drive
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1952Could vote
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Turned 21
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1964Turned 30
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 40
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 50
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 60
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 70
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 80
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2019Died at 85
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Led the Green Bay Packers to victory in Super Bowls I and II, being named MVP of both games.
- Engineered the game-winning touchdown in the legendary 1967 'Ice Bowl' NFL Championship against the Dallas Cowboys.
- Is the only quarterback to lead a team to three consecutive NFL championships (1965, 1966, 1967).
- Had his number 15 retired by the Green Bay Packers.
Did You Know?
He served in the United States Air Force Reserve while playing for the Packers.
He was a college teammate of another NFL legend, offensive lineman Forrest Gregg.
He and his wife Cherry founded the Rawhide Boys Ranch, a nonprofit organization for at-risk youth in Wisconsin.
“The mental part of the game is something I’ve always felt was more important than the physical.”
