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's career is a testament to the power of intellect and poise over raw physical talent. Drafted in the 17th round, he was an afterthought until coach Vince Lombardi saw in him the perfect extension of his own disciplined will. Starr wasn't the strongest or fastest, but he was a master tactician with an unflappable calm, especially in the punishing cold of Green Bay. His defining moment came in the 1967 NFL Championship, the 'Ice Bowl,' where he called his own number for a game-winning quarterback sneak on frozen turf. He was named MVP of the first two Super Bowls, cementing the Packers' reign and the NFL's new championship spectacle. His later tenure as the Packers' head coach was less successful, a reminder that the qualities of a great field general don't always translate to the broader command of rebuilding a franchise. Yet, his legacy as the on-field architect of football's most storied early dynasty remains untouchable.
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.”
