Photo Credit: Scott Anderson – Racine Journal Times As I pointed out in my previous posts, I grew up in Racine, Wisconsin as a Green Bay Packer fan. In Wisconsin, both my older brother “Intense Dave” and I played YMCA youth football. My brother played one season for the (in)famous “Cardinals”. The Cardinals were led by coach, family friend, and devote NFL Cardinal(St. Louis at the time) fan Gene Spolar. The YMCA cardinals, like the NFL cardinals, were not really successful in the YMCA league.
In fact, the team was winless for several seasons.
At the beginning of the season the year that my brother played on the team, Gene Spolar provided the team with a little inspiration. He said that if they could win just one game, he would then shave his head completely bald. The 70s was a time when bald was not in fashion. Yes, the team did win that one game that eluded them for the past several seasons and Gene was a bald man. I would like to think that my brothers effort on the field was the straw that broke the win-less camel back. That was my recollection anyway and I will stick to it.
Today, it another David and Goliath story with the under dog Cardinals playing the favored Pittsburgh Steelers. When I think of the Cardinals(now in Arizona), I always think of our friend and coach Gene Spolar who never wavered or gave up on his beloved Cardinals. It takes a lot of guts to be a Cardinal fan in Packer country. Well, yesterday, the Racine Journal Times paper columnist Peter Jackel wrote an article about Gene Spolar. His sons Tony, Tim and Toby are taking Gene to Raymond James Stadium for the Cardinals- Steelers Super Bowl. Gene celebrated his 70th birthday on Friday. What a present for you Gene!!! I wish you the best on Sunday.
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