Seeing a Sports Hero After All These Years!

The week before the FSU-Notre Dame game I was working at Sea World and see a guest with a Notre Dame sweater in the store. I was going to tease them about my being a Florida State fan, but when he turned around I saw who it was. Notre Dame great Terry Hanratty. To the casual fan that name may not mean a lot, but to a person who grew up in Butler, Pa. that name is Godlike. Mr. Hanratty graduated from my high school in 1966. He went on to be the starting quarterback at the most revered football school at the time, Notre Dame. Hanratty teamed with wide receiver Jim Seymour to become the most feared passing duo in college football. Terry started for Coach Ara Parseghian, from 1966 to 1968 and was a consensus All-American in 68, when he also finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. During this era the Notre Dame games were rebroadcast on television every Sunday morning, with Lindsay Nelson doing the play by play. Everyone in Butler, at the time, followed him throughout his career , which took him into the pros for several years. For all of us it was watching someone that represented us. I was fortunate to talk several minutes with Terry and he was most gracious to spend a few minute with a fan. For me it was a thrill and something I will remember for a very long time.