George Starke facts for kids

George Lawrence Starke (born July 18, 1948) is an American business owner, activist, and former professional football player. He was an offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins (now the Washington Commanders) in the National Football League (NFL) from 1973 to 1984.

Starke played college football for the Columbia Lions. The Washington Redskins chose him in the 11th round of the 1971 NFL draft. He played in two Super Bowls with the Redskins, helping them win Super Bowl XVII.

His professional football career lasted 13 years. When he retired, Starke had been the Redskins' captain for five years. He was also named one of the 70 greatest players in the team's history.

George Starke was known as the "Head Hog" of "The Hogs." This was the Redskins' famous offensive line. Other players in "The Hogs" included Russ Grimm, Don Warren, Rick Walker, Mark May, Joe Jacoby, and Jeff Bostic. This group stayed together for many years, even after Starke retired in 1984.

After his football career, Starke opened a car dealership called "George Starke Ford." He also started a career in television broadcasting. In 1997, he founded the "Excel Institute" in Washington, D.C.. This was a school that helped adults learn job skills. Starke retired from the Institute in 2010 after it had trained over 500 auto technicians. He also started "Head Hog BBQ" restaurants, named after his famous football line.

Early Life and High School Success

George Starke grew up in New Rochelle, New York, and went to public schools there. His father, George Starke Sr., was a high school principal. His mother, Shirley Starke, was a registered nurse. Starke has Mohawk ancestry from his mother's side of the family.

When he graduated from New Rochelle High School, Starke received many football awards. These included All-Westchester County, All-Metropolitan, All-State, and All-American honors. He was later added to the New Rochelle and Westchester County Halls of Fame.

College Football Journey

Starke chose to attend Columbia College in New York City. Many colleges offered him full scholarships, and he visited many of them. He almost went to Notre Dame, where he would have played with quarterback Joe Theisman. Theisman later played with Starke on the Redskins when they won the Super Bowl.

The University of Virginia also tried to get Starke to come to their school. They offered him a full scholarship and the chance to be the first Black student to attend their college. Starke decided to decline this offer and stick with Columbia.

At Columbia, Starke studied physics. He was a tight end for the football team and led them in receptions in 1969. He also played center on the Columbia basketball team. That basketball team was very good, ranking as high as number 2 in the United States, just below UCLA. In 1983, Starke received Columbia's highest award for graduates, the "John Jay Award," for his achievements.

Professional Football Career

Even though the Redskins drafted Starke, his start in professional football was difficult. The Redskins cut him two weeks into training camp. He then tried out for the Kansas City Chiefs but was cut just before the season began. In 1972, he tried out for the Dallas Cowboys but was cut again. Finally, the Redskins asked him to return and try one more time.

A year later, Starke made the Redskins team. He started on the practice squad but soon moved up to the main roster. By the middle of 1973, he became the starting right tackle. Starke first played on coach George Allen's "Over the Hill Gang" team. By 1979, under coach Jack Pardee, he was named the team's offensive captain.

In 1981, a new coach, Joe Gibbs, arrived. A young group of offensive linemen developed under Gibbs. This group became known as "The Hogs." They became one of the most famous offensive line groups in the National Football League. Even though Starke was ten years older than the others, he became their leader and was known as the "Head Hog."

Starke played in his first Super Bowl with the "Over the Hill Gang" in 1972. Later, with "The Hogs," he played in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XVIII. They won Super Bowl XVII against the Miami Dolphins but lost Super Bowl XVIII to the Oakland Raiders. Starke's last full football season was 1984. He retired during training camp in 1985.

Life with The Hogs

Before he retired, in 1983 and 1984, Starke used the fame of "The Hogs" to create a business. He got each of the "Hogs" players to invest $500, and they formed a company called "Super Hogs." This made them some of the first professional athletes to market themselves outside of the National Football League's direct control.

"Super Hogs" created a clothing line, a beer company, and sold various "Hogs"-themed items. They also produced two very popular football posters: "Hogs Night Out" and "The Grave Yard Dogs."

Life After Football

After retiring from the Washington Redskins in September 1985, George Starke started two new careers at the same time. He was accepted into Ford Motor Company's Dealer Operations Training School. Two years later, he graduated and, with a partner, opened "George Starke Ford" in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

At the same time, Starke began a career in television broadcasting. He had already made many TV appearances as the captain of the Washington Redskins. After retiring from football, Starke hosted PM Magazine and co-hosted Redskins Saturday Night with Pete Wysocki. He also worked as a host for Hometeam Sports (Comcast) and as a commentator for ESPN College Football and CBS National Football League broadcasts, co-hosting with James Brown.

The "Redskins Saturday Night" shows won several local Emmys. In 1989, Starke started a beer company called "Head Hog Premium Beer." This company sold beer in the area where Redskins games were broadcast, from Delaware to Georgia. That company later became the "Head Hog BBQ Restaurants" in Bethesda, Maryland and Rockville, Maryland.

In 1996, Starke noticed a rise in youth violence in Washington, D.C.. He believed this was mainly because many young people couldn't find jobs, often due to not being able to read or write well. So, he founded a non-profit job training center called the Excel Institute. The institute was a two-year program for young people over 16 who were at risk. It offered basic education, life skills counseling, and training to become auto technicians. Two important rules of the Institute were that anyone over sixteen who wanted to attend was accepted, and all students received full scholarships, meaning they didn't have to pay. In October 2010, after helping over 500 students graduate, Starke retired from managing the Excel Institute.

After leaving the institute, Starke started Starke Communications. This company helps other businesses with communications, public relations, and marketing. Starke Communications also provides motivational speakers for its clients.

Personal Life

George Starke lives with his wife, Petra Smeltzer Starke, in Beverly Hills, California. Petra Starke grew up in Prague, Czech Republic. She graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and used to practice law in Washington, D.C., including working in the Obama White House. She also started a chain of yoga studios. They live with their son, George Lawrence Starke, IV, and their family dog, Coconut.

See also

In Spanish: George Starke para niños