Janesville Man Hopes To Join Packers Fan Hall Of Fame
A Janesville man is hoping to make history by becoming the 14th member of the Green Bay Packers Fan Hall of Fame.
Joe Kuhar is one of 10 finalists selected, and it only takes one look at his basement to understand why he made the cut.
“I just love football,” Kuhar said.
His love of football, specifically the Green Bay Packers, has taken over his basement, which his friends and family have nicknamed the Packers Hall of Fame South.
“Every day, things change down here (in the basement). Monday after a football game, I’m on my computer,” Kuhar said.
He spends several hours keeping statistics and creating handmade photo rosters, which now cover his ceilings.
Most of the memorabilia is autographed by Green Bay legends.
“This is an autographed helmet with Brett Favre and Bart Starr,” Kuhar said.
Kuhar even asked to try out for the team in 1960. The day he met Bart Starr in Janesville in 2010, he said they shared a laugh over his rejection letter.
“I told him how I could have been a teammate of his because he was playing for the Packers at that time, and he got a big kick out of that,” Kuhar said.
Four of Kuhar’s five children are Packers fans.
“I invite people over even when he’s not here. I say, ‘Do you want to see my dad’s basement?'” said his youngest daughter, Larae Kuhar.
She wrote the letter nominating her father for the Green Bay Packers Fan Hall of Fame.
“I think he deserves to win, not just because of what he has but because of his dedication. He deserves it,” she said.
Kuhar said he’s proud of his collection and that it would be one of the highlights of his life to be honored by his favorite team.
“As soon as I found out, I started calling everyone in my family and all my friends, giving them the heads up to vote for me,” Kuhar said.
Joe and his wife are celebrating their 53rd wedding anniversary on Tuesday, and he said she supports his “Hall of Fame South” as long as it doesn’t creep up the staircase and into the rest of the house.
Voting for the Packer Fan Hall of Fame begins on Jan. 1, 2012, on Packers.com. The winner will be announced at an event at Lambeau Field on Valentine’s Day.
