Lamar Hunt… Lived the life of… a true gentleman.

For some, you might call it a blessing to encounter an individual with passion for life, someone they can look to for help and inspiration, and someone who thinks of everyone else first.

If you had been blessed with a chance meeting with Lamar Hunt, then you might be that lucky individual.

On December 13, 2006 Lamar Hunt passed away after almost a decade battle with cancer. With his passing, he left the sport of American Football better than when it had first stepped into the lives of Americans.

Upon watching just a few interviews, articles, and listening to sports radio, you realize just how great an individual this guy was. He was inspiring, unassuming, an innovator, a great leader, a great boss, and a great friend. He left the sport of football and all who knew him just a bit better. And I think that’s all you can ask. It’s always been my thinking that if you can make the life of at least one individual better, then you will have had a successful life, what more if you inspire two, then three, and four, and so on… Lamar Hunt inspired hundreds if not thousands…

Lamar Hunt (August 2, 1932—December 13, 2006) was a promoter of American football, soccer, tennis, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee of the first three sports’ halls of fame. He was one of the founders of the American Football League and Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as MLS predecessor the North American Soccer League. He was also the founder and owner of the National Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs, and at his death owned two MLS teams, FC Dallas and the Columbus Crew. The oldest annual team tournament in the U.S. in any sport, soccer’s U.S. Open Cup (founded 1914) now bears his name in honor of his pioneering role in that sport stateside. In Kansas City, Hunt also helped establish the Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun theme parks. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972; into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1982; and into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993. The National Soccer Hall of Fame bestowed upon Hunt their Medal of Honor in 1999, an award given to only 3 recipients in history thus far.

Some of the greatest things that can ever be said of an individual was said of Lamar Hunt. Here’s some wonderful testimonials from ESPN.com:

Reaction to the death of Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt Wednesday night at the age of 74:

“I would like so much for the grandchildren to know what a truly kind and good man their grandfather was. He loved the Lord in his very quiet way and had such integrity and strength of character in all the things he has done. I hope that they will carry those memories of him with them because those qualities are what has made him such a beloved person.”

“He wanted people to love the sports like he did. He loved sports so much, he was so passionate about them and he wanted others to share the joy.”
– Norma Hunt, Lamar Hunt’s wife.

“He saw things and understood things that would be good for the game many, many years ahead of other people.”
– Clark Hunt, his son.

“He was a visionary, he was clever, he was creative, he was stubborn, he was optimistic, he was stubbornly optimistic, he looked at things for the long haul.”
– Sharron Hunt Munson, his daughter.

“It was more about providing people with opportunities, letting people display their talents and gifts and sports is really where that manifested itself.”
– Lamar Hunt Jr., his son.

“He didn’t miss anything. If it came to counting parking spots in parking lots, he was out there doing it all himself.”
– Dan Hunt, his son.

“I accused him of being in the entertainment business, but to him it was sports and it was a game. His high school friends that named him ‘games’ correctly named him.”
– William Herbert Hunt, his brother.

“To know him you loved him. Even if you were on the opposite side, you loved him.”
– Caroline Rose Hunt, his sister.

“His vision transformed pro football and helped turn a regional sport into a national passion. Lamar created a model franchise in the Kansas City Chiefs, but he was always equally devoted to the best interests of the league and the game.”
– NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

“Lamar Hunt’s a pioneer and a pillar of the National Football League. … There aren’t enough words to accurately describe who Lamar Hunt was and what he has meant to the NFL and to Kansas City. For the Chiefs, he was our Founder. … To Kansas City, he’s more than just the owner of a professional franchise. He’s committed himself there with other businesses such as Hunt Midwest Enterprises, creating thousands of jobs throughout the Kansas City community. He’s been one of the most philanthropic people I’ve ever been involved with.”
– Carl Peterson, president, Kansas City Chiefs.

“He lived his whole life to make a difference, not just to make a living. We can learn something from that. He’s very humble, maybe the most humble I’ve ever been around. In today’s world, that’s something that you marvel at. You talk about a man who’s profession has been football and he has been a great sportsman. Bigger than that, he’s always made decisions for this football organization where the league came first. If it was good for the league, Lamar Hunt was always first in line.”
– Herm Edwards, head coach, Kansas City Chiefs.

I would like to end this great homage to a great gentleman with an excerpt from an article written by John Clayton:

Lamar Hunt loved cheesecake. Who doesn’t? So in his great desire to share during a Chiefs trip to Los Angeles several years ago, Hunt gathered together many dessert-loving Chiefs employees and VIPs in the hotel lobby for a trip to one of his favorite restaurants for cheesecake.

Naturally, the restaurant was packed, but the billionaire had the restaurant employees hopping to find a big table for the Hunt party. Once seated, the Hunt party awaited his order. So did the waiter, figuring he was going to score a big tab. To everyone’s surprise, Hunt didn’t order the menu. Instead, he ordered several slices of cheesecake and forks for everyone.

That anecdote symbolized Lamar Hunt, who died Wednesday night at age 74 from complications of cancer. He was a billionaire who lived like the common man. When limos were lined up at the airport awaiting the arrival of dignitaries for an NFL owners’ meeting, Hunt would be with reporters at the rental car counter trying to find the right midsize car. Despite coming from one of the country’s richest families, Hunt wasn’t tainted by his billions. And he was all about sharing.

God Bless You Mr. Hunt, may you be looking down upon us all with fork in hand and a slice of cheesecake on the other =)

(image from wikipedia.org)