If it wasn't for the death of his father, at the tender age of seven, and his step-father's encouragement to play sports, Jim Hart might have never pursued a career in professional football. However, that one piece of fatherly influence led Hart to become a three-sport athlete in high school and he even lettered in basketball a total of three times. After becoming known for prowess on the football field, Hart was granted a scholarship to football for the Southern Illinois University Salukis where he played from 1963 to 1965.
Unfortunately, after going unnoticed throughout his collegiate stint at Southern Illinois and declaring himself into the 1966 NFL Draft, Jim Hart went undrafted. Luckily, his former coach Don Shroyer sent him an invite to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals that same year which led to Hart getting a backup quarterback position behind Terry Nofsinger. The following year, in 1967, Hart earned the starting quarterback position where he would start sixteen years out of the seventeen seasons he played with the team. While he did lead the team to multiple ten-plus win seasons, Hart was never able to get the team to the Super Bowl. The 4x Pro Bowler also developed a knack for throwing interceptions throwing a total of 247 in comparison to the 209 touchdowns he threw throughout his eighteen-season NFL career. Hart also threw an NFL record five interceptions in the1977 Pro Bowl. Eventually, Hart would call it quits after becoming a backup quarterback for the Washington Redskins for a single season in 1984.
Wondering where to go in 2020 for an amazing deal, to beat the crowds, or for a truly once-in-a-lifetime travel experience? These destinations are on travel addicts’ radar for rightfully hyped 2020 events, new offerings, and recent developments that make them a must-visit right now.
On top of the majestic scenery its long been known for, Montana is a newly trendy nature getaway celebrated for its expanding luxury hotel scene, culinary offerings, and shop-local boutiques, according to an American Express study detailing where cardholders are traveling in 2020. But Montana is also about to get more accessible than ever before thanks to emerging flight routes sure to stir up competition. Launching two brand-new seasonal routes to Big Sky country, American Airlines will fly from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Bozeman and Kalispell, Montana, beginning mid-year and continuing through Labor Day. Take advantage of the new direct route before the secret gets out, and so that they’ll continue next year.
One of the cities featured in Booking.com’s travel trends for 2020, Urugay’s capital Montevideo is a stable and LGBT-friendly destination to visit in South America—a continent that’s seen dips in tourism of late thanks to political instability in travel destinations like Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Travelers identified the city as a trending travel destination for anyone seeking an immersive, one-stop escape; according to the study, “over half (54 percent) of global travelers say they want to go on one long trip to a place that has all of their favorite activities and sights close together.” Montevideo’s offerings include beaches, nightlife, markets, theaters, culinary prowess, and festive Gay Pride Day celebrations in September.
Europe’s intensely overtouristed spots (Venice, Barcelona, Santorini) have new Eastern European hotspots to thank for stealing away some of the spotlight: Romania is making a name for itself as one of the top five most trending Airbnb booking destinations for 2020. The nation that’s home to Transylvania, Dracula’s castle, and well-preserved medieval towns nestled among rolling hills has seen a 298 percent annual increase in Airbnb bookings.