Autumn Years Fall 2024

BRUCE HARPER Jets’ 42 Is Still Receiving— This Time, Life’s Blessings

By Emily Kratzer B ruce Harper set records with the Jets football team while wearing jersey number 42 and accumu lated record-breaking stats during his career. Now, the 69-year-old from Fair Lawn counts the blessings he has re ceived in life. Chatting at The Daily Treat in Ridgewood, first he bows his head and thanks God for a healthy bowl of fresh fruit. Then he starts counting the good ness he has received—such as the people he has gotten to know through Heroes & Cool Kids. Former football players get invited to attend events and to speak. After he left the gridiron, he was involved in a Long Island organization and got tired of making the trip, so he used its format to create Heroes & Cool Kids. The 501c3 nonprofit program reaches 16 schools in Bergen County; plus 33 more statewide. Wearing a light brown Kutztown University baseball cap and an orange Heroes & Cool Kids knit shirt, he talks about his football career. “I was always fascinated with football, from an early age. At Halloween, I dressed up as a foot ball player, and my mom got me a hel met.” He stuffed rags in his costume to

turned punts for 1,784 yards; and rushed for 1,829 yards. According to Wikipedia, Harper leads in all-time kick returns for the Jets. His punt return yards included one touchdown. He has had many hon ors; however he smiles, his eyes gleam ing, when he recalls the honor of being boosted to his teammates’ shoulders after that 45-yard touchdown return. Referring to his strong nerves—and skills—his teammates kept repeating “Bruce, you’re the coldest! Bruce, you’re the coldest!” He beams about his years in profes sional football, saying “The biggest thing with professional ball is relationships with teammates—I am a godfather for two teammates’ children. The sports world is the greatest union after the mili tary.” Team members were—and are— people you can rely on and he continues friendships formed during his college and professional years. One reason he played football was be cause of his big brother’s coach George Baldwin. “I followed him to Kutztown, I loved that man,” Bruce says. One of his life’s blessings was that his family helped pay for his years at then-Kutztown State

PAUL SPINELLI/NFL PHOTOS

make it look like he had thigh and shoul der pads. He went to Dwight-Morrow High School, (another famous alumnus is John Travolta), and was a member of the Maroon Raiders football team. “I al ways said ‘give me the ball, no one’s go ing to catch me.’” Still slender and slightly built, the record-holding Jets running back was right. According to footballdb.com, from 1977 to 1984, he received for 2,409 yards; returned kickoffs for 5,407 yards; re

24 AUTUMN YEARS I FALL 2024