LJWorld.com

If the stars were aligned perfectly, the day would come on Feb. 1, 2021 - 2/1/21.

But those who love John Hadl aren't interested in waiting that long. So instead, Hadl, a Lawrence native and legendary Lawrence High, Kansas University and NFL football player, will have his high school number, 21, officially retired a week from today.

"It's a great honor," said Hadl, a Lawrence resident. "I'm just glad they're doing it before I die so I can be around to enjoy it."

Hadl, 68, now holds down a prominent position in the KU football office. But his impact on the city of Lawrence dates back several decades, long before the Jayhawks became Orange Bowl champions and the snazzy new Anderson Family Football Complex popped up as a reminder.

Hadl's legend began in the school yard at McAllister Elementary, a grammar school that no longer exists that sat behind Central Junior High off of 14th and Connecticut. There, as often as five times a week, Hadl and his buddies gathered for games of school-yard football.

"You had to be pretty tough to get through those touch games," Hadl says.

Tough he was.

So tough that he went on to letter as a Lawrence High sophomore, a feat that remains rare today but was incredibly out of the ordinary in the late 1950s. From that point on Hadl held the reins as one of the top playmakers at LHS. He donned the red and black during the Lions' first dynasty days, when the school won 48 straight games and three state championships, and later went on to star at KU and then with the San Diego Chargers.

Although fairly well known outside of his hometown, Hadl's name is the stuff of legends in Lawrence. What's more, his No. 21, which he wore at all levels throughout his career, is revered as a sacred number.

"Coach (Dick) Purdy, Coach (Bill) Freeman and myself, we tell enough stories about John and how he was truly one of the greatest athletes to ever come out of the school, and that kind of gets associated with the number," LHS coach Dirk Wedd said. "Lawrence High has never been about individuals, but this is one time when an individual needs to be honored for all that he's done for the school and the community."

Hadl's number actually has been unofficially retired by Lawrence High for quite some time, Wedd said.

"I don't know when people stopped wearing it," Wedd said. "But it's been as long as I've been around. As far as I'm concerned, nobody will ever wear it again, either."

Despite the unwritten understanding, there never has been an official ceremony to tuck the jersey away. That all changes a week from today, when many of Hadl's friends and former teammates will gather at Alvamar Golf Club to honor him.

In addition to presenting Hadl with a framed No. 21 LHS jersey, the ceremony will feature a golf scramble in which foursomes will play 21 holes instead of 18. The tee time for the shotgun start is set for 1:21 p.m., and the dinner and auction that follow are scheduled to kick off at 6:21 p.m.

The emphasis on the number doesn't stop there. The title sponsor for the event paid $2,100 for the rights, and sponsors for each hole paid $210 a pop. After the golf, event coordinators will auction off 21 items, including Jayhawk gear and other sports memorabilia.

All of the money raised at the event will benefit Lawrence High and Free State High scholarship funds. Although Lawrence was a one-high school town in Hadl's day, he said was thrilled to hear that the money raised by the event would go to both city high schools.

"When I was growing up, playing football at LHS was the thing," Hadl said. "You grew up wanting to play at Lawrence High. The interest hasn't changed much today, and coach (Bob) Lisher has done a good job over at Free State. As far as I'm concerned, it's a good situation because you have more kids playing football in Lawrence, and that's a good thing."

One other highlight expected to be revealed at the event is the release of actual game footage from Hadl's days with the Lions.

The current LHS staff dug up three game films from Hadl's senior season in 1957 and are currently in the process of transferring them to VHS or DVD so people can see the former LHS standout in action. For Wedd, the extra effort was worth it to honor a man he thinks so highly of. He suspects that's how the people in attendance feel, as well.

"I don't think most of them will be there for the golf," Wedd said. "Most of them will be there to honor John. The golf and the dinner are just an additional pleasure to that."