So who is the young man seen circled in the top row of the photo above, looking all spiffy (collared shirt!) for his freshman yearbook photo? Hint: He would go on to make some very memorable Stetson Cologne ads. Oh, and there’s the three Super Bowl rings, and two Super Bowl MVPs. Ahh, you know who it is.
Some make a case for Tom Brady being the best quarterback in the history of the NFL, but he’d be the first to admit that he wouldn’t be in that position without great receivers. Brady’s legacy will forever be inexorably linked to names such as Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Deion Branch. But there’s one receiver who holds a special place in the pantheon whose name you don’t know. Bill Harke, also circled above, was also a teammate of Brady’s once upon a time, and can claim one thing that the others cannot: He was on the receiving end of Brady’s first-ever complete pass.
And as you never forget your first love, a quarterback never forgets his first completion.
Before Michigan, Brady played at Serra High in San Mateo (which also gave the world Lynn Swann and Barry Bonds), breaking numerous prep records as a junior and senior. But today we’re taking you back further in time, when the photos above were taken; Brady’s freshman year of high school. He arrived at his first day of football practice in Sept. of 1991 as an unknown quantity, having never played a down of organized football. Brady had been a baseball standout, and indeed, he went on to become an all-league catcher at Serra, being drafted by the Montreal Expos. But on the first day of freshman football practice, his coaches took one look at the ponderous, somewhat chubby youngster and said “lineman.”
Because of his work ethic and throwing ability, Brady actually gravitated to starting linebacker and backup quarterback. But he didn’t have what one would call “wheels,” unless the wheels in question were attached to a dump truck. He didn’t play QB much, and in fact, completed only one pass his entire freshman season. It was an inauspicious beginning, but never before has the term “first in a series” been packed with more meaning.
This is the story of that pass. Harke, now a professional golf caddy who works on both the PGA and LPGA Tours, sat down with me recently and recalled that magical day when he grabbed Completion No. 1. 
“It actually comes up a lot,” said Harke, who lives in Half Moon bay, a coastal community in Northern California not far from where he grew up and went to high school. “When people ask when I went to Serra and I tell them I graduated in 1995, they always ask me if I know Tom Brady. One thing leads to another and I always end up telling the story.”
First of all, Harke says that he’s not even sure he was supposed to be on that team.
“I was pretty small then, 5-foot-4, 100 pounds at the most. After tryouts I didn’t know if I had made it,” he said. “The way they announced the cuts is, they handed out pink slips in home room the next morning. I didn’t get one, so I showed up to the first practice. I think they made a mistake, but when I showed up the coaches just kind of decided on the spot to let me play.”
The team wasn’t exactly a juggernaut. The Serra freshmen went 0-8-1 that season, and were shut out in three league games.
“Tom was a linebacker, and also our third-string quarterback,” Harke said. “Our first-string quarterback was Kevin Krystofiak, who was pretty fast and athletic. It was the fourth game of the season before Tom ever got to play quarterback.”
That game, against St. Francis, also happened to be the first time Harke set foot on the field.
“The first time I got to play also happened to be Brady’s first series at quarterback,” Harke said. “We were behind by 20 points or something, and they were emptying the bench. I had always worked my ass off in practice, so they decided they’d let me in for a couple of plays. So I get into the huddle, and the first play they call to me.
“I remember thinking, ‘It’s coming to me?’ There wasn’t a lot of time to think out it. I just did this little out pattern, and Tom threw it right in my numbers for seven yards. I caught it and ran out of bounds.”
Tom Brady’s first pass, and first completion. It would also be Brady’s only completion that season. And as it turned out, it would be the only reception of Harke’s football career.
“On the next play, they called an end-around to me,” he said. “And I lost 11 yards. So my career stats were minus-4 yards total offense.”
Harke remembers the play so vividly because it was the only game his mother attended that season.
“She was always afraid that I would get hurt,” he said. “Finally my dad convinced her to go to one of my games, and it was that one. I remember that at the moment I caught the pass, my mom shrieked in terror; she thought I was going to get killed. That’s the only thing I heard, and it’s the reason I ran out of bounds, I think.”
Krystofiak, now a partner in an insurance firm in San Francisco, says that he doesn’t remember that play specifically.
“I don’t know why I wasn’t playing then,” Krystofiak said. “I just remember that we weren’t very good that year. Tom had a great arm, but he couldn’t move very well. We all thought his big sport would be baseball.”
Krystofiak gave up football following his freshman year to concentrate on basketball, where he became an all-league point guard. That opened the door for Brady to become the starting quarterback his sophomore year.
“The great thing about Tom is that he’s still that same guy, he hasn’t changed a bit,” Harke said. “The same person he was in high school. Just a great, down-to-earth guy. I’ve seen him a few times since high school, and he’s really friendly.”
Harke also has a friend, another caddy, who caddied for Brady at a celebrity tournament at Pebble Beach, in California. Although Harke has never talked to Brady about that first pass, the friend knew the story, and brought it up when he saw Brady at the tournament.
“They guy asked Brady, ‘Is it true that Harke caught your first pass?,’ ” Harke said. “And Brady said ‘Yeah, it’s true. I remember it.’ It’s pretty cool that he acknowledges that.”
But Harke does have one regret.
“The coaches gave me the game ball after that game,” he said. “And I have no idea where that is now. Tom Brady’s first completion, and I have no idea what I did with it.
“Well, it’s not like I’d be selling it on eBay or something,” he said. “It’d be on my mantle. But who knew at the time that ball would be worth anything? Amazing how things turn out.”
UPDATE: Bill Harke Sr., the dad, emails me. “Great story, but I have to dispute one fact. Seven yards? The completion was for more like five yards, at the most.”
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- bryan - Nov 18, 2009 at 3:51 PM
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how can a 3 time super bowl champ and one of the best postseason performers, unlike peyton manning be overrated?????? Who are you comparing him to Joe Montana?
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- bryan - Nov 18, 2009 at 3:54 PM
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ALL teams have scouts and coordinators whose job it is to get any advantage possible, have you ever played football. a great team runs a play the opposition knows is coming and succesfully scores(vince lombardi).
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- kaz2k - Nov 18, 2009 at 4:30 PM
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I don’t know about best of All-Time, But he is by far and away the GREATEST 6th round pick of all time. Sounds like a lot of jealousy out there. This guy works his ass off, studies more film than anyone and can manage the ball as well if not better than Peyton. The two of them may be a couple of the best QB’s ever, but if I had to pick just one…it’s Brady.
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- Loneshooter - Nov 18, 2009 at 4:32 PM
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I wish I was so over rated…..
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- kaz2k - Nov 18, 2009 at 4:33 PM
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I don’t know about best of All-Time, But he is by far and away the GREATEST 6th round pick of all time. Sounds like a lot of jealousy out there. This guy works his ass off, studies more film than anyone and can manage the ball as well if not better than Peyton. The two of them may be a couple of the best QB’s ever, but if I had to pick just one…it’s Brady.
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- Thrax - Nov 18, 2009 at 4:38 PM
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…getting back to the story
The Amazing True Story Of Tom Brady’s First Complete Pass
What’s so amazing about this story anyway?
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- Philip - Nov 18, 2009 at 4:48 PM
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Hey say what you want about the guys personal life, but lets tell it how it is. Any true football fan can see his greatness of the game, a man who hates to lose is driven to win. When you watch him he never seems out of sorts or ever looks to give up. He’s a winner through and through. Greatest of all time…easy, end of story. people like Joe M better but he leaves niners and they still win titles. Not with Brady, he is any team he’s on…
NUFF SAID!!!
P.S. I hate the patriots but give a man his due.
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- Brady is Player not a player - Nov 18, 2009 at 4:56 PM
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Brady hasn’t done a thing since the most underappreciated Defense in league history split up. He won’t get another ring!
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- Jim R. - Nov 18, 2009 at 4:59 PM
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Nice story. I remember a bit farther back. My oldest daughter was in the same grade as one of Tom’s sisters. I videotaped my daughter’s 8th grade class play and ended up taping Tom’s class play, “The Wizard of Oz.” Tom played the part of the cowardly lion and got quite a few laughs. Wish I still had a copy of it.
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- ConcernedMemphian - Nov 18, 2009 at 5:11 PM
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Only truly great quarterbacks can generate the passion that Manning and Brady generate.
If it’s YOUR team that Brady or Manning are picking apart, then it’s not uncommon to search for faults. We need to find something wrong with them to make ourselves feel better.
If it weren’t for Manning, I would absolutely believe that Brady is at least ONE of the greatest quarterbacks ever, but when Brady is making the Colts defense look like high school kids, it’s tough not to search for defects. Human nature.
Few other quarterbacks in the league can almost single-handedly beat the other team, especially in the 4th quarter with time running out.
No doubt the haters would kill to have Brady or Manning quarterback THEIR team.
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- AntiTom - Nov 18, 2009 at 5:18 PM
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Yeah, such a good guy that his ex wouldn’t even use his last name for their child…
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- Darlene - Nov 18, 2009 at 5:18 PM
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Who cares if Brady or Manning is the best, I’m just glad that while watching last Sunday’s game we hear about someone on the field other than St. Peyton.
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- cowboycjn - Nov 18, 2009 at 5:28 PM
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He is good and yes has superbowl rings BUT come on. . .the greatest ever, NOT. Part of why he has those rings and is doing well is the team as a whole and the receivers he has that makes him look good. I think the press and this story is what makes him receive more credit and attention than he deserves.
You want to talk about good or great QB,look at Drew Brees, He is equally as good as a QB, has great stats with less of a team to protect him, yet he still out shines his competion. He is an outstanding field general and with less quality players around him he is sucessful. Now that is the mark of a Great QB to me.
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- CrazyLarry - Nov 18, 2009 at 5:30 PM
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If I remember correctly, his first completed NFL pass was to himself. Now *that* would be an amazing true story to hear.
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- Ben - Nov 18, 2009 at 5:38 PM
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Yeah and how did Sunday night’s game turn out again?
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- RogerDodger - Nov 18, 2009 at 5:39 PM
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Ok, if Tom Brady is over-rated, what is the bar we’re setting here? The man was a back-up quarterback, got an opporunity and has been tearing up the league ever since. I think the attention is just making up for every snap we watched that loser Bledsoe take while Tom was riding the pine. I kind of like him as a person too, he’s a good guy, very humble off the field.
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- Laurie - Nov 18, 2009 at 5:45 PM
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Wonderful story and column! Thanks for sharing this with us.
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- Tom - Nov 18, 2009 at 5:47 PM
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Crazy Larry, are you referring to Brett Favre? He DID complete his first NFL pass to himself! It’s true!
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- carol - Nov 18, 2009 at 6:00 PM
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To # 1 Pats fan for your information Tom Brady is not and never will be the best because that is Peyton Manning who is the best and has broken many NFL records and as of Dec. 2007 Peyton was in the NFL record book like 30 times and Brady not at all until he broke Peytons td passing record of 50 and since is in there about 5 times and peyton l0 more times and also when these 2 qbs first met Peyton introduced himself to Tom who replied “No SH–”!! A real classless act from the Cheatriots who should not have 3 super bowl rings and should not have 3 trophies and should not have 3 Super Bowl titles for the 9 or 10 years of illegal taping! Also when Belicheat and assistant or whomever the guy next to him was i saw him push one camera man down to the ground and heard later that 2 camera men were pushed by Belicheat and associate!! Real classless people!!! GO COLTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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- Jack baum - Nov 18, 2009 at 6:12 PM
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Hmmm 3 superbowl rings same QB..I’d say that pretty much says it all about his talent. So bash him all you like he is the best. Oh by the way..I’m a Vikings fan.
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- Jack Baum - Nov 18, 2009 at 6:17 PM
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Let me tell you this and you could bet on it, if Tom Brady were to become QB for the Vikings..they would most certainly get that ever elusive Superbowl win. Thye have not been there since 1977. They would under Brady and just might under Favre.
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- V - Nov 18, 2009 at 6:18 PM
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Overrated? What do you base this on? his 3 superbowl rings? Jealousy? Man-love? Hes an excellent QB, a great guy, never complains, respects other player, is well spoken, is a team leader, humble, genuine and he gets to bump ugly’s with supermodels……and hes overrated why??
Think before you speak or type or just do us all a favor and just shoosh it
You also forgot to mention what a crappy reciever Wes Welker is…jacka$$
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- Jay - Nov 18, 2009 at 6:23 PM
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Well I live in SC and I love Tom Brady so I guess your the douche
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- inthetrenches - Nov 18, 2009 at 6:30 PM
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I hear more crying from 18-1. With all the crying you’re doing about cheating, I almost forgot that most of us aren’t in 2nd grade anymore (that’s typically where people like you do your crying, although you would know more about that). You want to describe exactly how they cheated and used it to their advantage?? No?? Didn’t think so, cause you don’t know, dumbass. Good job speculating though.
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- OT - Nov 18, 2009 at 6:33 PM
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People who said Tom Brady is overrated. KNOW NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL 11 PLAYOFF GAMES IN A ROW INCLUDING SUPER BOWLS. PEYTON MANNING COULD BARELY WIN ONE.
IF YOU DON’T SEE HIS AMAZING TALENT YOU ARE NOT WORTH TALKING TO. IT IS PERSUADED IDIOTS. SO NO THANKS FOR DUM DUM FRIENDS FOR ME.
