For years, Danny Hartke, his dad Dan Sr. and friend Michael Moss used to spend hours fishing around Kent Island together. The boat they used for these cherished excursions was a 37-foot Topaz Sportfisherman called “Persistence.” Dan Sr. gave the vessel its name, noting it took a level of doggedness and patience to be successful at their favorite hobby. Often the only thing that would cut their nautical outings short was their favorite football team.
“We would actually have to come home early from fishing,” Moss recalled with a laugh. “He [Dan Sr.] would say, ‘Well the game starts!’ I’d say, ‘Well the fish are biting.’ He’d say, ‘Well the game starts!’ Him [Danny] and his dad are diehards.”
There was perhaps no greater symbol of that fandom than Dan Sr.’s truck: a 1986 Ford F-150 John Riggins Signature Series. The Hogs and the Super Bowl-winning teams of Washington’s golden era had brought so much joy to the Maryland native. Riggins, in particular, had been a favorite of Dan Sr.’s…