"He said let's go down. We did this book together, so I decided to come down," Hornung said.
"He and I enjoy each other's company and we have been friends for 30 years," said Reed, who had dinner with Hornung at the home of Bunny and Scott Scutchfield as part of the evening's activities.
And getting the NFL Hall of Famer to Wednesday's event was a big coup.
"Paul might be the most famous Kentuckian as far as football," said Bob Lewis of Global Advancement, the fund-raising consultants working with the library. "I've known Billy for years, so I asked him since he was coming if he would like to see if Paul would like to come. He's a real institution."
Hornung has been on the promotion circuit for "Golden Boy" since it came out last October. He's sold more than 200,000 copies of the book and has loved getting to meet the fans.
"It's been fantastic. Mostly I've stayed up in Wisconsin because we can sell more books up there than anywhere. I'd sell about 300 to 500 books every promotion we did in Wisconsin last year," the longtime Green Bay Packer said. "When you're in Wisconsin, you're in Packer land They collect more stuff and junk than anybody in the world. You sign everything."
"He was (Packers coach Vince) Lombardi's favorite player," Reed pointed out. "And Lombardi said he was the most clutch player he's ever had.
"The Packers and Lombardi are one of those legendary dynasties that people will be talking about for years."
Now nearly 70, these days Hornung keeps himself busy with a variety of businesses in Louisville.
He is involved with real estate ventures with former University of Louisville and Baltimore Colts player Lenny Lyles.
Hornung also owns a shopping center and apartments buildings and co-owns a soybean refinery with three others.
"Every biscuit that's eaten at a McDonald's anywhere in North America, our flake is in that biscuit," he said. "It gives me a beautiful little annuity the rest of my life."
He has his own Web site
Hornung also hosted a television sports talk show for 13 years. You can even buy autographed pictures and a Paul Hornung bobblehead on his Web site, www.paulhornung.com.
"It all keeps me busy, I love Louisville. I'll always be in Louisville," Hornung added.
He also mentioned an option on his life story for a movie, but Hornung said that is in the very early stages.
And next year marks the 50th anniversary of Hornung's Heisman Trophy win at Notre Dame.
"So I'm going to do a big promotion next year, promotions with footballs and the whole deal. That's going to be my last hurrah. I'm going to 70 years old in December," he said. "And I'm going to do one more book with Billy Reed on Lombardi. We've already decided to do it."
He's also involved in Lombardi's Legends, made of up former Packers.
"Every year we take two or three people in. This year we took in Reggie White. It was really incredible, it was a beautiful ceremony," Hornung said. "And all the guys that played under Lombardi were in this group and we raise a lot of money for charity. It's really worked out good."
