Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year — in 1967!

On this 43rd anniversary of The Ice Bowl — the 1967 N.F.L. Championship Game — held in frigid Green Bay, Wisconsin, we are presenting the Packers’ highlights of that season. This is the story of how they got to the point where they could challenge to become champions for the third year in a row, which occurred at the end of Vince Lombardi’s years in Titletown, U.S.A. We wish a Happy New Year to all of the Packerville readers worldwide (in 71 countries)... we wish you (and the Packers) nothing but the best in 2011!




Tuesday, December 28, 2010

1965 N.F.L. Title Game — Part I

We are going to present the highlight film of the 1965 N.F.L. title game with the Cleveland Browns in three parts starting today. The Browns were the defending league champions, and they came into Green Bay on January 2, 1966 looking to repeat. They were out of luck against Lombardi’s Packers, falling 23-12 on a snowy, muddy day at Lambeau Field.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Those ’66 Packers

As the Packers take on the New York Giants to try and keep their playoff hopes alive today, we present this look back at the 1966 Packers, which were one of the franchise’s best ever. Back in those days, they were the cream of the N.F.L., and were favored to win it all again — which they did — for their second of three-in-a-row.

What 1960’s sports publication would be complete without a Charles Atlas ad? (“Darn it! I’m sick and tired of being a scarecrow!”)

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Packerville Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of our readers! Here is the holiday greeting we received from the Packers yesterday. We will be back tomorrow with a regular installment of football history.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

More from Conerly’s 1962

Here’s a few more pages from Conerly’s All-Pro Football — 1962, featuring the Packers. Above, from a section on the league’s running backs, we have a page on Jim Taylor and his slant play.

On the bottom of this page is a spotlight on Paul Hornung and the Packer Sweep play.

From the quarterbacks section, Green Bay ace Bart Starr gets his own full-page feature.

Here’s what they had to say about the Packers’ chances to repeat as N.F.L. champions in 1962 (they did, of course).

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Green Bay’s “Green Monsters”

Here’s the first selection from Charlie Conerly’s All Pro Football magazine — 1962 edition. Jimmy Brown is on the cover with a teaser about “Inside Green Bay’s Green Monsters.” First of all, you may be asking, “Who was Charlie Conerly?”

This will answer those questions.

And so here is the feature on the Green Bay Packers — the 1962 version of your team from Titletown.

Monday, December 20, 2010

48 Years Ago in TIME

The cover date of this issue of TIME magazine is from 48 years ago this Tuesday (December 21, 1962). It featured Packers coach Vince Lombardi and had the following article inside. A very good look at the state of things in Green Bay, Wisconsin in the early days of those Glory Years. The Packers were about to win their second consecutive N.F.L. title in New York against the Giants.

We’ll end things off with this classic holiday ad from the folks at Hertz. Remember those television ads anyone?

Sunday, December 19, 2010

A Dynasty Totters

We’re posting this one while listening to the radio post-game show following the disheartening, frustrating loss to the Patriots on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. A grand opportunity that was left to die on the field. This is a sad article about the Packers era of dominance ending in the 1968 season. Lombardi was gone as coach and the team was indeed not what it used to be.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Sports Review Football — 1956

We’re digging deeper today, back to 1956 with an issue of Sports Review Football. This preview magazine focused more on the college game, which at that point, was more popular than the professional game. So, let’s take a look inside at some of the interesting things we’ll find there.

We thought this ad for football helmets and shoes was cool.

As was this ad for the MacGregor sporting goods company.

We’re back in the days when face masks were optional!

A good mid-Fifties photo from collegiate action.

And now onto some Packers-related material. The team was at the bottom of the league in these days, so you wouldn’t find too many articles about them, but here’s one about a player that would reside in Green Bay shortly — Paul Hornung from Notre Dame.

As we said, the pro game was not exactly the favorite of the football world in 1956, and here’s an article that states the opinion of the day. It wasn’t until the Sixties that the pro game exploded in popularity.

There is this one article about Green Bay’s Dave Hanner, who was a longtime Packers player, coach, and scout.

Anyone want a new football for Christmas?

Friday, December 17, 2010

Lombardi — “Second Effort”

Here’s a great segment from the Vince Lombardi sales training film “Second Effort,” as shown on “NFL Films Presents.” Filmed in Green Bay, this movie gives us some excellent views behind the scenes at the Packer offices and Lambeau Field in the late Sixties. Enjoy, and for our readers in colder climates, stay warm!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

50 Years of Football (1969) — Part IV

The final installment of our “50 Years of Pro Football” presentation is posted here, highlighting the Lombardi years in Green Bay, and the immediate aftermath. This 1969 booklet is a trove of Packers history and photos, and we hope you’ve enjoyed the journey into the past.