More Items for Auction

Today we bring you some more Packers memorabilia items that are up for auction on that newfangled internet contraption. Above, a multi-signed 1936 championship team testimonial program. Bid here.

Quite rare are the team’s media guides (or press books) prior to 1965. This one is from the 1940 season, and features a great graphic look from the era on the cover. Bid here. 

Here is a letter written on the team‘s 1950 letterhead, featuring the blue and gold colors of the Packers in that time. Bid here.

An early-Sixties Green Bay Packers generic player “nodder” — what we now call “bobble heads.” Bid here.

Who wouldn’t enjoy a Miller High Life in this “Packer Backer” glass? Bid here. 

Early-Seventies Lambeau Field “Ground Crew” jacket. Bid here.

Lambeau Field bunting which hung on the first-row grandstand fence railings during the legendary “Ice Bowl” NFL championship game on December 31, 1967. Bid here.

The NFL currently schedules at least one preseason game on a Thursday night, which really could not be more inconvenient for the out-of-town fans. But here’s something we haven't seen before: a game on a Wednesday night. Things were crazy back in the 1950’s, huh? Bid here.

Lastly, remember ashtrays? They used to be everywhere. Here in the upper Midwest, you rarely see smokers or ashtrays anywhere, because you can’t smoke indoors. This ashtray from Sneezer’s Snack Shop is a classic, and here you can see Vince Lombardi eating breakfast at the restaurant. Bid here.

Saturday Reading

Back with more from the November 28, 1976 Bears-Packers game program. First off is a lengthy article about Cal Hubbard, who played for the Packers from 1929-33, helping them win their first three World Championships (1929-1930-1931) and again in 1935. 

Next up is an article on the “Two-Platoon Era,” when it became vogue to have players only participate on either offense or defense. This began in earnest at the end of the Fifties and early Sixties. 

Some of the “behind the scenes” folks from 1976. Many had been there a long time before that. 

Had to include this ad. If you don’t remember the CB radio craze of the Seventies, there’s a lot for you to learn about Packers history from this site. And we’re glad to be here to help you do it!

Thompson & Combine Media

If you think football season is over, you’re correct — if you’re thinking about 2014. But the 2015 season is already underway at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Today, Packers GM Ted Thompson met with the media to talk Draft and Free Agency. He met with the national media, and that video can be seen here.

He also met as well with the gathered Wisconsin media. That video can be seen here.

Back to 1976

As you know, if you’ve been with us for a while, the offseason can mean some spotty blog updates. There’s just not the urgency or general interest that there is during the season. We’ll keep posting, but it may not be super regular. Today, we’re putting up some material from the November 28, 1976 Bears-Packers game program. This first article was written by Lee Remmel, who spent his entire sportswriting career covering our Packers, and then went to work for the team in public relations, and ended up as the team’s official historian.

This is an interesting letter written to the fans by Head Coach Bart Starr... a letter we won’t see Mike McCarthy writing today. A different time, indeed.

This photo was in an article about the play action pass, and it features LB Jim Carter, who played 106 games in Green Bay from 1970-75, and again from 1977-78.

An interesting article about three lesser-known men who were very important to the long history of the Green Bay Packers — Lee H. Johannes, Fred Leicht, and Charles Mathys, Sr. 

Above and below, we have two photos showing the Packers flying out to play the Oakland Raiders earlier that season, a game that was played on Sunday, October 24th, and that Green Bay lost, 18-14.

More from this program will be in our next post.

Ed Sabol Passes Away

If you grew up in the 1960's like us, your young mind was molded by NFL Films’ depiction of the greatest game in the world. Ed Sabol and his son Steve are integral reasons why the popularity of the NFL exploded during this era. Ed (above) passed away yesterday at the age of 98, and unfortunately, he was predeceased by Steve in 2012. Honor his memory by viewing these two films (here and here), and taking a moment to say “thanks.”

Ed Sabol in the the early 1960‘s. 

Steve Sabol.

50 Years Ago This Week

From today’s Green Bay Press-Gazette: “Feb. 12, 1965 — “The Packers have invested in more new seats, and “little Green Bay” now boasts a City Stadium that will seat 50,500 — enough room for almost two-thirds of the population of 81,000. In addition, two one-story wings will be added to the Administration Building fronting the stadium at 1265 Highland (now Lombardi) Ave., and a 190-foot tunnel will be constructed from the dressing rooms to the gridiron.

“The three-point program was announced by Coach-GM Vince Lombardi following a meeting of the Packer executive committee Thursday when bids were accepted for the project. The capacity of the stadium is being increased by 8,173 — the largest since the stadium was built with 32,150 seats. The capacity was raised by 6,519 to 38,669 in 1961 and by 3,658 bleacher seats to the present 42,327 in 1963. Since the stadium was opened in ’57, the capacity has been increased by 18,500.”

Commemorate the M.V.P.

We were in Green Bay for the weekend (after three weeks away, we had to get back), and stopped by the Packers Pro Shop. The latest hot items are the commemorative merchandise of Aaron Rodgers’ second MVP award. Yep, we picked up one of the t-shirts. It‘ll be nice to wear for Training Camp this summer. See, we’re recovering nicely from the wounds of the final game. Just don’t pick at the scabs.

A Simple Gift

We had dinner last Saturday night with some friends, and were presented with this matchbook, as the fellow was getting rid of his collection. He thought it was no big deal, but we really appreciated the gift. We never had a chance to eat at any of the fine establishments that were the pride of Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston and Max McGee. Unfortunately, both the men and the restaurants gone now, but we had a chance to meet both former players in years past. Boy, a nice juicy steak would taste good about now...

Jackpot

It’s hard to believe, but things like this do happen. You read about people finding a painting in an attic and it turns out to be an original Picasso. Well, one man found this sweater in a thrift store and paid less than a dollar for it. Then he finds out that it’s Vince Lombardi’s sweater from his coaching stint at West Point. It is now worth considerably more than what he paid for it. Read the story here.

The auction listing is here.

A Good Day