As we get through this difficult season, we are taking a look back to December 11, 1988, an era when most seasons were difficult to endure as a fan — and there was legitimate concern about the Packers ever being an elite team again. We now know that the turnaround began only four years later, and has continued almost unabated since then. But, let’s take a look back at the Green Bay Packers of 1988, and their game that day against the rival Minnesota Vikings. Game programs are wonderful snapshots in time...
The inside contents page, with a Christmas greeting from Packers’ President Judge Robert J. Parins.
A three-page preview about that day’s game, and the players and coaches involved.
Head Coach Lindy Infante, in his first of four seasons with the Green Bay Packers. The following year was his most successful with the team.
Who recalls these stores in Wisconsin? Packers merchandise was just starting to take off, along with all NFL products in general.
These two pages, and one later in the program, focused on the Christmas wishes of Packers players and coaches.
An ad for one of the local television programs being aired that season. Channel 11 is now FOX11 (WLUK), located a stone’s throw from Lambeau Field.
An “autographed” photo from HB Keith Woodside (#33).
A small feature about the Harlan family — with Bob Harlan soon to become the Packers’ president and CEO (1989-2006).
Many game day afternoons were spent listening to “Packer Sunday” following a Green Bay loss (there were twelve of them that season).
Here are some faces and names that you have probably not seen or thought about for almost three decades — the 1988 Green Bay Packers.
The official Packers roster for that ’88 season.
The Packers-Vikings game’s starting line-ups.
This is that year’s version of the Minnesota Vikings.
An aerial view of Lambeau Field from that era. Things have changed quite a bit.
The third installment of the Packers’ Christmas wishes.
Here is a somewhat rare image — 1989 hero QB Don Majkowski wearing not his familiar #7 jersey, but the #5 jersey he started out with. Only a few have worn that number in regular season games since Paul Hornung made it famous. Ron Wolf once said that as long as he was GM in Green Bay, nobody would ever wear it. Just this year, P Justin Vogel wore #5 in Training Camp, but switched to #8 for the regular season.
Two pages on new Head Coach Lindy Infante, and then two for the assistant coaches.
Lambeau Field has also changed since 1988 in its seating arrangement, with all the sections seen here having since been renumbered.
Of course, every head coach sees his “coach’s show,” and Lindy Infante was no exception.
On this December day, the Packers defeated the Vikings, 18-6, in front of 48,892 fans on a 14° day in Green Bay. The starting signal-caller was QB Randy Wright.
