New Exhibit in N’awlins

For those of you who will be attending Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans (featuring the Packers and the AFC Champion, right?), there will be a special exhibit at the National WWII Museum. In conjunction with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the museum will be presenting Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame from January 25, 2012 — May 5, 2012. The exhibit “presents a panoramic view of the story of professional football — from its humble beginnings in the late 19th century to the cultural phenomenon it is today — and brings together an extraordinary collection of artifacts, while creating an unforgettable interactive experience. The Hall of Fame has partnered with NFL Films in creating the audio and video for this exhibit. The exhibition — a cornerstone event in the multi-year celebration of the Hall of Fame’s 50th anniversary — is the most extensive and comprehensive exhibition featuring America’s most popular sport ever to tour.”

Above, we see Packers’ Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Canadeo’s helmet from his rookie season in 1941.

There will be a focus on the NFL during WWII included, and we hope it will spotlight the 1944 Green Bay Packers, who won the team’s fifth championship that season. If any of our readers go to the Super Bowl, and want to share some photos from this exhibit, please let us know — we’ll give you a “guest spot” here in Packerville, U.S.A.

Heads Up: UniWatch

Helmet photo and exhibit info: National WWII Museum

The Legacy of Lombardi

On this Christmas Eve, we have a tribute to former Packers’ head coach Vince Lombardi, as was placed in what we assume to be all editions of Pro! magazine — the official game program at the time — the weekend of November 15, 1970. This particular scan came from the Boston Patriots vs. San Diego Chargers game at Harvard Stadium. In it, we are able to read the eulogy that QB Bart Starr gave at the funeral in New York City that previous Labor Day weekend. At the time of his death, Lombardi was the head coach of the Washington Redskins, but several of the pallbearers were from his legendary Green Bay teams of the Sixties.

1990 Preseason in Madison

Although we feature what seems to be a lot of stuff from the Lombardi era here on Packerville, U.S.A., we also have a trove of material from the mid-80’s through today that will eventually make its way onto the internet. Of course, the current material just keeps on accumulating in the archives. Today, we look back to the illustrious Lindy Infante era of the 1990 preseason to get a look at how things were for the Packers an their fans in mediocre times. This program is from a game against the New Orleans Saints at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. (yes, we were there). The team used to play semi-regularly in Madison, but the last game in the home of the Badgers was in 1999.

An ad for the Packer Pro Shop, which at that time was in a little alcove off the administration building’s main lobby. This was about the time the Packers (and the rest of the league) discovered that millions could be made on merchandise. 

We won’t focus a lot on this meaningless game (preseason games were meaningless back then too), but here are a few pages to give you an idea of the state of the team at that time. 

A feature on DE Shawn Patterson, who played in Green Bay from 1988-91, and again in 1993. 

Does anybody besides us remember the “America’s Pack” fan club? Although officially sanctioned, it always had the feeling (and look) of amateurishness.

This ad features an action photo of RB Keith Woodside (#33) following the blocking of G Rich Moran (#57) and T Ken Ruettgers (#75).

A neat ad with logo patches of NFL teams. If this ad were today, the Packers’ logo would be prominently featured instead of stuck in the shadows at lower right. The team got almost no respect in advertising and in types of available merchandise. 

A short little article on the Packers’ prospects in 1990. 

 Some things never change.

Your 1990 Green Bay Packers, as they stood in training camp. Besides the players who would not be in the league in a couple of years, many of these guys never made it past the preseason. 

Another ad featuring an action shot of players at the time. #85 is not Jeff Query, so could the photo be older, and perhaps of Phillip Epps (or Lee Morris)? Also celebrating are CB Van Jakes (#24), and NT Bob Nelson (#79). Bob McGinn now writes about the Packers for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

An ad which shows a shot of the north end of “The Barn,” the indoor practice facility that preceded the Don Hutson Center, which was built three years later on the same site.

A bit of NFL history, spotlighting the Oorang Indians. 

Two pages (above and below) on then-head coach Lindy Infante. He would last through the 1991 season, after which he was fired by new GM Ron Wolf. 

A mail order ad for the Packer Pro Shop. Those with sharp eyes will notice that it is now called the Packers (plural) Pro Shop.

LB Johnny Holland was the subject of this first-in-a-series tear-out mini posters. 

These two pages (above and below) depict Infante’s coaching staff for the 1990 season. We spot at least one future NFL head coach. Anyone notice any others? 

Lastly, this page showed some images from the annual Fan Photo & Appreciation Day, which used to be held each summer right before the season. After the arrival of Wolf, head coach Mike Holmgren, and QB Brett Favre, the crowds were so huge that the event had to be discontinued. Success has its advantages, but alas, some things get left behind.

Packers vs. Bears 1970

To tie in with the important match-up with the Chicago Bears, we’re posting this program from November of 1970. The Bears traveled to Green Bay that Sunday to take on Phil Bengston’s Packers team. Above is the game program cover for that day.

Head coach Bengston and his staff are profiled on this page. 

Coach Phil has a lucrative endorsement deal. 

 In those days, they’d take several pages of the program to feature photos of the players.

Apparently, the team photo for 1970 was not used for some reason. It seems that they would’ve had it by November, since it looks like the 1969 team photo (seen above) was shot in warm, sunny weather.

Those behind-the-scenes fellows who ran the organization in those years.

Still located a stone’s throw away from Lambeau Field, WLUK had quite a line-up of football programs. We’d love to see some tape of these shows today.

Your Packers’ Board of Directors. 

 Above and below, more stars from your 1970 team.

Don’t forget to fill out your NFL Man-of-the-Year entry blank. 

There’s a few Packers listed among the “NFC Leaders” stats. Not as many as a few years before.

Anyone up for some pizza at Bob Long’s restaurant? And a bit about the Bears’ coaching staff. 

Dig those slacks! 

 Your Packers’ stat leaders.

 A few more Packers… and who can forget Electric Football?!

 A whole Page-’O-Packers!

Before the days of Jim Irwin and Max (McGee), it was Jim and Gary (Bender). 

Your full 1970 Green Bay Packers roster. 

The program’s centerspread has the rosters and the starting line-ups.

The 1970 Chicago Bears roster. 

 Another Page-’O-Packers.

Those legendary men behind the Packers who kept them healthy and equipped through the Lombardi years and beyond.

Some of the Bears’ “stars” and a scouting report (above and below) on the 1970 squad. 

Packer bandleader extraordinaire, Wilner Burke. And does anyone still have one of those copper plaques laying around their basement or attic? 

We had not heard about Bart Starr’s “Huddle” restaurant, but boy would we love to eat there now! 

This is interesting… an ad for AstroTurf™. Better living through chemicals. 

An interesting article about the NFL Draft at the dawn of the Seventies. 

Some more Packers and some pickles. 

Green Bay’s Channel 2 is still there.

We wonder how many people actually bought these “stadium suits and boots”? 

A letter from NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle (below) follows this multiple exposure shot of the Packers (above) from what might be the 1966 NFL title game in Dallas. 

Your two Packers’ stadiums — Lambeau Field in Green Bay and County Stadium in Milwaukee. 

The complete 1970 NFC teams’ schedules. 

A colorful ad for old-fashioned, low-definition Zenith televisions closes off this program on the back cover. So what happened in this game, you ask? Well, on a 30-degree November day, the Packers edged the Bears by one point — 20-19 — in front of 56,263 fans at Lambeau.