“The Game Plan” by Bart Starr

Today we visit the first year of the post-Lombardi coaching era, although he was still the team’s general manager. In February 1968, he handed the coaching duties over to his “very capable assistant” Phil Bengston. In this issue of Pro Football Illustrated, there is an article by Packers’ quarterback Bart Starr, who explains the process of plotting the game plan against opponents.

Here is what the publication had to say about Green Bay’s prospects for the upcoming season. They predicted that they would finish first in their division again, but in reality the season ended with them at a 6-7-1 record behind Minnesota and Chicago.

We leave you with this shot of linebacker Ray Nitschke, whom we’ve never seen in a helmet with a single-bar face mask. Probably just a one-time thing by the magazine so that his face could be seen clearer. Anyway, it just plain looks weird. The photo is a little fuzzy, but that is due to out-of-register printing.

The Outlook in 1963

Our next publication up for your review is a 1963 issue of All-Pro Football, which was a season preview issue of the upcoming football season. Our interest mainly is in the article referenced on the lower left of the cover, “Are The Packers The Best Ever?”

On the inside front cover was a nice shot of the Packers’ fullback Jim Taylor.

Here is the feature article about the Packers and the question of their possibly being the best ever.

This nice photo was the left side of a spread which concludes below — the predictions of finish for the 1963 N.F.L. season. Unfortunately, Green Bay lost twice to Chicago and the Bears went on to win the league championship, their last until after the 1985 season.

This page and the next present the analysis of the Packers’ team and their prospects for winning it all in ’63.

“Little Town” — National Attention

Today’s feature is from the December 18, 1939 issue of LIFE Magazine, which ran a small article on the little town who had a football team and regularly beat the teams from the big cities.

Though both the Giants and the Packers finished a game ahead of their closest division rivals that season, both clinched their divisions on December 3, the final day of the 11-game regular season. The New York Giants and Washington Redskins had played to a 0-0 tie earlier in the season, and both had 8-1-1 records when they met at New York's Polo Grounds before a crowd of 62,404. The Giants didn't reach the end zone, but three field goals were enough for a 9-7 win and the division title.

The Western Division race was between the Lions, Bears and Packers. Detroit was unbeaten after four games, but on October 22, Green Bay beat them 26-7 to give both teams records of 4-1-0. The same day, the 4-1 Bears lost 16-13 to the Giants to fall to 4-2. In Week Nine (November 5), the Lions beat the Giants 18-14, while the Bears beat the Packers 30-27, giving Detroit the lead at 6-1-0. The next week (November 12), the Bears beat the Lions 23-13, and the Packers beat the Eagles 23-16, tying Detroit and Green Bay at 6-2-0, half a game ahead of the 6-3-0 Bears. On November 19, the Lions lost to the Rams, 14-3, while the Packers and Bears both won. On November 26, the Bears closed their season at 8-3-0 after a 48-7 win over the Cardinals, while the Packers edged the Rams, 7-6 to reach 8-2-0. Green Bay was behind 7-3 at halftime in its season ender at Detroit, and a loss would have forced a playoff for the Western Division, but Clark Hinkle's touchdown in the final quarter gave the Packers a 12-7 win and the division title.

The 1939 National Football League Championship game was held on December 10, 1939. The Packers moved the game from Green Bay to the larger city of Milwaukee in hopes of increasting attendance; 32,279 would pay to watch. This was the seventh NFL championship game played.

The gross gate receipts of $83,510.35 set a new record. The gate was distributed as follows:

• The 33 players on the victorious Packers each received $703.97 ($23,231.01 total)

• The 34 Giants players each got $455.57 ($15,489.38)

• The Packers franchise took $23,231.06, and the Giants received $15,487.37

Source: Wikipedia

A Look Back into the Lambeau Era — Part 2

We continue as promised today with the second half of our presentation of highlights from the 1947 Green Bay-Detroit game program. Above, here’s the complete roster of your Packers at that time. We can’t think of too many instances where Tony Canadeo is referred to as “Anthony.”

More “action” photos of Packer players from that season.

The Packers Lumberjack Band played at each game and at other gatherings around town.

Wilner Burke, the longtime Packers Lumberjack Band director in his fine uniform.

Above and below are some images of Packers’ game action from 1947 and earlier.

And our last image is the official team photo for 1947, taken at the Rockwood Lodge, home of the Packers’ training camp for a few seasons.

In case you’re wondering, Green Bay beat Detroit that day 34-17 in front of 25,179 fans at City Stadium. They would finish 6-5-1 on the season for third place in the Western Division.

A Look Back into the Lambeau Era — Part 1

Today we present a more sizable blog posting than we’ve done in the last couple of weeks. We are featuring a game program — the Packer Pictorial Review — from the post WWII-era Green Bay football club. The bulk of our archives here at Packerville U.S.A. are filled with historical material from the Lombardi Era through today, but we do have a few items from earlier eras such as this.

Here’s some background information on Curly Lambeau’s coaching staff for the 1947 season.

In his spare time from his coaching duties, Don Hutson had his Packers Playdium to keep him busy. We might’ve headed there after a game on this Fall Sunday afternoon.

Something you’ll probably never see again... advertising for Green Bay Packers season tickets.

The first page of several that present the Green Bay players we’d have seen on the field against the Detroit Lions.

Some previous game action from earlier in the 1947 season.

More of your favorite Packer stars. Perhaps we could’ve obtained a few autographs after the game if we’d hung around outside the locker room door at East High School.

For those away games in 1947, here’s where we would’ve received all our info about our favorite team.

More game action from ’47, plus, for your furniture needs, don’t forget to patronize the Packers’ sponsors!

We sure would love to have one of these vintage Green Bay uniforms and helmet.

Be sure and study which route would work best in trying to get home from the game.

Even though he was done playing for the team, we still get treated to an action photo of Hutson from earlier days.

More Packer stars from the Green Bay roster.

Another look back a few years into Packers history.

Forties singing stars Jo Stafford and Perry Como try to get us to smoke Chesterfields® as we look at the probable line-ups for Detroit and Green Bay.

Our next blog entry will present highlights from the second half of this 1947 game program. We hope you enjoy the look into yesteryear.

Lambeau Under Construction

In this aerial image from 1957, the new City Stadium rises on Green Bay’s West side. Construction continues to get it ready for the season home opener on September 29th against the Chicago Bears. This view is from the South, looking towards the intersection of Ridge Road and Highland (now Lombardi) Avenue. The administration building on the North end of the stadium wouldn’t be added until a few years later, so the Packers kept their offices on the city’s East side until then.