1967 Sideline

Joining us in standing along the Green Bay sideline during a 1967 away game today are back-up quarterback Don Horn (#13), head coach Vince Lombardi, and defensive coach Phil Bengston. It would be Lombardi’s last season roaming the sideline until he left his General Manager duties for the nation’s capitol to coach the Redskins in 1969.

The Snow Bowl — 1985

The Snow Bowl was played on December 1, 1985 — a game between the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is known for its heavy snow and adverse weather conditions. Only 19,856 were in attendance, with over 36,000 “no-shows,” the most in Packers history. About two-thirds of the stadium was empty. Twelve inches of snow fell before the game and another four to five inches fell during the game.

The game itself saw the Packers dominate the Buccaneers en route to a 21-0 victory. Despite four turnovers, the Packers offense gained 512 total yards on 31 first downs, with the Buccaneers recording only 65 yards on 5 first downs. Packers wide receiver James Lofton received passes totaling over 100 yards from quarterback Lynn Dickey by halftime. Packers defensive end Alphonso Carreker sacked Buccaneers quarterback and future Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Steve Young a then team record four times. It was Young's second game in the league after he left the USFL.

Tampa Bay wore their white "away" team jerseys, which were difficult to see during the whiteout conditions. Coaches and commentators had difficulty seeing the field. Between plays, grounds crew workers swept snow off the lines marking the field. A Buccaneers wide receiver described catching the football, "I think it was pretty close to 20-below. It was snowing — you could barely see past 15 yards. All you knew is coming out of the mist of the snow and the white mist, you would see the ball come out of the white. You knew what the route was and you knew the direction of the ball."

Blocking for Donny

The image for Fathers Day this year brings us to the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida back in 1968. Packers guards Gale Gillingham (#68) and Jerry Kramer (#64) block for running back Donny Anderson on the Green Bay power sweep.

The second AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl II, was played on January 14, 1968. Aided by kicker Don Chandler's four field goals and defensive back Herb Adderly's 60-yard interception return for a touchdown, the National Football League champion Green Bay Packers (9–4–1) defeated the American Football League (AFL) champion Oakland Raiders (13–1), 33–14.

Green Bay quarterback Bart Starr was named the Super Bowl MVP for the second time for his 13 of 24 passing for 202 yards and one touchdown.

1965 Championship Celebration

Today we’re in Green Bay on January 2, 1966, where we’ve just watched our Packers defeat the Cleveland Browns for their third title of the Lombardi Era. Above we see the head coach being carried off the muddy field in celebration of the victory.

The Browns (11-3) were Eastern Conference champions and also the defending NFL champions. The Western Conference champion Packers (10-3-1) had defeated the Baltimore Colts a week early in a conference playoff. The Packers were making their first appearance in the championship game since 1962. With the victory, the Packers won their 9th overall NFL title, 6th in the championship game era.

Scoring

1st Quarter:

GB -- Dale 47 pass from Starr (Chandler kick) 7-0 GB

CLE -- Collins 17 pass from Ryan (kick failed) 7-6 GB

CLE -- FG Groza 24 9-7 CLE

2nd Quarter:

GB -- FG Chandler 15 10-9 GB

GB -- FG Chandler 23 13-9 GB

CLE -- FG Groza 28 13-12 GB

3rd Quarter:

GB -- Hornung 13 run (Chandler kick) 20-12 GB

4th Quarter:

GB -- FG Chandler 29 23-12 GB

Our Favorite Ray Nitschke Photo

As the headline states, this is our favorite image of the Packers’ Hall of Fame middle linebacker Ray Nitschke. What more needs to be said?

Max Pulls One In

Those who know their football history recall that Packers’ wide receiver Max McGee was not slated to start the game in the very first Super Bowl, and how he he violated his team's curfew policy and spent the night before the big game out on the town. The next morning, he told starting receiver Boyd Dowler, "I hope you don't get hurt. I'm not in very good shape," alluding to his hangover.

As luck would have it, Dowler went down with a separated shoulder on the Packers' second drive of the game, and McGee, who had to borrow a teammate's helmet because he had not brought his own out of the locker room, was put into the game. A few plays later, McGee made a one-handed reception of a pass from Bart Starr, took off past Chiefs defender Fred Williamson (seen above at right) and ran 37 yards to score the first touchdown in Super Bowl history. By the end of the game, McGee had recorded seven receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns, assisting Green Bay to a 35-10 victory.

On October 20, 2007, McGee died as a result of a fall from the roof of his home in Deephaven, Minnesota while removing leaves from the roof with a leaf blower.

Vince Makes the Shot

Taking a break from the football action, today we join Packers’ head coach Vince Lombardi on the golf course in 1965. We see that he shows his customary self-restraint in that game as well.

1923 Stock Certificate

Featured today here in Packerville is an original stock certificate from the 1923 stock sale — the first ever. The team has had three owners, all in its first four years, 1919-22. The first owner, Indian Packing Company, paid an unofficial purchase price of $500 to supply Curly Lambeau with uniforms and equipment. In turn, Lambeau and team manager George Calhoun called the club “Packers.”

Shortly thereafter, Acme Packing Company bought Indian Packing Company and all its assets, including the fledgling team. In 1921, Lambeau convinced new owners John and Emmitt Clair to apply for membership in the new American Professional Football Association (the early N.F.L.).

With the team already headed for bankruptcy, the APFA revoked the franchise after Lambeau used illegal college players in a non-league game later that year. But before the 1922 season, Lambeau by himself reapplied and the league reinstated the Packers, with Lambeau as owner. When rain threatened to sink the team in 1922, A.B. Turnbull came to the rescue.

Turnbull, publisher of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, grocery man Lee Joannes, attorney Gerald Clifford, and Dr. W. Webber Kelly cancelled Lambeau's $2,500 debt, then rallied the community behind the team. In August 1923, with more than 400 in attendance at a local Elks Club, the club was transformed into a non-profit entity, the Green Bay Packers Corporation. The five men, including Lambeau, were nicknamed the “Hungry Five.”

The first stock sale, which took place at that 1923 meeting, saw local merchants raise $5,000 by selling 1,000 shares for $5 apiece, with a stipulation that the purchaser also had to buy at least six season tickets. We have seen 1923 stock certificates for auction online — if you’re willing to shell out $19,000+, as only three are known to exist today.

Source: Packers.com

A Sunny 1963 Sideline

We find ourselves along the 1963 Green Bay Packers’ sideline today at an “away” game — either in a warm weather location, or an early-season game. Head coach Vince Lombardi looks towards, but past defensive back Hank Gremminger (#46) who is awaiting his next chance to get on the field.

Your 1965 Green Bay Packers

Our offering for today is a fine team photo of the 1965 Green Bay Packers. This was the team that beat the Cleveland Browns for the ’65 championship — the first of three in a row to close out the Lombardi Era. The gentlemen pictured with the team are not the coaches, they are the trainers and equipment men.