The initial spark had been struck a few weeks before that August meeting during a street corner conversation between Curly Lambeau and George Calhoun. The two decided to start up a football team. They first talked to Curly's employer, the Indian Packing Company, and convinced them to put up some money for buying equipment.
The team's jersey had been provided by the packing company, which also allowed the team use of its athletic field for practice. Since the team was identified in its early publicity as a project of the company, naming the team "Packers" was a natural. And it has remained Packers ever since. Even thought the corporation had practically faded out of the picture before that first season was half over.
That first season the Packers played against teams from Wisconsin and Upper Michigan and won 10 games and lost one. The games were played in an open field with no bleachers, and interested fans "passed the hat." But the team was so successful by 1921 that Lambeau asked for and received support by two company officials in obtaining a franchise in the new National Pro Football League that had formed in 1920. However, cash customers didn't quite pay the freight and at the end of the season it had to be forfeited.
That was the first in a long series of troubles that the Packers had to endure. In 1922 Lambeau gained other backers and bought the franchise back for $250. But troubles continued during the season. One game was rained out and the insurance company wouldn't pay off because the amount of rain was one one-hundredth of an inch short of the required policy.
Another storm late in the season when the Packers were scheduled to play the Duluth Kelleys, turned out to be the start of the community corporation. A.B. Turnbull, general manager of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, told the Packers to play anyway. He then went out and organized the businessmen of Green Bay in the support of the team. The Green Bay Football Corporation was formed.
It was from those modest beginnings that the Packers have gone on to earn national stature and world-wide recognition by winning more championships (11) over the next 70-plus years than any other team in professional football.
The fact that these achievements have come while representing a city of only 96,000 people, in direct competition with the country's population giants, has endeared them to the nation's football fans, many who are intrigued by the David vs. Goliath concept and the Packers unique status as a publicly owned corporation.
Obviously, things have come a long way since the sandlot years of 1919-1920 when the Pack was subsisting on the contents of George Calhoun's hat. Then there were no ushers, no cheerleaders, no band and no public address system, the latter had not even been invented yet. There weren't even any seats at first and it did not cost anything to get in.
When the Packers began their existence in 1919, they played their games on the same site as the now abandoned City (East) Stadium, but with a big difference. Hagemeister Park, as it was called, was just a big vacant lot with a football gridiron marked out on it. There were no gates because there wasn't any fence. Spectators just dropped off the Walnut Street streetcar and walked over to the sideline, or drove their own cars and parked about 10 yards behind the ropes stretched out around the playing field.
Fans would sit either in their automobiles, or on top of them, but most preferred to get out and follow the play up and down the field. Because they moved with the play on the field, they always had a "50 yard-line" location and were handy to any donnybrook that might require a little help. In fact, when things got really exciting, the crowd sometimes spilled right on to the field, surrounding the scrimmage in a big circle and virtually took part in the play of the game. Teams did not huddle then, or the fans would have been in that too.
When the half ended, the teams just grabbed blankets and went to opposite endzones where they relaxed and talked over the tactics of the next half. There was no privacy in these huddles. The crowd would form a ring around the players, a practice encouraged because it provided a wind break. Fans also were not afraid to join in the strategy planning either. At least one early game was pulled out of the fire by a spectator's half-time suggestion.
In 1920 a section of stands were built, just a small bleacher with a capacity for a couple of hundred people, on one side of the field and charged a fee to sit there. The next year a portable canvas fence was erected around the whole field and regular admission charge was started.
Hagemeister Park was dug up in 1923 to make way for East High School, so the Packers moved to new baseball grounds out on the end of Main Street. This was called Bellevue Park because it was just east of the old Hagemiester Brewery, which was renamed the Bellevue Product Co. during Prohibition. It was "big-time" out there with crowds of 4,000 to 5,000 storming the fences to boo the hated Chicago Bears. (Some things never change.)
The Packers played at Bellevue Park in 1923-24, but it was obviously inadequate and too far out, lacking about every facility needed for football. Agitation to build a new stadium somewhere near the original site culminated in the building of old City Stadium just back of the new high school.
The new stadium was barely completed in time for the 1925 opening, but was an immediate success, the Bear game that year drew a record crowd of 5,389. It was a typical small town park of its day, with wooden fences and stands on both sides between the 30 yard lines. Seating capacity was gradually increased until it seated 15,000 by 1934, with the end zones still uncovered. After filling in around the endzones, the ultimate capacity of 25,000 was reached.
After World War II, City Stadium gradually faded from its once proud position as one of the favored fields in the National Football League to an inadequate and obsolete installation. Because of limited capacity, the Packers found it increasingly difficult to schedule top teams at home. On September 29, 1957, a proud day for Green Bay and it's Packer, a million dollar modern stadium with a seating capacity of 32,150 was dedicated.
The stadium was expanded to 38,669 in 1961, 42,327 in 1963, and to 50,852 in 1965 when the name was changed to Lambeau Field. It was further expanded to 56,263 in 1970 and 56,926 following the first addition of private boxes in 1985. With the building of 36 more private boxes and 1,920 club seats in the south endzone, seating was upped to 59,543 in 1991. A subsequent, 1995 expansion of 90 private boxes in the north endzone, which also included an auxiliary press box, gave the stadium a total of 198 boxes and new capacity of 60,790.
The Packers colorful saga, spanning 77 years, can be divided roughly into eight chapters. they take us from the "Iron man" period of the first decade under coach Curly Lambeau to the present day, which finds Mike Holmgren presiding as the 11th head coach in the teams history.
The Iron Man Era- With good financial backing, Lambeau began to pick up college stars from all over the country, plus some unknowns who were going to turn out to be "greats." And in 1929 Green Bay won the National Professional Football Championship. It repeated in 1930 and in 1931 with a team featuring such all-time greats as Red Dunn, Verne Lewellen, Cal Hubbard, Bo Molenda, Jug Earp, Mike Michalske, Johnny (Blood) McNally, Bill Kern, Arnie Herber, Clarke Hinkle, Lavvie Dilweg, Tom Nash, Milt Gantenbein, and Hank Bruder. many games 12 or 13 players would play the entire 60 minutes. These teams were hailed all over the country as some of the greatest ever.
The Hutson Period- Trouble flared again soon afterward. A fan fell from the stands, sued and won a $5,000 verdict and the insurance company went out of business. The Packers went into receivership and were just about to fold when Green Bay businessmen came to the rescue again, raising $15,000 in new capitol and reorganized the club. About this time a rather slight, lanky end by the name of Don Hutson came to the club.
From the first game on, Hutson became the terror of the league and the secret of Green Bay's next three championships. With Herber and Cecil Isbell pitching and Hutson catching anything they threw at him despite any kind of a stop-Hutson defense, Green Bay won championships in 1936, 1939 and 1944, and all during the Hutson era the Packers finished in the first division.
Ronzani Regime- After Hutson's retirement, Packer fortunes again went into a decline. The disastrous pro football war brought on another financial crisis after the 1949 season. In the midst of it Lambeau resigned to take a position as head coach of the Chicago Cardinals. That began another major reorganization and rebuilding effort with Gene Ronzani of the Bears hired as head coach. Over $125,000 was raised in a giant stock sale all over the sate. Ronzani's team improved each of the first three seasons until 1952. The Packers were in the thick of the title race until the last weeks of the season. In 1953 the team played erratic ball and Ronzani resigned with two games left on the schedule.
Blackbourn Takes Over- The Packers overhauled their from office and coaching staff in 1954, hiring Verne Lewellen, all-time Packer great, attorney and businessman, as a general manager. The Packers decided to reach into the college ranks for a head coach and Lisle Blackbourn, coach of Marquette University, was signed to a contract. During the four year Blackbourn regime, the Packers won 17 games while losing 31.
McLean Moves In- Likable Ray "Scooter" McLean moved up from being an outstanding assistant coach to guide the destiny of the Packers for 1958. McLean resigned in December after 1-10-1 record, the worst in Packer history in his lone season as head coach. It appeared the Packers had hit rock bottom.
The Lombardi Era- In 1959, the Packers announced the signing of New York Giants assistant Vince Lombardi as head coach and general manager.
In his first season, Lombardi lifted the Packers to a 7-5 record and unanimously was voted Coach of the Year . Then in 1960, the Packers captured the Western Division title and went on to win World Championships in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, and 1967. Never finishing lower than second since 1960, his teams became the standard of football excellence and the Packer franchise was one of the most successful. Over a nine year span as coach, Lombardi's teams racked up 98 victories against 30 losses and 4 ties for a remarkable .758 winning percentage. Even more noteworthy, however, is the record of Lombardi coached teams in post season play. In 10 division play-offs and World Championships games, the Packers emerged victorious 9 times.
Bengston Period- Following the third consecutive title in 1967, Lombardi turned over the head coaching duties to Phil Bengston and one year later announced that he was leaving Green Bay to coach and manage Washington Redskins. Bengston coached the Packers from 1968-1970, compiling a 20-21-1 record, and December of 1970 resigned.
The Devine Days- Dan Devine, one of the three most successful coaches in the nation's collegiate ranks, succeeded Bengston as head coach and general manager in January of 1971. After settling for a 4-8-2 record in his first season, Devine and Packers appeared to have returned to glory when 1972 produced a 10-4 record and the teams first Central Division title since 1967. But the Packers Super Bowl hopes died in the second half of 1973 and they slipped to a 5-7-2 mark. They continued their recession in '74, emerging with a 6-8 record and Devine resigned.
The Starr Days- The most successful quarterback in pro football history as Green Bays leader of the 60,s Bart Starr accepted the challenge to lead the Packers out of the NFL's wilderness, agreeing to a three-year contract as head coach and general manager on December 24, 1974. Starr, who led the Packers to five world championships from 1961 to 1967, asked for "the prayers and patience of Packer fans everywhere...We will earn everything else."
Although he had to settle for a 4-10 record in the baptismal season of a massive rebuilding project, Starr gave Packer fans new hope by assembling a sound organization and restoring a positive attitude, underscored by 3 victories in the last five games of the 1975 season. He continued the resurgent trend in 1976, leading the Packers to 5-9 record, highlighted by a three game mid-season winning streak. Major and key injuries lowed the comeback in 1977 but a strong finish produced a 4-10 mark. Hopes soared in 1978 when the Packers posted their first winning season since 1972, and 8-7-1 record, only to be temporarily dampened in '79 by a record rash of injuries which spawned a 5-11 mark. Another injury rash occurring during the course of the season, struck in 1980, forcing the Packers to settle for a 5-10-1 record.
Rebounding strongly in 1981, they rallied from a disappointing 2-6 start to mount one of the most dramatic comebacks in Green Bay history, closing with a 6-2 rush (8-8) and coming within one victory of the play-offs.
The Packers upsurge continued in 1952 when they made the play-offs for the first time since 1972 by posting a 5-3-1 record during a strike shortened season. They then embellished that performance by routing St. Louis 41-16 in the first game of the NFL's Super Bowl Tournament before bowing to Dallas (37-26) despite a record setting, 466 yard offensive effort. Starr was relieved of his head coaching duties on December 19, 1983, after the Packers finished the '83 season with an 8-8 record and missed the play-off's on the last week of the season. (A mistake in this writers opinion)
Forrest Fire- On December 24, 1983, Starr was replaced by Forrest Gregg, a former teammate and one of the premier offensive tackles in the history of the game as a player, who had maneuvered Cincinnati into the Super Bowl XVI following the 1981 season. Gregg, whose Bengals' 19-6 record over the 1981-82 season was the best in pro football, received a five year contract.
In taking over, he declared, "I took this job to field a winning team. That will happen." Gregg's prediction began to bear fruit in second half of the 1984 season when the Packers rebounded from a an injury riddled 1-7 start to win seven of their last eight games.
Because of injury and other complications, however, the 1985 season followed the '84 script, the Packers getting off to slow 3-6 start before mounting a strong finish to again close at 8-8 by winning five of their last seven games.
Gregg, convinced the time had come to rebuild a team which had gone 8-8 three years in succession and was "starting to get old" at that level, made sweeping changes in 1986. The young and inexperienced Packers, their task complicated by injuries to key performers, got off to an 0-6 start, then began to mature in mid-season and went on to finish with a 4-12 record.
Following the 1987 season, which saw the Packers finish third in the NFC Central with a 5-9-1 record, Gregg resigned to become head coach of his alma mater, Southern Methodist University.
Infante We Trust- On February 3, 1988, the Packers signed Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Lindy Infante to become the teams 10th head coach. Recognized throughout the NFL as a brilliant innovator, the 47 year old University of Florida alumnus received a five year contract.
With turnovers and kicking problems plaguing his offense, Infante's first team had to settle for a 4-12 record, but left fans with hope for the future by winning the last two games of the season.
Building on that positive note, Infante orchestrated a dramatic turnaround in 1989, leading the Packers to a 10-6 record, their best in 17 years, and within one game of the National Football League play-offs. Among their ten victories were a league record four one point victories.
High hopes for the first play-off appearance in a non-strike year since 1972, quickly evaporated when the Packers lost star quarterback Don Majkowski to a shoulder injury. The Packers were 6-5 and the time of his injury and went on to finish 6-10.
The decline continued to 1991, when the team finished 4-12, and Infante was relieved of his duties on December 22 by new Executive Vice President/General Manager Ron Wolf, who had been hired November 27 with full authority to run the organization's football operation.
The Present- Mike Holmgren, the architect of one of the NFL's most potent attacks as offensive coordinator for the perennially successful, then four time Super Bowl Champion San Francisco 49er's, was named by Wolf to succeed Infante as the 11th head coach in the teams history on January 11, 1992.
Holmgren, sought after by five other NFL clubs, received a five year contract. Getting his team on track after an 0-2 start, the former USC field general directed the Packers to a 9-7 record and within striking range of the play-off's. He thus became only the third head coach in Packer history to post a winning record in his first season, a record punctuated by a six game winning streak, longest by a Packer team since 1965.
In 1993, his second season at the controls, Holmgren took hi team to the next level, the play-off's, despite the loss of four starters to injuries and a nagging turf toe injury to the Packers primary offensive weapon, receiver Sterling Sharpe. Overcoming these handicaps, the Green and Gold forged a second straight 9-7 against a considerably more demanding schedule, to qualify for post season play for the first time since 1982. In the wildcard play-off game in Detroit, the Packers posted a last minute come from behind victory (28-24), before falling to the defending and soon to be again Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys.
In 1994, the Packers continued to improve by qualifying for the play-off's again with a third consecutive 9-7 record, but this time the they hosted a play-off game. Riding a three game winning streak into the play-offs, they parlayed a record defensive performance and turnover free offensive effort in a 16-12 victory over the Detroit Lions in Lambeau Field. The Packers held All-Pro running back Barry Sanders to -1 yards rushing on 13 carries in winning a play-off game at home for the first time since 1982.
Once again the Packers season ended in Dallas with 35-9 drubbing at the hands of the Cowboys. The Packers had lost the services of star receiver Sterling Sharpe after the regular season to career ending neck injury. A strong draft and no losses in free agency leave high hopes the Packers can return to the Super Bowl in 1996 and the city can once again be crowned "Titletown U.S.A."Back to the Pack!