Packers History

On a cool, late summer evening in the small, north-eastern city of Green Bay, Wisconsin in August of 1919, two friends got together to talk football on a local street corner. One of those friends was a sportswriter for the local Green Bay Press-Gazette, George Calhoun. The other was a former Notre Dame "footballer" by the name of Earl "Curly" Lambeau. Less than a week later, the call went out for all interested "footballers" to meet at the editorial room of the Press-Gazette on the evening of August 11.

That meeting was the spark that created the modern-day, Green Bay Packers. In fact, that meeting had been an annual event dating back to 1896, interupted only once, in 1917 when World War I caused a shortage of players. This year, Lambeau's employer, the Indian Packing Corporation, agreed to sponser the team with $500 for equipment and uniforms and at that meeting, Curly Lambeau was elected to captain the team.

Green Bay fielded a very competitive team that year, winning ten straight games before losing to Beloit. Much the same thing occurred the next year, 1920, but 1921 turned up different. The Packers joined the newly founded NFL, then under the name, the American Professional Football Association, or APFA. John and Emmett Clair, owners of the Acme Packing Company, successor to the defunct Indian Packing Corp, were granted a franchise to field a team, of professional football players, in the city of Green Bay. (Mr. Suppes, I recently found your article about the present day Green Bay Packers. I am so glad to see the facts written about how my great uncles John and Emmett lost their franchise. I was born in Chicago 60 plus years ago and I still hate the Bears. George Halas should have also lost his franchise. Thanks for the article again. Jim Clair)

Green Bay's first season in the APFA was very successful. The Packers took home the Championship that year, but a snafu in their last game of the season cost them their franchise. They ended their season with a game in Milwaukee against George Halas', Decatur Staley's (soon to become the Chicago Bears.) This game was not part of the APFA schedule and thus, not governed by APFA rules. Lambeau fielded a few collegiate ringers in the game, a practice not uncommon in the fledgling NFL. In fact, APFA rules held no sanctions against the use of college players. Halas also used a few ringers and his ringers spotted Green Bay's top ringer, Heartly "Hunk" Anderson. Halas blew the whistle to some Chicago papers and the APFA demanded that the Clairs forfeit their franchise. On January 28, 1922, the Clairs complied.

Despite this setback, Curly Lambeau wasn't done with pro football yet. At the League meeting in January of '22, Lambeau applied for a new frachise for Green Bay. He was refused for several months, but finally, in June he was told that if he could come up with $1000 security against folding, he could have a franchise. On June 24, 1922, Curly Lambeau presented the NFL with $1000 and they presented him with a franchise. The next year, 1923, the Green Bay Football Corp. was founded to finacnce and manage the team. That organization, with a few revisions and name changes has operated with Lambeau's 1922 franchise ever since.

Now, how is a small market like Green Bay able to hold onto their team? The following excerpt from "The Packer Legend: An Inside Look" by John B. Torinus should explain it:

The original Articles of Incorporation for the Green Bay Packer Football Corporation were filed with the Secretary of the State of Wisconsin on August 8, 1923. Business manager Andy Turnbull had corralled several of his cronies to meet at the Press-Gazette office several weeks before that to organize a corporation to give financial support to Curly Lambeau's young Packer football team. The group became known as the "Hungry Five" since they were always out begging for the Packers.

The articles provided that stock would be sold for $5.00 a share but would be non-profit, that is, pay no dividends and that all profits would go to the American Legion. Stockholders elected 15 directors who elected the officers and an executive committee of five.

At a meeeting of stockholders in the assembly room of city hall, September 17, the directors chose Andrew B. Turnbull, president; John Kittell, vice president; and Lee Joannes, secretary and treasurer. Dr. W. W. Kelly and George DeLair were added to the executive committee and George W. Calhoun was named team secretary.

The original corporation went into receivership during the Great Depression and a new corporation, Green Bay Packers, Inc., was formed in January of 1935. The original articles were restated in an expanded version, but the concept that it would remai n strictly non-profit was retained and outlined in the following articles:

     Article I:

     The undersigned have associated and do hereby associate themselves

     together for the purpose of forming a corporation under Chapter 180 of

     the Wisconsin Statutes, and that this association shall be a community

     project intended to promote community wlef are, and that its purposes

     shall be exclsively charitable, and that incidental to its purposes,

     it shall have the right to conduct athletic contests, operate a

     football team, or other such similar projects for the purpose of

     carrying out its charitable pu rposes.

This is the remarkable feature of the structure of the organization. The original purpose in forming the corporation under the laws of Wisconsin applying to charitable corporations was to insure that the corporation would be exempt from payment of various taxes, but the long term effect of this unusual purpose has been much more significant.

     Article VI:

     The corporation shall be nonprofit sharing and its purpose shall be

     exclusively for charitable purposes. No stockholder shall receive any

     dividend, pecuniary profit or emolument by virtue of his being a

     stockholder. Should there be a dissolution of the Green Bay Packers,

     Inc., the undivided profits and assets of the Green Bay Packers, Inc.,

     shall go to the Sullivan-Wallen Post of the American Legion for the

     purpose of erecting a proper soldier's memorial, either by building,

     clubhouse, hospital or ot her charitable or educational program, the

     choice of which the directors of this corporation shall have advisory

     control.



     Article VII:

     The Board of Directors shall have the right to create a capital

     reserve to provide for the acquisition and maintenance of its plant,

     equipment and players and said funds shall be preserved and no

     distribution made to any donee under the charitable cla use of the

     Articles of Incorporation, except when in the judgement of the Board

     of Directors it shall be deemed advisable.

It is these Articles of Incorporation which answer the question posed above.

The only way Green Bay could have lost the Packer franchise in the National Football League would have been through bankruptcy. National Football League franchises are granted irrevocably. As long as the Packers were solvent, they would remain in Green Bay.

Wisconsin statutes provide that a corporation cannot sell or dispose of its major assets without the approval of the stockholders. Can you conceive of the stockholders of the Green Bay Packers, most of whom live in the Green Bay area, approving a sale or transfer of the franchise when they would not only receive no profit from such a sale but would not even recoup their original investment?

The stock certificates of the Green Bay Packers, Inc., state on their face that no dividend will ever be paid on these shares and that in the event of dissolution of the corporation all remaining assets shall go to the American Legion as the Articles of Incorporation provide.

So if the Packer stockholders had ever voted to sell or transfer the franchise, they would not even have gotten their bait back.

This non-profit provision was challenged on at least one occasion, and it led to the final break between Curly Lambeau and the Packers.

The important fact is that the fans in the Green Bay area were so proud of their team that they would never yield to insolvency. They proved that on a number of occasions when they bought stock in a corporation upon which they would never recover a return.

Ross Fleege, ross@rossfleege.com

Venerable Lambeau Field, now the longest tenured NFL stadium following the departure of Cleveland Stadium from the league scene, enters its fourth decade of operation in 1997. Having undergone a number of major alterations in its 40 years of existence, including numerous seating additions to reach its current capacity of 60,790, the facility has become one of the most recognized and envied venues in all of professional sports.

Lambeau Field - 1996

In recent years it also has become one of the toughest places to play in the National Football League. Since Mike Holmgren took over as head coach in 1992, Green Bay holds an impressive 27-4 regular-season record at Lambeau, plus a 4-0 mark in the playoffs, for an overall record of 31-4 (.886). Even more imposing is the fact that the Packers have won 28 of their last 29 games in Green Bay (including the four postseason victories).

Having gone almost two full seasons at home without a defeat - their last loss at Lambeau was to the St. Louis Rams in the 1995 season opener - the Packers enter the '97 campaign with an opportunity to make major inroads in the NFL record books. Possessor of a 15-game home winning streak (regular-season games only) heading into this season, Green Bay has the chance to move past #3 Oakland (1968-70) and Dallas (1979-81) at 18 consecutive home wins, as well as to supplant its own team record of 20, set by the Packers of 1929-32, which stands as the second-longest string in league history. Further on the horizon is the NFL-record 27-game home winning streak of the Miami Dolphins from 1971-74.

Private Skyboxes

Modern in many ways - from its 198 private boxes and 1,920 club seats to its technologically-advanced sound system to its two brand-new, end zone scoreboards, each with a Sony JumboTron color replay board - Lambeau still maintains a nostalgic and intimate feel to it with totally unobstructed sightlines. Permeated by history, tradition and mystique, the view from inside can be awe-inspiring.

Architect's Drawing of City Stadium

Erected in 1957, the structure was dedicated as City Stadium on September 29 of that year - a day which saw Green Bay topple the hated Chicago Bears, 21-17 - during ceremonies attended by then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon and National Football League Commissioner Bert Bell. It later was renamed Lambeau Field in 1965 following the death of E.L. "Curly" Lambeau, founder and first coach of the Packers.

Lambeau Field - 1960's

Originally built at a cost of $960,000, an amount shared equally by the Packer Corporation and the City of Green Bay, the facility was financed by way of a bond issue which received 2-to-1 voter approval in a municipal referendum conducted April 3, 1956. Since that time, seating additions - all of them underwritten by the Green Bay Packers, Inc. - have increased stadium capacity from its original 32,150 to 38,669 in 1961, to 42,327 in 1963, to 50,852 in 1965 and to 56,263 in 1970. Construction of the initial 72 private boxes in 1985 swelled capacity to 56,926, and a 1990 addition of 36 boxes and the 1,920 theatre-style club seats (in the south end zone on either side of the scoreboard) moved that number to 59,543.

Construction of Skyboxes

The seventh - and likely final - seating addition occurred in 1995, when a $4.7 million project put 90 more private boxes and an auxiliary press box in the previously open north end zone, first giving the stadium the feel of being a complete "bowl." Also that year, just prior to the start of the season, an ultra-modern Turbosound Flashlight Loudspeaker System was put into place at the north end of Lambeau. The new audio configuration, installed at a cost of $210,000, provides highly intelligible sound throughout the stadium while minimizing reverberation off the glass of the premium seating areas.

A state-of-the-art playing surface was put into place this past spring. Installed was a new natural grass surface with a SportGrass foundation and specially-designed gravel drainage system which effectively can handle up to 15 inches of rain per hour, as well as irrigation and radiant heating systems. The new heating system, which replaced the 30-year-old heating coils installed by former Packers coach Vince Lombardi, includes over 30 miles of radiant heating pipe and is capable of maintaining a root zone temperature of over 70 degrees, thus making it possible for the natural grass to continue growing throughout the winter months.

Lambeau Field - 1990's

The stadium earlier had been upgraded in 1993 with the initial installation of a $1.7 million Sony JumboTron color replay board in the north end zone. Complemented in 1996 by a new $3.5 million scoreboard project, the two scoreboards at Lambeau now rival any in the NFL, encompassing a complete listing of game score, down and distance, ball location, time of game, yardage figures and out-of-town scores with greater visibility. The larger of the two new boards, 208 feet long and 40 feet high, extends across the north end zone, while the south end zone is home to a scoreboard measuring 164 feet long and 38 feet high. In addition to the matrix portions, each complete scoreboard includes a 20 by 26 foot replay board, the original north end zone screen having been moved to the south end zone and replaced by a similar Sony replay board.

Also prominent within the stadium are the names of the 19 Packer players and coaches who have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, which are permanently displayed on the green walls between floors of the stadium's private boxes, on both sides of the stadium. All 12 of the team's championship years (1929-30-31, 1936, 1939, 1944, 1961-62, 1965-66-67, 1996) additionally are emblazoned above the club seats in the south end zone.

Club seats in the South end zone

With the completion of last year's scoreboard project and this year's field replacement, the Packer organization has spent roughly $45 million on improvements to the stadium, club administration building and training facilities over the past 16 years, including construction of the original indoor practice structure in 1982 and replacing it with The Don Hutson Center in 1994 at a cost of nearly $4.7 million.

Unique and uncomparable, Lambeau Field now is wholly owned by the City of Green Bay, retirement of the original $960,000 indebtedness having been celebrated at a mortgage burning ceremony in May of 1978. The Packers have a lease with the city for stadium usage through the year 2013 with a team option extending through the year 2024 under the terms of a revised agreement reached in 1995. Sold out on a season-ticket basis since 1960, the team maintained two separate ticket packages after moving all of its games to Green Bay starting with the 1995 season. 'Gold' ticket holders (made up primarily of former Milwaukee season patrons) have a three-game package consisting of the annual Midwest Shrine preseason contest plus home games two and five of the regular season. 'Green' season customers (made up of original Green Bay ticket holders) have a seven-game package consisting of the annual Bishop's Charities preseason game in addition to the remaining six regular-season contests.

The Don Hutson Center

Ron Wolf, Don Hutson, and Mike Holmgren at the dedication ceremony.

Named in honor of the legendary end, who has been called the greatest player in pro football history, the Don Hutson center was dedicated on July 18th, 1994 at a ceremony presided over by the then 81 year old Hutson himself.

Located across the street from Lambeau Field, the $4.7 million structure sprawls over 112,400 square feet and encompasses two artificial turf fields. A 70 yard field runs east-west, with another 60 yard field running north-south, allowing the offense and defensive to practice simultaneously. With 90 foot and 85 foot high ceilings over the respective fields, the facility allows the special teams to run full punting and kicking practices.

Designed by the Green Bay architectural firm of Berners-Schober Associated, the Hutson Center is capable of holding two "747" jet airliners side by side. The Don Hutson center is 452 feet long, 170 feet wide, and 90 feet high at its apex. In addition to the practice fields, it includes a coaches' meeting room, training room and conditioning room, and can be heated to a maximum temperature of 65 degrees.

The interior of the Hutson Center.

The Hutson Center aids the Packers in many ways. During cold or otherwise inclement weather, the Packers are able to go indoors and practice effectively. The team is able to utilize the building's artificial turf fields when preparing to play on the road on a similar surface. Another benefit of the facility is its ideal conditions for individual off-season workouts during the winter months.

The team's video department also benefits from the building. In addition to better shooting positions high on the inside of the Hutson Center, four porches on the exterior of the west side provide filming locations for the entire practice field.

Editor's Note: Hutson was the most dominant performer of his era (1935-45), a claim underscored by the fact that he still held 11 NFL records a half century after his retirement. An All-American at the University of Alabama before signing with the Packers as a free agent in 1935, he has been credited with inventing pass patterns. During his career, the Packers won three NFL Championships, in 1936, 1939, and 1944. His many awards include being selected to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team, and the NFL's All-Time Two-Way Team.

Glory Years: Packers' 12 NFL Titles at a glance
By Cliff Christl
of the Journal Sentinel staff

January 24, 1998

The Green Bay Packers have won 12 National Football League championships, more than any other franchise.

A Championship History

1936 Packers 21 Boston Redskins 6 Polo Grounds, New York Att: 29,545 Don Hutson catches 43-yard touchdown pass from Arnie Herber in the first 3 minutes, and the Packers never trail. 1938 Giants 23 Packers 17 Polo Grounds, New York Att: 48,120 Packers take a 17-16 lead early in the second half on a Paul "Tiny" Engebretsen field goal, but the Giants storm back with a 61-yard scoring drive. 1939 Packers 27 Giants 0 State Fair Park, Milwaukee Att: 32,279 Arnie Herber and Cecil Isbell pass for Green Bay touchdowns as the Packers make playoff history by scoring the first shutout in an NFL championship game. 1944 Packers 14 Giants 7 Polo Grounds, New York Att: 46,016 Fullback Ted Fritsch scores both Packer touchdowns. All-purpose halfback Joe Laws rushes for 74 yards and has three interceptions. 1960 Eagles 17 Packers 13 Franklin Field, Philadelphia Att: 67,325 Packers lead, 13-10, in fourth quarter but give up a game-winning 5-yard touchdown run by Ted Dean. 1961 Packers 37 Giants 0 City Stadium, Green Bay Att: 39,029 Paul Hornung scores a record-tying 19 points. Packers score 24 points in the second quarter. 1962 Packers 16 Giants 7 Yankee Stadium, New York Att: 64,892 Ray Nitschke is named most valuable player after intercepting two passes and deflecting a pass that leads to another interception. 1965 Packers 23 Browns 12 Lambeau Field, Green Bay Att: 50,777 Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung combine for 201 yards rushing. 1966 Packers 34 Cowboys 27 Cotton Bowl, Dallas Att: 74,152 Bart Starr passes for four touchdowns. Tom Brown thwarts last-minute Cowboys charge with interception in end zone of Don Meredith's fourth-down pass from the 2-yard line. Super Bowl I Packers 35 Chiefs 10 Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles Att: 61,946 Willie Wood returns interception 50 yards for a TD. Max McGee catches seven passes for 138 yards and two TDs. Elijah Pitts runs for two scores. Bart Starr completes 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards and 2 TDs (MVP). 1967 Packers 21 Cowboys 17 Lambeau Field, Green Bay Att: 50,861 With temperature at 16 below zero, Bart Starr scores winning touchdown on a quarterback sneak with 13 seconds remaining. Super Bowl II Packers 33 Raiders 14 Orange Bowl, Miami Att: 75,546 Bart Starr is chosen MVP, completing 13 of 24 passes for 202 yards and a TD. Don Chandler kicks four field goals. Herb Adderly scores on 60-yard interception return. The game is Vince Lombardi's last as coach. Super Bowl XXXI Packers 35 Patriots 21 Superdome, New Orleans Att: 72,301 The Packers finally have a present to go with their past. The victory over the Patriots was sparked by the TD return of MVP Desmond Howard, who helped returned Green Bay to NFL prominence.

They won three titles before 1933, when the NFL held its first championship game. They also have won three Super Bowls, including the first one, which was played after the 1966 season. They won their other six titles between 1933 and 1966.

Here is a look at each of those championship teams:

1929

Coach: Curly Lambeau

Record: 12-0-1

Hall of Fame players: Cal Hubbard, Lambeau, Johnny "Blood" McNally, Mike Michalske.

Key statistics: The Packers allowed just 22 points and registered eight shutouts in 13 league games. . . . They scored 127 of their 198 points in the second half.

A story worth retelling: The NFL was just 10 years old and recognized its league champion based on the final standings. So there was no playoff money. But on Nov. 26, the day after the Packers beat the New York Giants to secure sole possession of first place, the Green Bay Press-Gazette initiated a "Championship Fund" to raise money for the players. Although the stock market had just crashed, throwing the country into a depression, more than $5,000 was raised in two weeks. Two days after the season ended, the fans of Green Bay held a banquet for the players and gave each one $220 plus a watch.

1930

Coach: Lambeau

Record: 10-3-1

Hall of Fame players: Arnie Herber, Hubbard, McNally, Michalske.

Key statistics: The Packers won the championship by .004 percentage points. They had a .769 winning percentage, while the second-place New York Giants finished at 13-4, a .765 winning percentage. . . . The Packers scored 47 points in a victory over Portsmouth, the first time they had scored more than 30 points since a 35-0 whitewashing of the Racine Tornadoes in 1926.

A story worth retelling: The Packers finished the season with seven straight road games. They played two in Chicago then left for New York by train on Nov. 19 and didn't return home until Dec. 9. One of the games on their eastern trip was against the Staten Island Stapletons. The Packers boarded a ferry in their uniforms for the ride to Staten Island. After arriving, they had to journey seven more miles to the stadium. The story has been told in a book about the history of the Packers that the players walked the seven miles with their cleats in hand, but there was no mention of that in newspaper accounts the next day.

1931

Coach: Lambeau

Record: 12-2

Hall of Fame players: Herber, Hubbard, McNally, Michalske.

Key statistics: The Packers scored 44 touchdowns, which would stand as a team record until 1961. . . . McNally led the league in scoring with 14 touchdowns.

A story worth retelling: Most players back then couldn't survive on their salaries, so they went on barnstorming tours during the off-season. To make some extra money, most of the players on the 1930 team agreed to play two exhibitions the weekend after the season ended. They played on Saturday, Dec. 12, at Borchert Field in Milwaukee against the semipro Ische Radios and then again the next day in Janesville against the Fort Atkinson Black Hawks. The Green Bay Pros, as they were called because the Packers wouldn't sanction the team, won both games.

1936

Coach: Lambeau

Record: 10-1-1 (1-0 in post-season)

Hall of Fame players: Herber, Clarke Hinkle, Don Hutson, McNally.

Key statistics: Hutson, in just his second season, led the league in receiving for the first time with 34 catches. . . . Herber became the first passer in team history to surpass 1,000 yards in a single season.

Championship game: Herber connected with Hutson on a 48-yard touchdown pass in the first 3 minutes as the Packers opened a 7-0 lead and never trailed en route to scoring a 21-6 victory over the Boston Redskins. The game was played at the Polo Grounds in New York because the Redskins had drawn poorly all year in Boston. Shortly after the season ended, they moved to Washington.

A story worth retelling: After the championship game in New York, guard Lon Evans took the game ball and went looking for autographs. He went to NBC headquarters in Manhattan and got the signatures of Eddie Cantor, Kate Smith and Walter Winchell. He also approached another distinguished looking gentleman and asked, "What program do you sing on?" The man grabbed the ball and signed it: "J. Edgar Hoover." Hoover, head of the FBI, was in New York chasing a 25-year-old desperado from Green Bay named Harry Brunette. Wanted on kidnapping and bank robbery charges, Brunette was captured earlier that day after a 45-minute siege of gunfire.

1939

Coach: Lambeau

Record: 9-2 (1-0 in post-season)

Hall of Fame players: Herber, Hinkle, Hutson.

Key statistics: The Packers allowed only 40 first downs by rushing, still the second lowest total in league history. . . . They won six games by seven points or less.

Championship game: Despite bitter 35-mph winds, both Herber and Cecil Isbell threw touchdown passes as the Packers blanked the New York Giants, 27-0, at State Fair Park. The game was played there over the protests of fans in Green Bay because it was the only stadium in the state large enough to accommodate a crowd of more than 25,000.

A story worth retelling: The stadium at State Fair Park was dedicated that day and christened "The Dairy Bowl." The New York writers were none too impressed. In fact, with the wind howling outside, they feared for their lives in a hastily constructed wooden press box 100 feet above ground. It "trembled and swayed continuously and it appeared that at any moment the whole thing would crash," Louis Effrat wrote in The New York Times. "One hundred occupants of the flimsy booth literally feared to make a move and they spent the most harrowing three hours possible."

1944

Coach: Lambeau

Record: 8-2 (1-0 in post-season)

Hall of Fame players: Tony Canadeo, Hutson.

Key statistics: The Packers didn't have anybody rush for more than 322 yards and their leading passer, Irv Comp, threw a league-high 21 interceptions, but they managed to score 30 points or more in five of 10 games. . . . Hutson led the league in receiving for the fourth straight year and in scoring for the fifth straight year.

Championship game: Fullback Ted Fritsch, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound fireplug, scored two touchdowns and Joe Laws intercepted three passes as the Packers edged the New York Giants, 14-7, at the Polo Grounds.

A story worth retelling: The starting tailback for the Giants in the championship was Herber, a Green Bay native and Hall of Famer who spent 12 years with the Packers. The Giants had lured him out of retirement at the height of World War II when they found themselves without a top-flight passer. However, Herber had a rough championship. He threw all three passes that Laws picked off.

1961

Coach: Vince Lombardi

Record: 11-3 (1-0 in post-season)

Hall of Fame players: Herb Adderley, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg, Paul Hornung, Henry Jordan, Ray Nitschke, Jim Ringo, Bart Starr, Jim Taylor, Emlen Tunnell, Willie Wood.

Key statistics: The Packers led the league in rushing for the first time since 1946 and averaged better than 5 yards per carry. . . . After losing the season opener, the Packers won five straight games by 20 points or more.

Championship game: The Packers scored 24 points in the second quarter, on a run by Hornung and field goal and a pair of touchdown passes by Starr, and rolled to a 37-0 victory over the New York Giants in the first championship game ever played in Green Bay.

A story worth retelling: When Hornung was called into the Army in mid-November, the Packers signed 42-year-old kicker Ben Agajanian, the oldest player ever to play for them. "Bootin' Ben," as he was called, was missing four toes from an elevator accident. He wore a size 10 shoe on his left foot and a size 7 shoe on his right foot. Given weekend passes, Hornung missed only two games. But Agajanian was perfect on eight extra point attempts and made one of two field goal attempts when he was needed in a pinch.

1962

Coach: Lombardi

Record: 13-1 (1-0 in post-season)

Hall of Fame players: Adderley, Davis, Gregg, Hornung, Jordan, Nitschke, Ringo, Starr, Taylor, Wood.

Key statistics: The Packers scored 415 points, more than any other team in the league, and allowed 148, the fewest of any team. . . . Starr led the league in passing and Taylor led it in rushing and scoring.

Championship game: Played on a raw, windy afternoon in Yankee Stadium -- the temperature was 13 degrees and winds were blowing at 40 mph -- the Packers won a defensive struggle over the New York Giants, 16-7. Jerry Kramer kicked three field goals and Taylor set a playoff record with 31 carries for 85 yards.

History of Championships

10 GREATEST PACKERS CHAMPIONSHIP EFFORTS 1. Paul Hornung, NFL Championship 1961 Scored 19 points, a figure surpassed by only one other player in post-season history, on a 6-yard touchdown run, three field goals and four extra points. He also was the game's leading rusher with 89 yards in 20 carries. Named the game's MVP. 2. Desmond Howard, Super Bowl XXXI Had 244 total return yards and set a Super Bowl record with a 99-yard kickoff return. Named the game's MVP. 3. Bart Starr, Super Bowl I Completed 16 of 23 passes for 250 yards, including touchdowns of 37 and 13 yards. Named the game's MVP. 4. Brett Favre, Super Bowl XXXI Completed 14 of 27 passes for 246 yards, including touchdowns of 54 and 81 yards. 5. Joe Laws, NFL Championship 1944 Intercepted three passes, a playoff record at the time, and led all rushers with 74 yards in 13 carries. 6. Ray Nitschke, NFL Championship 1962 Recovered two fumbles, one that set up the Packers' only touchdown and another that set up a field goal. He also deflected a pass that Dan Currie intercepted to thwart the New York Giants' first drive after it had reached the Green Bay 10. Named the game's MVP. 7. Max McGee, Super Bowl I Pressed into service when starter Boyd Dowler was injured on the third play of the game, he caught seven passes for 138 yards, including touchdowns of 37 and 13 yards. 8. Arnie Herber, NFL Championship 1936 Threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Don Hutson for Green Bay's first score and an 8-yard pass to Milt Gantenbein for another touchdown. He set up Gantenbein's touchdown with a 52-yard pass to Johnny "Blood" McNally. 9. Bart Starr, Super Bowl II Completed 13 of 24 passes for 202 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown. Named the game's MVP. 10. Ted Fritsch, NFL Championship 1944 He scored both Packers touchdowns, one on a 1-yard run on fourth and goal and the other on a 28-yard pass and run. -- By Cliff Christl

A story worth retelling: The 1962 Packers may have been the best of Lombardi's teams, but their only defeat may have been the most embarrassing loss of the Lombardi era. On Thanksgiving day, Starr was thrown for 83 yards in losses and was tackled in the end zone for a safety as the Packers lost to Detroit, 26-14. The Packers also were lucky to beat the Lions, who finished 11-3, in their first meeting. They won, 9-7, on a field goal by Hornung with 33 seconds left after a 40-yard interception return by Adderley.

1965

Coach: Lombardi

Record: 10-3-1 (2-0 in post-season)

Hall of Fame players: Adderley, Davis, Gregg, Hornung, Jordan, Nitschke, Starr, Taylor, Wood.

Key statistics: The Packers had a 50-26 edge in turnovers. . . . With the Packers trailing Baltimore by a half-game going into the second-last game of the season, Hornung scored five touchdowns in a 42-27 victory over the Colts at Memorial Stadium.

Championship game: Hornung rushed for 105 yards in 18 carries and Taylor 96 yards in 27 carries as the Packers beat the Cleveland Browns, 23-12, on a Lambeau Field turf that was a mixture of mud and snow.

A story worth retelling: A month before the season started, the Green Bay city council voted unanimously to rename City Stadium as Lambeau Field. They did so under public pressure. But one citizen of Green Bay was none too happy about it: Lombardi. "He was vehemently opposed to it," said Lee Remmel, director of public relations for the Packers. "I heard him twice express strong anti-feelings. I can only speculate that he thought it may be named after him someday."

1966

Coach: Lombardi

Record: 12-2 (2-0 in post-season)

Hall of Fame players: Adderley, Davis, Gregg, Hornung, Jordan, Nitschke, Starr, Taylor, Wood.

Key statistics: Starr and Zeke Bratkowski threw five interceptions, an NFL record low for a season shared with three other teams. . . . The Packers returned six interceptions for touchdowns, a total surpassed by only two other teams in league history.

Super Bowl: Starr threw two touchdown passes to veteran receiver Max McGee, who was spelling an injured Boyd Dowler, and Wood made the key defensive play with a 50-yard interception return as the Packers battered the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10.

A story worth retelling: The Packers started out the season with six straight victories, but on the morning of the sixth game, Ken Hartnett, Wisconsin sports editor for The Associated Press, broke a story that Taylor was playing out his option. Even though the Packers won that day, 56-3, Lombardi was furious. He banned Hartnett from the locker room and told him he was no longer welcome at practice or at the team's office building. "I consider contract talk personal business," Lombardi tersely stated.

1967

Coach: Lombardi

Record: 9-4-1 (3-0 in post-season)

Hall of Fame players: Adderley, Davis, Gregg, Jordan, Nitschke, Starr, Wood.

Key statistics: Travis Williams averaged 41.1 yards on kickoff returns, still a league record, and returned four kickoffs for touchdowns. . . . The Packers allowed their opponents only 22 yards on punt returns, the fewest allowed by a team in league history.

Super Bowl: Starr passed for more than 200 yards, Don Chandler kicked four field goals and Adderley scored on a 60-yard interception return as the Packers pounded the Oakland Raiders, 33-14.

A story worth retelling: Williams was one of the most sensational rookies in the history of the Packers, as well as the entire NFL. He set league records that still stand by averaging 41.1 yards on kickoff returns and returning four for touchdowns. It was a good thing, too, because the Packers had lost both Hornung and Taylor before the season. Then, in the eighth game, Elijah Pitts and Jim Grabowski, their replacements, suffered injuries that pretty much ended their seasons. Williams spent four seasons with the Packers, but never had another year like '67. He died in 1991 at age 45 after years of alcohol and drug abuse.

1996

Coach: Mike Holmgren

Record: 13-3 (3-0 in playoffs)

Hall of Fame players: To be determined.

Key statistics: Quarterback Brett Favre threw 39 touchdown passes, third-highest total in league history. . . . Desmond Howard set a league record for most punt return yardage in a season.

Super Bowl: Favre passed for 246 yards, including two touchdowns of 54 yards or more, and Howard had 244 yards in returns as the Packers beat the New England Patriots, 35-21.

A story worth retelling: Favre, coming off an MVP season in 1995, announced in May that he was entering the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kan., to be treated for substance abuse. After a six-week stay, Favre declared at his first news conference, "This year it is Super Bowl or bust." True to his word, Favre won his second straight MVP award and led the Packers to their first Super Bowl victory in 29 years.

County Stadium: Packers at a Glance

MILWAUKEE				OVERALL
Year	W	L	T	Avg. Att.	W	L	T
1953	0	3	0	20,778	2	9	1
1954	2	1	0	17,604	4	8	0
1955	2	1	0	28,753	6	6	0
1956	2	1	0	25,668	4	8	0
1957	0	3	0	21,594	3	9	0
1958	0	2	0	22,170	1	10	1
1959	0	2	0	30,858	7	5	0
1960	1	1	0	37,839	8	4	0
1961	2	1	0	45,145	11	3	0
1962	3	0	0	45,909	13	1	0
1963	3	0	0	46,037	11	2	1
1964	2	1	0	47,687	8	5	1
1965	3	0	0	48,309	10	3	1
1966	3	0	0	48,666	12	2	0
1967	2	1	0	49,714	9	4	1
1968	1	2	0	49,545	6	7	1
1969	2	1	0	48,220	8	6	0
1970	2	1	0	48,017	6	8	0
1971	1	1	1	47,984	4	8	2
1972	2	1	0	47,656	10	4	0
1973	2	0	1	46,600	5	7	2
1974	3	0	0	46,158	6	8	0
1975	1	2	0	51,063	4	10	0
1976	2	1	0	53,674	5	9	0
1977	1	2	0	50,501	4	10	0
1978	3	1	0	54,226	8	7	1
1979	3	0	0	53,273	5	11	0
1980	1	3	0	54,033	5	10	1
1981	1	2	0	53,107	8	8	0
1982	3	0	0	48,343	5	3	1
1983	2	1	0	52,725	8	8	0
1984	2	1	0	52,416	8	8	0
1985	2	1	0	53,482	8	8	0
1986	1	2	0	50,019	4	12	0
1987	1	1	1	49,330	5	9	1
1988	1	2	0	49,342	4	12	0
1989	3	0	0	54,657	10	6	0
1990	2	1	0	53,606	6	10	0
1991	1	2	0	49,334	4	12	0
1992	3	0	0	51,502	9	7	0
1993	2	1	0	54,847	9	7	0
1994	2	1	0	54,964	9	7	0

Totals
County Stadium - 75-47-3 (.612)
Lambeau Field - 88-82-4 (.517) (from '53-'94)æ
Overall - 282-346-15 (.450)æ
Total County Stadium attendance - 5,763,900 Average - 46,111

Playoff game
Western Conference Championship Game, Dec. 23, 1967 - Packers 28, Los Angeles Rams 7 (attendance: 49,861)

Exhibition games
26-21-4 (.549); attendance - 2,213,504 (43,402)

Monday night games
Nov. 9, 1970 - Balt. 13, Packers 10
Nov. 1, 1971 - Packers 14, Detroit 14
Sept. 17, 1973 - Packers 23, New York Jets 7

Notables
Largest margin of victory - 53 points (Packers 56 Atlanta 3 on Oct. 23, 1966, the Packers' largest of all time)
Largest margin of defeat -39 points (Los Angeles Rams 45, Packers 6 on Oct. 18, 1959, the Packers' sixth-largest margin of defeat of all time)
First crowd of 50,000 or more - 50,074, on Nov. 12, 1967, when the Packers beat the Cleveland Browns, 55-7.
Largest crowd to see Packers: 55,592 on Nov. 26, 1989, when the Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings, 20-19.
Six interceptions by Packers -Sept. 26, 1971, vs. Denver's Don Horn (Packers 34, Broncos 13).
Packers' last tie - Sept. 20, 1987 (Packers 17, Denver 17)

Green Bay taxpayers want to see the money
November 9, 2000
Copyright 2000 MediaVentures

Green Bay taxpayers picked money over tradition and favor using money from the renaming of Lambeau Field to reduce their cost of renovating the stadium. Brown County voters came out 53% in favor of selling naming rights to Lambeau Field in an advisory referendum. In September, voters approved a 0.5% sales tax increase to pay for the $295 million project.

The Packers originally decided not to sell naming rights to the historic stadium that honors the team's first coach, Curly Lambeau. City council members felt they had a duty to reduce taxpayers' burden as quickly as possible and they convinced the Packers not only to agree to a sale, but to split the money with the city. The city now wants its share of the money up front with the Packers getting their share on the back end.

The naming rights agreement puts a $120 million minimum price on the deal and if bids are below $120 million, they could be rebid. If prices then came in at $100 million or more, they could be accepted. If bids were less than $100 million, the team and the city would have to agree to the lower-priced sale. Bids will be sought beginning in 2002. The renovation is to be complete by 2003.

The tax approved by voters in September will fund $160 million of the project and the Packers will invest $125.9 million. The state will put $10 million of the Packers' money in reserve for cost overruns or to repay the bonds, whichever is needed. The tax will provide up to $3.4 million each year for stadium maintenance. A $1 to $2 per ticket charge will also add to the maintenance fund.

The Packers will use existing funds for their share, along with a loan from the NFL and revenue from the sale of seat licenses at $1,400 each.

CITY, PACKERS WORKING OUT DIFFERENCES OVER LEASE

With the clock ticking, the City of Green Bay and the Packers are working out their differences over a lease for a renovated stadium. The Packers want to complete the deal by the end of the month or say they may have to play one season away from Green Bay. The city doesn't think it can make that deadline.

The major points under discussion include ownership of the property. While everyone agrees the city should own the entire Lambeau Field complex, the Packers believe they and the stadium board overseeing the complex should have a partial ownership of the stadium complex.

The two are also working out details of paying for security and traffic control. The Packers say their $500,000 in rent should cover that while the city believes that may be extra.

The Packers also want earnings from all events at the stadium, not just those dealing with football. The city disagrees.

The city also wants to get its 50% share of the naming rights money up front, leaving the Packers to get their share on the back end of the end.

CITY SEEKS MORE CONCESSIONS FROM PACKERS
November 2, 2000
Copyright 2000 MediaVentures

The City of Green Bay is asking for new concessions from the Packers for use of Lambeau Field. The additional requests make it more likely that lease negotiations will not conclude by the end of the month, jeopardizing the team's hopes of starting work in January. If that deadline is not met, the Packers say they could be forced to play one season outside of Green Bay.

The city, which owns the stadium, is asking for:
* Use of the stadium at any time it does not interfere with Packer activities. * All revenue from events sponsored by the city at the stadium. * First cut in naming rights revenue. The city would get its share before the Packers took money in the naming rights deal. The city and team have already agreed to divide proceeds evenly. * The right to impose a ticket tax. * The right to impose a non-resident user fee.

Voters have approved a sales tax increase to fund renovation of the stadium and an advisory vote will be taken next week on the sale of naming rights. For more information on the stadium project, see the special election report in this issue.

Testing the waters in Green Bay
Public officials in Green Bay have just one question for voters there: should they sell naming rights to the Packers' Lambeau Field? The election is advisory, but the city has its eyes on half the money from such a sale as a way of retiring bonds early and saving the taxpayers money from a sales tax increase they approved in September to help pay for a $295 million stadium renovation. The Packers originally said they did not want to sell the name because of its historic roots.

All voters in the county will cast ballots on the issue because all county voters must pay the tax, however it is the city that owns the stadium and city officials say if city voters are in favor while county voters are opposed, they may sell the name anyway.

If naming rights are sold, the city and the Packers must decide whether to require the buyer to keep Lambeau in the stadium name. Retaining the name would significantly lower the value to a buyer.

STADIUM BOARD UNLIKELY TO MEET PACKERS' DEADLINE
October 26, 2000
Copyright 2000 MediaVentures

The board overseeing the renovation of Lambeau Field in Green Bay probably won't finish its study of the plans by the Packers' deadline of Nov. 15. The board wants to submit the Packers' plans to an outside architectural firm for review before signing off on them. The Packers want to begin construction at the end of this season and say if that work is delayed, it could force the team to play elsewhere in 2002.

The Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District Board is taking bids from architectural firms HOK Sport, HNTB and HKS to review plans drawn by the Packers' architect, Ellerbe Becket. The companies say it will take up to six weeks to do a full review. The team is responsible for construction and cost overruns.

The review must also be complete before a lease is signed between the city and the team. The city owns Lambeau Field.

PACKERS SEEK MORE REVENUE FROM NEW STADIUM
October 19, 2000
Copyright 2000 MediaVentures

The Green Bay Packers are seeking to increase their share of stadium revenue as part of a rewrite of their lease for Lambeau Field. The lease is being rewritten because of a $295 million renovation project approved by voters last year.

The Packers have always gotten nearly all game day revenue, but now the team wants to expand its take of non-football earnings. Some city council members want the city to retain the 10% take of all non-football event revenue that it now gets.

Team officials said voters approved the renovation to provide new revenue streams for the team, not as a way for the city or county to earn more money.

While Lambeau Field has not been used for many non-football events before, that is expected to change with the construction nearby of a new 10,000-seat arena that will share the stadium's parking lot. That could generate lots of additional parking revenue for the team.

The Packers are also asking for rent to be waived for its final two years in the stadium. The construction bonds will be retired in 28 years and the Packers want the final two years free along with another 10 years free if the lease is renewed. The team agreed to rent of $500,000 a year increasing at 2.75% per year.

The city has also negotiated a 50% share of naming rights revenues. Voters will cast an advisory ballot Nov. 7 on whether the stadium's name should be put up for sale. City officials note that the stadium is owned by the city and if the issue passes in the city, but fails in the county, the city may move ahead with a sale. The 0.5% sales tax that is helping fund the renovation is being paid by all county residents. Money from the naming rights sale would be used to retire the bonds early and end the sale tax early.

The Packers also released new drawings of their stadium renovation plan this week. Among the changes is a change in the structure in the south end zone that would allow more seats, club seats and luxury suites to be added later.

The changes may not be the last on tap for the stadium. For the plan to work, the state must approve $9.1 million in infrastructure funding. That money has not yet been approved by the legislature, but Gov. Tommy Thompson promises it will be part of his budget. The team noted that if the legislature does not approve the money, portions of the design would be changed. There is no immediate reason to expect a legislative fight on the issue, but the Packers are on the hook for cost overruns on the project.

Meanwhile, a referendum effort seeking to build a domed stadium rather than renovate Lambeau Field has collapsed. Petitions submitted to force the election did not have enough valid signatures and asked the city to take actions for which it did not have the authority. Nearly 22% of the signatures were ruled invalid.

GREEN BAY SEEKS STADIUM REVENUES, BUT THE PACKERS WANT IT ALL
October 12, 2000
Copyright 2000 MediaVentures

The City of Green Bay has won preliminary county support for a plan to use 10% of new Lambeau Stadium revenues to pay for early debt reduction, but a lease draft drawn by the Packers calls for the team to take all revenues, including fees from non-football events. The Packers are also proposing a ticket surcharge to be used for capital improvements and utility costs.

The team's position was part of a first draft proposal and was not intended for public distribution. City officials decided to release the document anyway.

City Council members have said the city should be entitled to non-football revenue and a share of game day earnings.

The city owns the stadium, but bonds to pay for a $295 million renovation of the venue are controlled by a stadium district board made up of city and county officials.

The Packers sought the renovation to boost revenues and be competitive among other NFL teams, however the city and county have sought to capture some of those new revenues either for early debt reduction or to pay for local projects. The work is funded by the Packers and a 0.5% sales tax increase approved by voters last month.

The city has already negotiated a 50% share of any naming rights sale and because the term of the naming rights sale would likely exceed the term of the bonds, the city would make profits off the stadium even after the debt was repaid and the sales tax eliminated. Voters will take part in an advisory referendum next month on whether naming rights should be sold.

A new analysis shows that sales of naming rights would allow the sales tax to be ended 1* years early, saving $55 million. The analysis presumes naming rights are sold for $120 million.

If such a sale takes place, and the term is at least 20 years, the city would collect money from the sale after the tax is retired. The analysis shows the city would earn $28.5 million over 10 years from its share.

The city expects to solicit bids for naming rights in 2002. Companies will be asked for two bids; one that keeps the word "Lambeau" in the name and another that is a complete name change.

On another front, the stadium district board has voted to hire its own architectural firm to review the renovation plans drawn up by the Packers' architects. The firm will review the plans by Ellerbe Becket and advise the board as to whether the team can manage the project or if that job should fall to the stadium district. The board is required to make the review as part of the state law that created the district.

The Packers want to control construction because they are responsible for cost overruns.

GREEN BAY HAS DIFFERENT VIEW ON STADIUM LEASE
October 5, 2000
Copyright 2000 MediaVentures

City officials say their idea of a good lease for Lambeau Field is so different from what the Packers have proposed that they will draft their own document. The city declined to release a copy of the team's proposal, but the City Council discussed it in a closed session this week.

City officials said the action need not endanger the Packers' call for rapid negotiations on a new lease. The team says it must finalize the lease by November if work is to begin after this season. If that work is delayed, the team might have to play elsewhere for the 2002 season. Team officials say that would probably mean moving to the University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium in Madison if an agreement with the university could be reached.

The renovated stadium will reduce the number of luxury suites from 198 to 166, but increase the club seating from 1,920 to 6,250.

Meanwhile, opponents to the $295 million project have filed petitions with the city seeking to replace the stadium with a new domed facility. The petitions contain 5,500 signatures, of which 5,132 must be valid to force an election.

The stadium is owned by the city, but county residents recently approved a plan to increase sales taxes to pay for the renovation. Part of the plan calls for the Packers to provide the domed stadium proponents with $525,000 to do a feasibility study. City officials say they have no power to force the team to do that.

Ellerbe Becket, the architects for the Green Bay Packers' Lambeau Field renovation, plan a retro look for the venue with brick facades and wrought iron. The exception will be in a new atrium planned for the building that will be enclosed in glass and flexible enough to allow sponsors opportunities to interact with the public.

Green Bay Packers Hagemeister Brewery Park 1919-1923 Bellevue Park 1923-1924 City Stadium 1925-1956 County Stadium 1953-1994 Lambeau Field 1957-2003 New Lambeau Field 2004-Present