PLAYER POS COLLEGE G YR HT WT
Myrt Basing B Lawrence 9 1 6- 0 200
Cub Buck T Wisconsin 10 3 6- 3 250
Jug Earp T Monmouth 8 2 6- 1 235
Moose Gardner G Wisconsin 9 2 6- 2 224
Buck Gavin B None 9 1 6- 0 195
Dolly Gray E None 1 1 5-11 180
1923 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (1-0)
September (1-0)
23 HIBBING MINERS W 10- 0 1- 0-0 2,670
1923 RESULTS (7-2-1)
September (1-0)
30 MINNEAPOLIS MARINES (0-0-0) W 12- 0 1- 0-0 3,008
October (1-2-1)
7 ST. LOUIS ALL-STARS (0-0-0) T 0- 0 1- 0-1 2,831
14 CHICAGO BEARS (1-1-0) L 0- 3 1- 1-1 4,451
1923 IN REVIEW
As the competition got better, and Curly Lambeau began to recruit players from outside of Green Bay, he needed to guarantee them some financial gain beyond loose change in a hat. A group of five area businessmen got together and launched the Green Bay Football Corporation, a nonprofit entity to provide financial backing for the team. Shares of stock sold for $5 each and paid no dividends. Purchasers were obligated to buy at least six season tickets. The corporation had a five-member executive committee and 15 elected directors. As a nonprofit, the corporation was tax-exempt, and all profits were to go to the American Legion. Andrew B. Turnbull was elected first president of Green Bay Football Corporation on August 23rd. This was the Packers first season in Bellevue Park.
BELLEVUE PARK
When Hagemeister was dug up in 1923 to make way for a new East High School, the Packers shifted to the new baseball grounds at the end of Main Street, Bellevue Park. Crowds of 4,000-5,000 stormed the fences to boo the hated Chicago Bears. Green Bay was 9-2-1 in 12 league games at Bellevue from 1923-24. Eight of the nine Packer wins were shutouts, and the team won its last seven at the stadium, including a 5-0 home slate in '24. The lone tie was a scoreless affair in 1923. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)
BELLEVUE PARK PLAQUE (Wisconsin Heritage Trail)
Bellevue Park was built in less than three weeks in the spring of 1923 with wood salvaged from the stands at Hagemeister Park, where the Packers had previously played. Bellevue was built for baseball and reconfigured for the Packers later that year. Capacity was listed at a little more than 3,300, but nearly 4,500 fans squeezed into the park's cramped quarters when the Packers entertained the Chicago Bears on Oct. 14, 1923. At that point, the two teams had played only once before -in Chicago in 1921 when the Bears were still named the Staleys. The Packers lost that first game in Green Bay, 3-0. The rivalry grew into the most storied in the National Football League. The ballpark here bordered the street with the field running north and south. At the north end there was a barn decorated with a Bellevue Ice Cream sign. To the west was the former Hagemeister Brewery bottling house. However, the Packers played here during Prohibition when the company went under the name Hagemeister Food Products. Later, it was changed again to Bellevue Food Products. Bellevue Park was razed in 1928.
PLAYER POS COLLEGE G YR HT WT
Hal Hansen B Minnesota 1 1 6- 3 220
Norbert Hayes E Marquette 6 1 5-10 200
Curly Lambeau B Notre Dame 10 3 6- 0 190
*Wes Leaper E Wisconsin 2 1 6- 1 210
Dewey Lyle E-G-T Minnesota 9 2 6- 0 220
Charlie Mathys QB Indiana 10 2 5- 8 165
PLAYER POS COLLEGE G YR HT WT
Stan Mills B Penn State 9 2 5-11 190
Jab Murray T Marquette 9 3 6- 3 250
Walter Niemann C Michigan 10 2 6- 0 170
Lyle Wheeler E Ripon 10 3 6- 0 190
Whitey Woodin G Marquette 10 2 5-11 206
*- Did play in non-league games in 1921
21 MILWAUKEE BADGERS (1-0-2) W 12- 0 2- 1-1 5,000
28 RACINE LEGION (1-1-2) L 3-24 2 -2-1 2,800
November (5-0)
4 at St. Louis All-Stars (0-2-2) W 3- 0 3- 2-1 750
11 at Racine Legion (2-2-2) W 16- 0 4- 2-1 3,500
18 at Milwaukee Badgers (4-1-2) W 10- 7 5- 2-1 5,400
25 DULUTH KELLEYS (4-2-0) W 10- 0 6- 2-1 N/A
29 HAMMOND PROS (1-4-1) W 19- 0 7- 2-1 N/A
September 23: Green Bay (1-0) 10, Hibbing 0
(GREEN BAY) - Displaying a wonderful aerial attack, the Packers, professional football champions of Wisconsin, defeated the Miners here on Sunday in the opening game of the season. A huge crowd attended. Hibbing presented a stone wall forward line but they proved unable to cope with the Packers' air attack. Time after time, Lambeau hurled the pigskin into the waiting arms of Wheeler, Mathys and Lyle for considerable yardage. The Packers first score came in the second quarter. Ursella standing on his twenty yard line attempted to punt. Earps smashed through and blocked the ball. Lyle covered it behind the goal line. Lambeau added another point. In the third quarter, the Packers marched down the field but a penalty halted the procession. Buck stepped back to the thirty yard mark and place-kicked the pigskin through the uprights. The Packers threatened several times in the final period but Hibbing held tight in the shadow of its goal posts.
HIBBING - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 0 7 3 0 - 10
2nd - GB - Lyle recovered blocked punt in end zone (Lambeau kick) G BAY 7-0
3rd - GB - Buck, 30-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-0
The view outside Bellevue Park
(SOURCE: Packerville.blogspot.com)
Game action at Bellevue Park
(SOURCE: Packerville.blogspot.com)
Bellevue Park today - Jacquet Lumber
(SOURCE: hmdb.com)
This 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: Packerville,blogspot,com)
September 30: Green Bay (1-0) 12, Minneapolis (0-1) 0
(GREEN BAY) - Uncorking a line smashing offensive in the second half, the Packers battered their way through the Marines, marking up a victory in their opening game of the NFL. The biggest crowd ever attending a pigskin fray in the city witnessed the contest. Starting the third period, Green Bay began hitting on all eleven only to lose the ball on downs two inches from the goal line. The Marines kicked out of danger and the Parkers came back for a touchdown with Basing making the score. In the final period, Mathys started the touchdown march when he received a forward pass and darted through the open field to the ten-yard line from where Basing plunged over.
MINNEAPOLIS - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 0 0 6 6 - 12
3rd - GB - Basing, 9-run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 6-0
4th - GB - Basing, run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 12-0
October 7: Green Bay (1-0-1) 0, St. Louis (0-0-1) 0 (T)
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers and Browns battled to a tie before a huge crowd. The visitors presented a stonewall defense when in the shadow of their own goalposts. Green Bay failed in five field goal attempts. St. Louis showed but little when on attack, making but three first downs. Only once during the game were the Browns inside the Packers' 35-yard line. Casey averaged sixty yard per punt for St. Louis. The Packers' aerial attack was again in evidence, with Mathys making some splendid catches.
ST. LOUIS - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 0 0 0 0 - 0
October 14: Chicago Bears (2-1) 3, Green Bay (1-1-1) 0
(GREEN BAY) - Dutch Sternaman's educated toe kicked the Bears over the Packers Sunday in a pro league game before a record breaking crowd of 5,000. The Bears' score came in the second quarter after a costly Green Bay fumble. The Packers aerial attack was working well and the Bears were kept continually in hot water. Green Bay had the edge on the Bears offensively, piling up considerable more yardage. Three quarters of the play was in the Bruins' territory, but the breaks went against the Packers. The Bears' much flaunted line met its match and during the second half the visitors' forward line was repeatedly outcharged. The Packers failed twice at field goals.
CHICAGO BEARS - 0 3 0 0 - 3
GREEN BAY - 0 0 0 0 - 0
2nd - CHI - Dutch Sternaman, 15-yard field goal CHICAGO BEARS 3-0
October 21: Green Bay (2-1-1) 12, Milwaukee (1-1-2) 0
(GREEN BAY) - Cutting loose with a varied aerial attack, the Packers tightened their hold on the Wisconsin pro championship by defeating the Badgers Sunday before a crowd of 5,000. Cub Buck put the Packers in the lead in the first quarter with a field goal from the 35-yard line. In the third quarter a Lambeau to Wheeler pass for 40 yards netted a touchdown. Towards the close of the game the Badgers were pushed back of their goal line for a safety.
MILWAUKEE - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 3 0 7 2 - 12
1st - GB - Buck, 35-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
3rd - GB - Wheeler, 40-yard pass from Lambeau (Buck kick) GREEN BAY 10-0
4th - GB - Team Safety GREEN BAY 12-0
October 28: Racine (2-1-2) 24, Green Bay (2-2-1) 3
(GREEN BAY) - Outclassing the Packers in their own game, forward passing, Racine uncorked a superb passing attack and handed the Packers their worst loss ever. The Packers died with their boots on and several times they held for downs on their three yard line. The Legion's win over the Packers puts Racine on the top of the heap in the race for the state pro title.
RACINE - 0 10 7 7 - 24
GREEN BAY - 0 0 3 0 - 3
2nd - RAC - Gillo, field goal RACINE 3-0
2nd - RAC - Milt Romney, pass from Shorty Barr (Gillo kick) RACINE 10-0
3rd - RAC - Dick Halladay, pass from Barr (Gillo kick) RACINE 17-0
3rd - GB - Buck, field goal RACINE 17-3
4th - RAC - Al Elliott, pass from Barr (Gillo kick) RACINE 24-3
November 4: Green Bay (3-2-1) 3, St. Louis (0-3-2) 0
(ST. LOUIS) - Cub Buck's field goal in the third quarter from the 28-yard line enabled the Packers to defeat the Browns Sunday afternoon. The game was played on a sea of mud. In the last minute, the Packers had the ball on St. Louis' 3-yard line but time was up before they could put it over.
GREEN BAY - 0 0 3 0 - 3
ST. LOUIS - 0 0 0 0 - 0
3rd - GB - Cub Buck, 28-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
November 11: Green Bay (4-2-1) 16, Racine (2-3-2) 0
(RACINE) - The Packers came to Racine Sunday determined to wipe out the defeat suffered three weeks ago at the hands of the Horlick Racine Legion team and did. The final score was in favor of the Packers. Racine was outplayed all through the game, making only three first downs, all on forward passes. The Packers made 14 first downs, pushing Racine all over the field.
GREEN BAY - 6 0 3 7 - 16
RACINE - 0 0 0 0 - 0
1st - GB - Lambeau, 3-yard run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 6-0
3rd - GB - Buck, 38-yard field goal GREEN BAY 9-0
4th - GB - Mills, 3-yard run (Buck kick) GREEN BAY 16-0
November 18: Green Bay (5-2-1) 10, Milwaukee (4-3-2) 7
(MILWAUKEE) - A fiercely fought battle in which victory threatened to change hands up to the final whistle was won by the Packers Sunday from the Badgers in the state professional football championship contest. Early in the first quarter, Cub Buck scored three points on a perfect kick from placement from the 25-yard line. In the second period a number of lucky breaks enabled the Badgers to keep the ball in the Packers territory and finally score their lone touchdown. A series of passes mixed with line plunges brought the marker. Not being outdone, Curly Lambeau grabbed a pass from Charley Mathys in the third quarter and shaking off four Badger tacklers, ran forty yards for a touchdown.
GREEN BAY - 3 0 7 0 - 10
MILWAUKEE - 0 7 0 0 - 7
1st - GB - Buck, 30-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - MIL - Dinger Doane run (Ben Winkelman kick) MILWAUKEE 7-3
3rd - GB - Lambeau, 41-yard pass from Mathys (Buck kick) GREEN BAY 10-7
November 25: Green Bay (6-2-1) 10, Duluth (4-3) 0
(GREEN BAY) - Making good use of the aerial attack and Cub Buck's toe, the Packers defeated Duluth.
DULUTH - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 0 10 0 0 - 10
2nd - GB - Buck, 25-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - GB - Mills, 40-yard pass from Lambeau (Buck kick) GREEN BAY 10-0
November 29: Green Bay (7-2-1) 19, Hammond (1-5-1) 0
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers celebrated Thanksgiving by taking Hammond into camp. Splendid execution of the aerial attack counted for all three touchdowns for Green Bay. Hammond twice held for downs inside the 5-yard line. The visitors were never within scoring distance.
HAMMOND - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 6 0 7 6 - 19
1st - GB - Mathys, 1-yard run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 6-0
3rd - GB - Mills, 35-yard pass from Lambeau (Buck kick) GREEN BAY 13-0
4th - GB - Lambeau pass from Mathys (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 19-0
