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The 1920 Green Bay Packers - 9-1-1

Head Coach: Curly Lambeau

SEPTEMBER (0-0-1)

26 Chicago Boosters               T  3- 3      0- 0-1  1,200

OCTOBER (5-0)

 3 Kaukauna American Legion       W 56- 0      1- 0-1    N/A

10 Stambaugh Miners               W  3- 0      2- 0-1    800

17 Marinette Professionals        W 25- 0      3- 0-1    N/A

24 De Pere                        W 62- 0      4- 0-1  3,500

31 Beloit Fairies                 W  7- 0      5- 0-1  2,000

NOVEMBER (4-1)

7  Milwaukee All-Stars            W  9- 0      6- 0-1    N/A

14 at Beloit Fairies              L  3-14      6- 1-1    N/A

21 Menominee Professionals        W 19- 7      7- 1-1    800

25 Stambaugh Miners               W 14- 0      8- 1-1    N/A

28 Milwaukee Lapham A.C.          W 26- 0      9- 1-1    N/A

HAGEMEISTER FACTS AND TRIVIA

SOURCE: Cliff Christl - Packers.com (May 20th 2015)

As I understand it, the Armory is the large brick building to the northwest side of Green Bay East High School and the current East High football field (formerly City Stadium). Hagemeister Park, the original field location, was located where East High stands today. Is that true and is there a marker for Bellevue Park on the Packers Heritage Trail? The Armory was destroyed by fire in 1926. It was located closer to the end of Cherry Street and bordered the west end of City Stadium. The Armory opened at that location as the Hagemeister Park Pavilion in 1900. It was taken over by the Wisconsin National Guard in 1916 and renamed. As for the current garage, it was built in the early 1940s along with the large sandstone wall that became City Stadium’s façade. As for the Hagemeister Park ballparks where the Packers played from 1920-22, yes, they were located virtually where East High stands today (red box) from about the school’s old main entrance on Walnut Street east to the end of today’s building. And, yes, there’s a marker for Bellevue Park on the Packers Heritage Trail. Can you please help me pin down a couple of facts about the locations of things at Hagemeister Park? Where exactly was the "Clubhouse" located? When the horse race track existed, how far north did it extend and how far south? I had always assumed the football field was laid out perpendicular to Baird Street. In an article in the October 2005 issue of "A Packer Scrapbook," there are photographs and discussion about the construction of the school and the location of one of the goal posts, but looking at the photographs in your 6/26/14 posting -- which I had seen before but didn't appreciate the details you pointed out -- it looks like the field may have been laid out parallel to Baird. The Hagemeister Park Clubhouse, a two-story social center, was located at the northeast corner of Baird and Walnut streets. The half-mile racetrack, used primarily for harness racing, was razed in 1908, 11 years before the Packers were founded. It extended from Cherry Street on the north to Stuart Street on the south. In other words, it covered much of today’s Joannes Park. There's a Hagemeister Park map from 1918 that shows a large open area along Walnut Street marked Base Ball Field, which matches up with the red box above. There was no ballpark there in 1918 or ’19. Green Bay’s most recent minor league baseball park had been razed following the 1917 football season. That was why the Packers played on an open field in 1919. In 1920, a group headed by local typewriter salesman Neil Murphy built a fence around the playing field so the Packers could charge admission. Three days before the fourth game, Marcel Lambeau, with the help of Indian Packing Co. workers, built the first bleacher section with 700 seats. The next week, the buildup for the Packers-De Pere game was such that bleachers for another 800 were built. The Green Bay Press-Gazette reported those bleachers were erected “on the north side of the gridiron,” suggesting the playing field ran east and west. That wooden ballpark was torn down following the season and another was put up in 1921 with more seating. The stories were more confusing that year, but the way I interpreted them was the bleacher seats were built along both the north and south sidelines and the playing field ran east and west. Again, based on the 1918 map, there really was no space for a ballpark north of Walnut other than where that open area was, which leads me to believe all the ballparks or playing fields used after 1911 were located in roughly the same spot. I’m aware of at least three pictures that show wooden goal posts in Hagemeister Park.

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Nate Abrams           Medley

Henry (Tubby) Bero    Murphy

Howard (Cub) Buck     Herbert Nichols

Jack Dalton           Al Petcka

Dutch Dwyer           Sam Powers

Jen Gallagher         Gus Rosenow

Fritz Gavin           Charlie Sauber

Fee Klaus             Smith

Wally Ladrow          Buff Wagner

Curly Lambeau         Lyle (Cowboy) Wheeler

Wes Leaper            Milt Wilson

Malis                 Martin Zoll

Herm Martell          Carl Zoll 

Orlo Wylie McLean

Anchor 1

PACKERS ORGANIZE FOR 1920 SEASON; MURPHY IS MANAGER

JUL 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The organization of the Green Bay Packers football club was affected at a meeting held last night in the council chambers in the city hall. Officials were elected and other important business pertaining to the gridiron sport this season was disposed of. The meet was attended by a number of players from  last year's football team. Neil Murphy was named business manager and president; F.J. Jonet, treasurer and Joseph Deloye, secretary. It was unanimously decided to limit the squad to sixteen players. Some of the opinions favored a bigger squad, but when the benefits, which would be derived from a club of this size were explained, all the players agreed...NO PAY PLAYERS: Every player will be paid following each game. This was the decision reached at This was the decision reached at the meeting and 

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signifies that each man on the squad will be compensated for his efforts. The question of insurance for every man was also taken up. The majority of men favored protection from accidents and injuries. A committee was appointed to look into this matter and will report at the next meeting. The discussion of a grounds, on which to play the home games, favored having a fence surrounding the field. Hagemeister's park was proposed as the most ideal field in this city and a committee composed of Neil Murphy, F.J. Jonet and Jos. Deloye was appointed to secure the grounds. The question of a fence to surround the grounds was also left to the committee. The next meeting will be held on Monday July 26 in the council chambers, at which something definite for the coming season will be done. All interested in football are urged to come in the club, as it is open to every player.

FOOTBALL CONFAB MONDAY EVENING

JUL 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers football club will hold a meeting in the City hall rooms on Monday night to draw up final plans for the gridiron season. All Green Bay pigskin warriors are urged to attend this conference as matters of utmost importance will be taken up for consideration of all the players. Plans are underway for a great season on the gridiron and it is expected that many of the best professional elevens in the state will be seen in action.

PACKERS PLANNING GRIDIRON FENCE AT HAGEMEISTER PARK

JUL 27 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - An enthusiastic meeting of the Packers football club was held last night in the council rooms at the city hall and a general lineup of plans for the coming season was drawn up. Permission has been secured to put a fence up at Hagemeister park from G.A. Walter of the Hagemeister Realty company and a committee composed of Frank Jonet, Joe Deloye and Neil Murphy were appointed to work out the building program. They will report their plans at the next meeting which will be held on Friday August 4. According to Neil Murphy, the outlook here is of the crimson hued variety. Practically all of last year's Packers eleven are available and there is a host of new material available including Medley, all-state scholastic quarterback, and Jack Dalton of Janesville, who will coach West High this year. Negotiations are already underway for games and it is the plan of the management to open up here early in September. Only the best pro elevens in the state will be placed on the schedule. Final details as to practice hours and other minor arrangements will be taken up at the next meeting.

HOEFFEL DENIES COACHING RUMORS

JUL 28 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - A rumor has spread in local sporting circles that Joe Hoeffel, former Badger football captain, has been asked by Jumbo Stiehm to serve as assistant football coach at Iowa this fall. However, this yarn was "spiked" by Hoeffel when he was asked regarding the proposition. "There is nothing to it. Neil Murphy wanted me to handle the Packers but I turned it down, saying that I gave up football some years ago when I resigned from Stiehm's coaching staff when he was handling Nebraska. My business duties," added the former All-American star, "have increased to such an extent that I have no time to give to football."

ZABEL IS STILL HEARING ABOUT PACKERS' GAME

JUL 29 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Baldy Zabel, who officiated in the Packers-Beloit football game last fall, still hears a few echoes of the decision he made which robbed Green Bay of a sure victory. When the gridiron argument was staged, the Janesville gang was behind the Packers with all their money, and Zabel saw to it that they got an artistic trimming. One of the spectators at the Belouit-Janesville ball game last Saturday related an incident that came up in the third inning: "Zabel was pitching and he beefed continually at the umpire's decisions on balls and strikes. It got tiresome to the crowd and finally one Janesville rooter, blessed with a shrill voice, piped out, 'Shut up, Baldy, he ain't half as bad as you were last fall when you committed highway robbery against the Packers.' "

GRIDIRON FENCE PLANS PROGRESS

JUL 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - According to one of the Packes' football club management, good progress is being made on the plans for a fence around the gridiron at Hagemeister park. Substantial support has been promised by all those interested and the high schools are also swinging in on the plan. If a fence is erected, the pigskin game will again be placed back on firm financial foundation and the best gridiron game will again be placed back on a firm financial foundation and the best gridiron attractions possible will be seen in action this fall.

FOOTBALL SQUAD TO MEET FRIDAY NIGHT

AUG 3 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers football club will hold a meeting on Friday evening in the council rooms at city hall. All those interested in the gridiron game are urged to attend as matter of utmost importance will be taken up for discussion. The report of the fence committee will be presented and it is expected that arrangements will be completed for early practice. The session will open up promptly at 8 o'clock.

PRO FOOTBALL TO BOOM THIS YEAR IN STATE CITIES

AUG 4 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Semi professional football is going to boom this fall in Wisconsin unless all signs fail. In 1919, the pro game staged a good comeback from the dull period during the war and it looks this fall as if the pigskin sport will have a banner year. Green Bay will have its Packers. Enough said. Word comes from Menominee that the Twin City aggregation is going to set the world aflame this fall. Fond du Lac will have its Rueping Leather Co. eleven, Oshkosh is coming in strong this year and the Overall boys are already boasting of the best eleven in the state. Plans are underway for fast teams in Milwaukee. This organization will play a traveling schedule on account of the city league games holding full sway on Sunday. Racine will again be on the gridiron and it is said that the Nash Motors of Kenosha expect to put out a fast aggregation of footballers. Beloit will again be going, Zabel and all, and it is rumored in Janesville that the Samson Tractors will be in action on the chalk marked field. Rumors coming down from up north carry the news that Eau Claire and Superior are going in strong for professional football. Little is known as yet what La Crosse and Madison will do.

FOOTBALL SQUAD WILL MEET TONIGHT

AUG 6 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The 1920 football season will be launched tonight in the council rooms of the city hall at 8 o'clock. Final plans for the year will be presented to the squad by the managers and the individual players will be asked to express their opinions on the arrangements mapped out by those in charge. It is of utmost importance that every man to try out for the Packers team to be in attendance at the conference this evening.

PACKERS TO BEGIN FOOTBALL DRILLS ON MONDAY AUGUST 16

AUG 7 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - A week from Monday night August 16, the Packers football squad will start their practice workouts. This was decided on at a meeting of the players held last night in the council chambers of the city hall. It is the intention of the management to have practice nights at regular intervals. With about 32 candidates signed up to try out for the team, the weeding out process will be quite a job in itself and those in charge don't want any hasty judgment used in selecting the final sixteen men that will wear the Packers colors on the gridiron this fall. The final report of the fence committee was not presented due to the fact that negotiations with the city council and the Association of Commerce have not been fully completed. However, the committee in charge stated that the outlook for an enclosed field was very rosy and that they were hopeful of winding up all plans and preparations immediately.

PACKERS SIGN UP STAR FOOTBALLERS

AUG 10 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - With the first practice workout less than a week away, Manager Neil Murphy of the Packers' football squad has lined up a bunch of all star football players for the preliminary workouts. Among those who signed up for the early workouts are: Klaus, Martell, Sauber, Wilson, Medley, Bero, Abrams, Praeger, Dalton, Gallagher, Dwyer, Bates, W. Leaper, R. Leaper, McLean, Duncochelle, Power, M. Zoll, C. Zoll, Lambeau, Rosenow, Martin, DuFesne, Muldoon, Martin and Mathys. This is a mighty good bunch to start off with and according to Manager Murphy some more crack additions will be made before the season is underway.

LIFT LID OFF GRID SEASON MONDAY NIGHT

AUG 12 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The lid will be pried off the 1920 football season in Green Bay next Monday night when the Packers stage their first workout on the Packers' gridiron. Manager Neil Murphy expects about three dozen pigskin warriors to report for the initial tryout. The practice stunts will be continued regularly for about a month. It is hoped to stage the first game during the latter part of September. Negotiations are now ongoing for a coach. The management is in touch with a couple of veteran college stars and it is expected that within the next day or two to have a contract signed up.

GRIDIRON PLAYERS PRACTICE TONIGHT

AUG 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The thud of the pigskin will be heard tonight. This evening the Packers' football squad will start their preliminary practice stunts at the Packers' gridiron. The workout is scheduled to start at 7:15 and Manager Murphy is anxious to have every candidate on the job promptly. Plans for the season are progressing rapidly, and, according to those in charge, the football fans of Green Bay will be treated to some high class exhibitions of pigskin chasing. The best teams in the state are being placed on the schedule and it is also hoped to book games with some of the all-star aggregations of the middle west.

1920PACKERS-8-21-HagemeisterEnclosed.jpg

HAGEMEISTER PARK GRID WILL BE ENCLOSED THIS YEAR; FENCE IS ASSURED

AUG 21 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - There will be a fence around the football field at Hagemeister park this fall. Furthermore, the board enclosure will be erected in time for the games the last of September. This move from an athletic point of view is the most important one that has been made in local sports circles for the past few years. It means that football, both scholastic and professional, will be put on a firm financial basis. Ever since the old W-I league park fence, grandstand and bleachers were torn down, the sport teams of Green Bay have been up against as far as the money end of the sport was concerned. It was mighty hard for the teams to make ends meet by the tagging system and many of the aggregations simply dropped out of existence because there were no funds coming in to meet expense...PACKERS BACK PLAN: Through the efforts of the Indian Packing plant, the Association of Commerce, Ludolf Hansen and a few other public spirited citizens, the fence will be put up. It will enclose a spacer 400 by 250. A meeting was held in the Association of Commerce rooms yesterday afternoon and the necessary backing was subscribed. The lumber will be donated by the Indian Packing plant, the work will be under the charge of Ludolf Hansen and Marcel Lambeau, while the labor will be donated by all interested. According to Manager Neil Murphy of the Packers football club, the labor proposition will be the most difficult one. In discussing the plans, Murphy said: "We are attempting a big undertaking now and need the help of all those interested in football. Owing to the heavy expense, it will cost about $1,400 to put up the fence, it is necessary to shave all corners. We hope to cut down the labor expense by asking for volunteers when it comes time for the actual work. The high school students have promised to get in line with aid and we can use everybody else that wants to give a hand. An announcement will be made when the actual construction work will start and I feel certain that there will be volunteers galore."...WILL TEAR DOWN FENCE: The lease for the field at Hagemeister park runs out by December 15, and those in charge have made arrangements to have everything cleared away by that time. The lumber then will be returned to the Indian Packing plant while the other materials that are used are to be turned back to the owners at face value. This step is necessary, due to the fact that the city has an option on the grounds. It is this site where the new East High school may be built...BANNER FOOTBALL YEAR: With the fence assured, Green Bay can look forward to the greatest year of football it has ever experienced. The outlook has never been rosier. Both the high school teams are looking forward to a good season on the chalk marked field. Each of the squads are blessed with plenty of material and it is within the range of possibility that the state scholastic championship may be brought home to the Bay. From a professional point of view, the Packers should rate with the best teams in the middle west. Manager Murphy has a corking good squad to start off with, even better than last year when Captain Lambeau's aggregation ran off with every game until they bumped into referee Zabel and the other eleven Beloit players at the Fairy park.

CONSTRUCTION OF GRIDIRON FENCE WILL START SOON

AUG 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The work of constructing the fence that will enclose the Hagemeister park football field this year will be begun this week, according to an announcement made today by Manager Neil Murphy of the Packers' football team. The Oneida Packing company has offered to furnish men from their force to superintend the work of erecting the fence if the team will secure volunteer helpers to aid with the construction. Manager Murphy has issued a call for help to all of the high school students of the city and other public spirited citizens of the city who are interested in the pigskin sport. The lumber for the enclosure, which will be donated by the Indian Packing company, will be ready for use this week and the contractors, who will have charge of the work, Ludolf M. Hansen and Marcel Lambeau, have stated that they are ready to begin work on the fence as soon as volunteer workmen are secured. All that holds back the work now is the lack of men to help with the work and Manager Murphy feels certain that enough of them will volunteer in the next few days to permit the work to be commenced either Wednesday or Thursday. The announcement that the fence would be erected has been received with the utmost enthusiasm in all sporting circles and one of the biggest football years in the history of Green Bay is looked forward to. Murphy is now negotiating with several strong teams to sign them to come here during the season. He expects to have his complete schedule ready for publication within the next few days.

PACKERS WILL WORK TONIGHT

AUG 24 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers football squad opens their regular practice season tonight on the plant gridiron. According to Neil Murphy, there will be workouts twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays for the time being and later another night of practice will be added to the training stunts every week. Tonight's workout will start promptly at 7 o'clock and every man on the squad is expected to be on hand. The gridiron outlook grows more rosier every day! With the fence question settled the management now is in a position to book some stellar attractions for the home gridiron. Negotiations are already underway and the football fans can rest assured that they are going to be treated to the best season of pigskin chasing in the history of the moleskin game here. Some members of the Green Bay squad receiving tempting offers to play with others professional teams but the management feels confident that there will be no jumping from the ranks due to the fact that the inducements are better than those received from out of town teams.

GOOD PRACTICE BY FOOTBALL PLAYERS

AUG 25 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers football squad indulged in a stiff workout last night at the plant gridiron. Manager Murphy had a big squad of men on hand and quite a likely looking bunch of new material has put in appearance. Those who have seen the men at work think this year's aggregation will be better than the 1919 eleven. With but three or four exceptions, all of the veterans are back in the fold besides many star outsiders who are sure to add much strength to the aggregation. Another practice workout is schedule for Thursday night at the Packers field and Manager Murphy wants every players on the job promptly at 5 o'clock. The practice has been set ahead two hours earlier.

HAGEMEISTER PARK GRID WILL BE ENCLOSED THIS YEAR; FENCE IS ASSURED

AUG 21 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - There will be a fence around the football field at Hagemeister park this fall. Furthermore, the board enclosure will be erected in time for the games the last of September. This move from an athletic point of view is the most important one that has been made in local sports circles for the past few years. It means that football, both scholastic and professional, will be put on a firm financial basis. Ever since the old W-I league park fence, grandstand and bleachers were torn down, the sport teams of Green Bay have been up against as far as the money end of the sport was concerned. It was mighty hard for the teams to make ends meet by the tagging system and many of the

1920PACKERS-8-27-Fence.jpg

aggregations simply dropped out of existence because was mighty hard for the teams to make ends meet by the tagging system and many of the aggregations simply dropped out of existence because there were no funds coming in to meet expense...PACKERS BACK PLAN: Through the efforts of the Indian Packing plant, the Association of Commerce, Ludolf Hansen and a few other public spirited citizens, the fence will be put up. It will enclose a spacer 400 by 250. A meeting was held in the Association of Commerce rooms yesterday afternoon and the necessary backing was subscribed. The lumber will be donated by the Indian Packing plant, the work will be under the charge of Ludolf Hansen and Marcel Lambeau, while the labor will be donated by all interested. According to Manager Neil Murphy of the Packers football club, the labor proposition will be the most difficult one. In discussing the plans, Murphy said: "We are attempting a big undertaking now and need the help of all those interested in football. Owing to the heavy expense, it will cost about $1,400 to put up the fence, it is necessary to shave all corners. We hope to cut down the labor expense by asking for volunteers when it comes time for the actual work. The high school students have promised to get in line with aid and we can use everybody else that wants to give a hand. An announcement will be made when the actual construction work will start and I feel certain that there will be volunteers galore."...WILL TEAR DOWN FENCE: The lease for the field at Hagemeister park runs out by December 15, and those in charge have made arrangements to have everything cleared away by that time. The lumber then will be returned to the Indian Packing plant while the other materials that are used are to be turned back to the owners at face value. This step is necessary, due to the fact that the city has an option on the grounds. It is this site where the new East High school may be built...BANNER FOOTBALL YEAR: With the fence assured, Green Bay can look forward to the greatest year of football it has ever experienced. The outlook has never been rosier. Both the high school teams are looking forward to a good season on the chalk marked field. Each of the squads are blessed with plenty of material and it is within the range of possibility that the state scholastic championship may be brought home to the Bay. From a professional point of view, the Packers should rate with the best teams in the middle west. Manager Murphy has a corking good squad to start off with, even better than last year when Captain Lambeau's aggregation ran off with every game until they bumped into referee Zabel and the other eleven Beloit players at the Fairy park.

CONSTRUCTION OF GRIDIRON FENCE WILL START SOON

AUG 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The work of constructing the fence that will enclose the Hagemeister park football field this year will be begun this week, according to an announcement made today by Manager Neil Murphy of the Packers' football team. The Oneida Packing company has offered to furnish men from their force to superintend the work of erecting the fence if the team will secure volunteer helpers to aid with the construction. Manager Murphy has issued a call for help to all of the high school students of the city and other public spirited citizens of the city who are interested in the pigskin sport. The lumber for the enclosure, which will be donated by the Indian Packing company, will be ready for use this week and the contractors, who will have charge of the work, Ludolf M. Hansen and Marcel Lambeau, have stated that they are ready to begin work on the fence as soon as volunteer workmen are secured. All that holds back the work now is the lack of men to help with the work and Manager Murphy feels certain that enough of them will volunteer in the next few days to permit the work to be commenced either Wednesday or Thursday. The announcement that the fence would be erected has been received with the utmost enthusiasm in all sporting circles and one of the biggest football years in the history of Green Bay is looked forward to. Murphy is now negotiating with several strong teams to sign them to come here during the season. He expects to have his complete schedule ready for publication within the next few days.

PACKERS WILL WORK TONIGHT

AUG 24 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers football squad opens their regular practice season tonight on the plant gridiron. According to Neil Murphy, there will be workouts twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays for the time being and later another night of practice will be added to the training stunts every week. Tonight's workout will start promptly at 7 o'clock and every man on the squad is expected to be on hand. The gridiron outlook grows more rosier every day! With the fence question settled the management now is in a position to book some stellar attractions for the home gridiron. Negotiations are already underway and the football fans can rest assured that they are going to be treated to the best season of pigskin chasing in the history of the moleskin game here. Some members of the Green Bay squad receiving tempting offers to play with others professional teams but the management feels confident that there will be no jumping from the ranks due to the fact that the inducements are better than those received from out of town teams.

GOOD PRACTICE BY FOOTBALL PLAYERS

AUG 25 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers football squad indulged in a stiff workout last night at the plant gridiron. Manager Murphy had a big squad of men on hand and quite a likely looking bunch of new material has put in appearance. Those who have seen the men at work think this year's aggregation will be better than the 1919 eleven. With but three or four exceptions, all of the veterans are back in the fold besides many star outsiders who are sure to add much strength to the aggregation. Another practice workout is schedule for Thursday night at the Packers field and Manager Murphy wants every players on the job promptly at 5 o'clock. The practice has been set ahead two hours earlier.

​WORK WILL START ON GRID FENCE SATURDAY, 2 P.M.

AUG 27 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - That's the lineup for tomorrow afternoon when all the knockers of the city (physically, not verbally) will hotfoot it to the Hagemeister field where the first nail will be driven in the first plank that will eventually become a man-sized fence enclosing the football fence. Everything is all set for the big day. The Oneida Packing company has the lumber for the fence and the men to superintend the construction work. All that is needed now is a bunch of football fans who are willing to don the royal blue denim and hop to it with a vengeance. The party won't be exclusive. Anyone that can drive a nail in a plank without converting it into a horseshoe will be received with the open arms of Manager Neil Murphy. "We can use anyone that wants to help us," said Murphy this morning. "The fellows don't have to have a college education. All we want is a bunch of fellows that aren't afraid of the business end of a hammer when used lawfully. Everything is all set for the occasion. Marcel Lambeau will be there to boss the job, but he has promised that he won't play up his job too strong. With a bunch of fellows to help us out we ought to have the fence completed inside of a week." With football the chief topic of conversation on every street corner, it is expected that they will have to build a temporary fence on the field to keep the crowd back. Everyone interested in pigskin shooting will be on hand to pick on the first nail and rarin' to go. It is rumored that they intend to make the regular hammer wielders look consumptive.

STAMBAUGH TO FACE PACKERS HERE OCTOBER 10

AUG 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - If Manager Neil Murphy of the Packers is able to complete negotiations with Menominee, the lid will be titled off the 1920 football season in Green Bay Sunday September 19. The Packers' schedule is beginning to mold into form, and it is expected that the chart of games for the year will be completed before the second week in September. Stambaugh plays here on October 10, and a two game series with Beloit is certain. Other contests are pending with Racine, Dubuque, Rockford Maroons and a couple of crack Chicago elevens...FENCE WORK PROGRESSING: The work on the fence is progressing rapidly. A few volunteers answered the call on Saturday and nearly all the posts were set in. The enclosure will be larger than first planned as the fence will be put around a space large enough not only for football but baseball also. This shift in plans came are G.A. Walter, Jr., of the Hagemeister Realty company, owners of the field, inspected the gridiron outlay on Saturday morning. In case the school board does not exercise its option on the land, it is quite possible that the fence will be permanent instead of only temporary...PRACTICE ON TUESDAY: The Packers will resume their practice stunts tomorrow afternoon at 5 o'clock at the Packers' gridiron. Coach Dalton will have charge of the workout and he will put the candidates through a thorough course of sprouts.

FOOTBALL SQUAD MEETS TONIGHT

SEPT 1 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Manager Neil Murphy of the Packers football squad has called a meeting of the team tonight in the council chambers at the City hall at 7:30. Every candidate is urged to be on the job promptly. Coach Dalton will hold his first blackboard talk and he will explain the code of signals which will be used throughout the season.

AFTER BIG GAME

SEPT 2 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Manager Neil Murphy of the Green Bay Packers has opened negotiations with Jim Thorpe's Canton Bulldogs. The Ohio team wants a "pot of gold" for playing here but there still is a possibility that the contest may be closed up.

PACKERS TO HAVE CLASSY GRIDIRON MACHINE-DALTON

SEPT 4 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "Unless all signs fail," said Coach Dalton of the Packers football team, "we will have one of the fastest professional football machines in the middle west." That was his reply to a query about how the team looked to him. "I heard about the Packers before I came here," continued Dalton. "You know I was down near Janesville for the last two years, except when I was in the service, and the people down there are still talking about your Green Bay team. When Manager Murphy asked me to take charge of the team, I was greatly pleased but not until I saw the bunch in action did the outlook size us so rosy to me. We will be ready to go towards the last of September and by the time we have worn off the rough spots in the first couple of games we will be all set for the best of 'em. The squad contained no end of good material. Practically every man is a gridiron veteran, and from the way they cut capers in practice every one of 'em seems to be bubbling over with pep."

PACKERS SQUAD WORKING HARD

SEPT 8 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers are not letting any grass grow under their feet, and Manager Murphy's squad is putting in lots of time indulging in practice licks. With the Stambaugh game less than a month away, the Bay squad will have to do a lot of lively stepping in order to be in shape for the Miners from the Copper country. The team is working out twice a week on the plant gridiron and it is the intention of the management to add another workout each week in the near future. Coach Dalton, who is in charge of the team, continues to wax enthusiastic over the squad and he hasn't gone back on his prediction that the Packers will have one of the strongest elevens in the middle west.

LAMBEAU TO TAKE CHARGE OF EAST

SEPT 8 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The cup of joy at East high school is already flowing over because it has been officially announced that Curley Lambeau, pigskin star extraordinary, will again take over the football reigns at the Hilltoppers institution. For a time it was feared that Lambeau might be out of town during the week and this would of course have shut off any possible chances of him coaching the team. However, all fears have been set at rest and Lambeau will be right on the job for the rest of the season with the red and white players. There is no question but that this boosts East's football stock about a hundred percent. With Coach Lambeau at the helm and a wealth of veteran material to build on, the East Siders are already beginning to have visions of a championship aggregation.

FOOTBALL ELEVENS REFUSE TO BATTLE ON OPENING DATES

SEPT 11 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) -"It seems as if the professional football team are not any too anxious to hook up with the Packers early in the season," stated Manager Neil Murphy when he was questioned about his schedule. "As yet we have been unable to close a game for either the nineteenth or twenty-sixth of September, I have been negotiating with nearly every eleven in the state for the opening date without success. They are willing to play us later in the year, but they won't consider September dates. We will have some sort of game here two weeks from Sunday even if we have to split up the squad and play 'em against each other." The Packers' manager stated that the October and November dates are being rapidly filled. Games with Stambaugh, Ishpeming, Beloit and Janesville have been closed up and negotiations are well on the road to completion with Milwaukee, Rock Island and Dubuque. In the meantime the team is working out three times a week under the watchful eye of Coach Dalton and the squad will be right on edge when the whistle blows for the opening game.

BELOIT TO CLASH WITH PACKERS AT PARK OCTOBER 31

SEPT 14 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Three more games have been closed by Manager Neil Murphy for his Packer football team. On Sunday October 17, the East End Badgers of Marinette will be seen in action at Hagemeister park. The Twin City aggregation on paper looks like a husky aggregation. Among the pigskin stars in their lineup are: Wagner, Erdlitz, Nelson, Hanson and Bushe. The Beloit contests are signed up and according to the contract each team is to post a $200 guarantee before October 15 to bind the terms. The Beloit eleven comes here on Sunday October 31, and the Packers travel to Beloit on Sunday November 14. Each team will furnish one official for the games. As yet Manager Murphy has been unable to sign up any opposition for an opening game on September 26 but he is burning the wires around the state in an attempt to secure an opponent.

PACKERS TO OPEN SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 26; ANNOUNCE GAMES

SEPT 16 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers will open their 1920 football season here on Sunday September 26. This announcement was made today by Manager Neil Murphy who states that he has negotiations underway with two teams, either Little Chute or a crack Chicago eleven for the lid lifting date. On October 3, the Kaukauna American Legion squad will play here. October 10, Stambaugh comes here. October 17, the North End Badgers of Marinette are booked. October 24, the Packers will clash with De Pere. The following Sunday, October 31, the Beloit team will be in action at Hagemeister park. Sunday November 7, the Milwaukee All-Stars are scheduled. On Sunday November 14 the Packers will pay a return game with Beloit. Ishpeming plays here on Sunday November 21. 

The following Sunday, November 28, is still open but Manager Murphy hopes to land the Rockford Independents for this date...PLAYERS WORKING HARD: Under Coach Dalton's direction, the Packers are working out three times a week at the plant gridiron and it is said that the team is rapidly rounding into shape. A glance over the lineup shows the following men taking their turn in the practice stunts: Center Klaus and Sauber; Guards, Zoll and Klaus; Tackles, Wilson, Powers and Dummochelle; Ends, Martell, Abrams, Dwyer and Matterick; quarterback, Medley; Backfield, Ladrow, Rosenow, Dalton, Ladrow, Wagner, McLean and Bero.

LAMBEAU PLAYS

SEPT 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - In the list of candidates working out for the Packers football team, Curley Lambeau's name was omitted from the backfield candidates due to an error in makeup. However, Lambeau will be there, going just as fast as ever before and he is expected to star for the Packers as in the days of old. Lambeau will probably play right halfback and will probably be called upon to do all the forward pass throwing.

EDUCATION BOARD PUTS ITS O.K. ON ARMISTICE GAME

SEPT 18 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - As predicted in last night's issue of The Press-Gazette, the board of Education sanctioned the switch of the East-West football game from Thanksgiving day to Armistice day, November 11. The board took unanimous action endorsing the plan at the meeting Friday evening. Schools will be closed at noon on this day and the board is expecting that the Association of Commerce and the city officials will cooperate in the move to have a half holiday declared throughout the city...LAMBEAU IS HIRED: Curley Lambeau was officially hired by the board as a football coach at East high. He will work with Schneider, faculty athletic director, in directing the team and during his spare moments will teach manual training. The board decided to repair the football dressing rooms in the basement at East High and the shower baths will again be put in shape for use.

CHICAGO BOOSTERS TO MEET PACKERS SUNDAY AFTERNOON

SEPT 20 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Calderons of Chicago, now playing under the name of the Chicago Boosters, will be the football attraction at Hagemeister park next Sunday. Manager Neil Murphy of the Packers closed for this game over the long distance phone last night. The Windy City aggregation is one of the strongest in the Chicago City league. In 1919, they scored victories over the Pullman, Thorns, Racine Cardinals and played a 7-7 tie with the Moline eleven. Manager Bates claims his team will be faster than ever this year. The Chicago eleven will arrive here Saturday night over the Northwestern at 9:45. Arrangements are being made to entertain the team during their stay in Green Bay. The gridiron will be in tip top shape for the opening game. A gang of men will be busy all week laying out the gridiron, setting up the goal posts and sideline fences.

VETERAN REFEREE TO OFFICIATE PACKERS GAMES

SEPT 21 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - When the Packers prance out on the gridiron Sunday afternoon at Hagemeister park for their gridiron conflict with the Chicago Boosters, they will be resplendent with new jerseys. The other equipment from last year is in A-1 shape and the team will have an outfit complete as any in the state. Manager Neil Murphy has closed with R.T. Repenning, a former Chicago football league official, to officiate in all home games of the Packers. Repenning is well recommended by Chicagoans for his work on the gridiron and the local grid magnates feel confident that his work will prove satisfactory here. As a matter of prevention, blanket insurance against injury has been taken out for the Packer team. Furthermore arrangements have been closed with Dr. F.S. Rudolph to act as official field doctor.

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CHICAGO BOOSTERS COMING HERE WITH STAR AGGREGATION

SEPT 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Coached by Jack Studebaker, former Indiana university star, and managed by Harry Bates, ex-Princeton footballer, the Chicago Boosters are coming here with an all-star aggregation in an attempt to take the Packers into camp in their game here on Sunday. The lineup of the Windy City team has been forwarded here and it includes many crack footballers. The list of players is as 

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1920 GREEN BAY PACKERS

Delloye, Powers, Dwyer, Klaus, Nichols, Rosenow, Wilson, Sauber, N. Murphy, Tebo, Petcka, Gavin, Wheeler, Lambeau, Ladrow, Wagner, Dalton, F. Jonet, Zoll, Leaper, Zoll, Martell, McLean, Abrams, Medley (SOURCE: The Wearing of the Green and Gold)

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Tale of two Hagemeister ballparks

 

GREEN BAY—At first glance, the two pictures above might look nearly identical – or as though they were taken of the same ballpark, at least. In truth, both pictures were taken in Hagemeister Park, the original home of the Packers, but they are of two different ballparks and were shot in two different years. First, some background. The Packers played at Hagemeister Park, currently the site of Green Bay East High School and City Stadium, from 1919 through 1922. In 1919, they played on an open field. There was no fence or seating. The old minor league baseball park that had doubled as a football grounds was torn down in the spring of 1918, much to the chagrin of the local sporting crowd. Its members howled that it was a disgrace a city the size of Green Bay didn’t have an adequate ballpark. Clearly, the Packers were lucky to survive their first season without one and their second season might have hung in the balance had something not been done about it. Fortunately, C.M. “Neil” Murphy (pictured below), a local typewriter salesman, was named business manager of the Packers in July of 1920 and began the push to build a fence around the playing field at Hagemeister so the Packers could charge admission. Roughly six weeks later, construction on the fence began. In late September, workers began painting signs on the fence. In mid-October, three games into the season, wooden bleachers holding 700 fans were constructed on the north side of the field. A week later, with a big crowd expected for a game against De Pere, more stands, seating roughly 800, were erected on the south side of the field. The top picture is almost certainly that ballpark. The Neville Public Museum of Brown County has the photo in its collection, but not an accurate caption. The evidence – or proof – that it was the 1920 ballpark can be found in the Council Meats sign on the fence and the bleachers on each side. Council Meats was Indian Packing’s brand, and Indian Packing sponsored the Packers for only their first two seasons. What’s more, the bleachers fit the description of what was written in the Green Bay Press-Gazette about the construction and number of seats. But here was the kicker. The lease signed by the Hagemeister Realty Co., owner of the property, and Murphy required the fence be taken down at the end of the season and the lumber be returned to the Indian Packing Plant. Those terms were carried out in early December and shortly thereafter Acme Packing purchased Indian Packing. In early 1921, Green Bay was granted a franchise in the Lake Shore League, an amateur or semipro baseball circuit. But one requirement was that it have a ballpark with a fence and grandstands. Acme Packing agreed to give back the lumber to rebuild the ballpark and construction began in mid-April at the same spot in Hagemeister, where the previous year’s ballpark stood. But this time plans called for a grandstand seating 1,100 and bleachers seating 700. The ballpark was all but completed in two weeks – in time for the start of the baseball season. The Packers were admitted to what is now the NFL in August of 1921 and the capacity of the park was enlarged to 3,600 with both bleacher and grandstand seating. The seats along the sidelines stretched between the 20-yard lines on both sides of the field. This time the ballpark remained standing for two seasons or until construction began on East High School in 1923. The Neville collection identifies the picture below as a September 1922 game, which if accurate means it would have been a non-league game played against Duluth. The Canned Meats sign – with the Red Crown and Council products highlighted on each side – supports that it had to be a 1921 or ’22 game. When Acme purchased Indian, it announced it would continue to produce its own Red Crown brand, as well as Indian’s Council brand. Plus, there’s a covered grandstand that’s visible above the sign, a feature the 1921-’22 ballpark had that the 1920 version didn’t. SOURCE: Cliff Christl - Packers.com (June 26th 2014)

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Earl 'Curly' Lambeau poses for a photo in Green Bay, WI, circa 1919

 

High Five: Biggest myths about Packers' birthday

 

On August 11, the Packers will turn 97 and this upcoming season will be their 98th. Excuse me for constantly beating the drums on this, but it is the greatest story in sports. While there is much that we know about how it all started, there also are a number of needless myths that have been created about the Packers’ birth. Believe me, the story can stand on its own. It was a miracle in the making and needs no embellishment. That said, there are things about the team’s formation that we don’t know and may never know because they weren’t recorded at the time, or at least nobody has found any records of them yet. They include: How many people were at the first meeting and who they were; the full story of why Curly Lambeau left Notre Dame following the fall semester in 1918 and why he didn't go back in the fall of 1919; and whether or not a street-corner conversation between Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun set in motion the events leading up to the Aug. 11 meeting, held in the editorial offices of the old Green Bay Press-Gazette building. And then there are the story’s biggest falsehoods.

1. The Press-Gazette ran an advance notice of the first meeting inviting prospective players to attend. – In his book, “The Packer Legend: An Inside Look,” former executive committee member John Torinus wrote that Calhoun “ran stories for several weeks, inviting football players to an organizational meeting.” Clearly, Torinus never bothered to look back at those old issues. I’ve searched twice through every edition of the Press-Gazette published in 1919, searched a third time through every edition published a month prior to Aug. 11 and a fourth time through every edition published a week prior and found no advance notice of a meeting, either in editorial copy or in a display or classified ad. Mary Jane Herber, head of the local history department at the Brown County Library, also looked through every paper the week prior to the meeting and found no notice. Research is ongoing. If anyone has found any proof of a notice being published before the first meeting, please inform me.

2. George Calhoun was sports editor of the Press-Gazette when the Packers were founded. – By all accounts, he was the city editor. Roughly four years ago, former Press-Gazette publisher Kevin Corrado followed up on my request to see if the paper still had a personnel file on Calhoun. Nothing was found. But there was plenty of evidence in the paper and elsewhere to show Calhoun wasn’t sports editor. In the 1920 U.S. Census, taken Jan. 5 of that year, Calhoun was identified as the paper’s city editor. Prior to the huge buildup for the Oct. 19, 1919, Packers-Ishpeming game, the Marquette Daily Mining Journal identified Calhoun as the Packers’ manager, as well as city editor of the Press-Gazette. What’s more, Calhoun’s sports column and byline had disappeared from the sports pages almost a year before the Packers were organized. Let’s backtrack here to the beginning of Calhoun’s association with the Press-Gazette. In the spring of 1917, he left the Green Bay Review to become the Press-Gazette’s telegraph editor. Within four months, Alfred Israel, the Press-Gazette’s sports columnist, left the paper to serve in World War I and Calhoun took on the assignment of writing a sports column, although his duties as telegraph editor likely consumed most of his time. In those days, the Press-Gazette sports section consisted of less than a page of copy, sometimes less than half a page and there was no Sunday paper. Calhoun ceased writing a sports column as of Sept. 21, 1918, although he covered the Green Bay East-West football game on Dec. 7, 1918. With Allied forces breaching the Hindenburg Line and German troops in retreat, as well as the launching of a fourth Liberty Bond campaign a week away, the Press-Gazette also dropped its partial sports page on Sept. 21 and focused even more on its war coverage. Whatever sports news there was, it appeared randomly and sporadically on its pages, at least until Val Schneider replaced Calhoun as sports columnist a little more than two months after the war ended. Schneider’s first column appeared on Jan. 20, 1919, and his last on May 7, 1920. It wasn’t until Jan. 21, 1921, that Calhoun resumed writing his “Cal’s Comments” column and covering sports again. That said, when the Press-Gazette moved into its current building in August 1924, it had a nine-member editorial staff, but still no sports editor. Calhoun was telegraph editor and sportswriter, suggesting the paper had never had a sports editor to that point.

3. The Packers were a spur-of-the-moment creation when it dawned on Lambeau in late summer 1919 he had no football team to play for that fall. – Schneider wrote for the first time on April 29, 1919, that there was “considerable comment passed around this city” about the prospects of forming a state championship caliber city football team. Schneider also would mention it three more times in his columns before the Aug. 11 meeting. It’s also possible Lambeau and Frank Peck, president of the Indian Packing Co., talked about sponsorship of a different kind, months before the football season started. On May 15, 1919, a new City Industrial Baseball League was organized in the editorial department of the Press-Gazette. Although the Indian Packing Co., wasn’t represented, it intended to join the league, according to the next day’s story in the paper, and Lambeau was appointed to the schedule committee. Based on the Press-Gazette’s coverage, organization of the baseball league was as big, if not bigger, than the formation of the Packers. While Indian Packing didn’t join the league in the end, Lambeau and Schneider were teammates on the Whales, another league member. Actually, Lambeau played on several teams that year, including an All-Star team that faced a U.S. Navy team in the biggest game of the summer. The game was played a week before the Packers were born and Lambeau went 3-for-4 in a losing cause. In fact, Lambeau played for Seymour, a neighboring town west of Green Bay, on Aug. 10, the day before the Packers’ initial meeting.

4. Lambeau was the first coach of the Packers. – Lambeau was captain in 1919, but Bill Ryan held the title of coach. At this point, it would be impossible to distinguish between their duties. For example, the Sept. 8, 1919, Press-Gazette stated Lambeau had run practice the previous day, but “Coach Ryan wants every man on the squad to report for practice at the Packing(sic) plant gridiron tonight at 6:45.” On Sept. 12, the Press-Gazette noted, “Coach Ryan’s Packers are working their heads off to get on edge for the initial battle,” and then two sentences later added, “Capt. Lambeau is not worrying as he has a big squad to select from.” Ryan also was the football coach at Green Bay West High School that year. In fact, West High and the Packers scrimmaged against each other during the season. By mid-October, Lambeau also became a coach. He joined Otto Bacher and the two served as co-coaches at East High for the remainder of the season.

5. Lambeau was a foreman at the Indian Packing Plant when he asked Peck to sponsor the team. – Lambeau was listed as a foreman at the packing plant in the 1920 census, but he was listed as a receiving clerk on his marriage license. The license was issued Aug. 15, 1919, or just four days after the Packers were born. SOURCE: Cliff Christl - Packers.com (August 11th 2016)

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YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF THE MOST UNIQUE RECEIVER IN PACKERS HISTORY: THE (PARTIAL) STORY OF GUS ROSENOW, AN ORIGINAL PACKER AND FORGOTTEN GREEN BAY WONDER

 

Sunday, November 28, 1920. The Green Bay Packers were at the end of the schedule, facing the Lapham Athletic Club of Milwaukee. The 26-0 Packers victory that day wrapped up a 9-1-1 regular season, the Packers’ second as an independent team under captain Curly Lambeau’s guidance, organization, and stellar play. One of Green Bay’s scores that day, against Lapham’s valiant but ultimately overmatched defense, came via a 30-yard touchdown pass. In those days this was quite a feat. Lambeau’s eye towards an aerial offensive attack was formed during his collegiate years playing for Notre Dame and coach Knute Rockne. But in 1920, the Packers were just beginning to start the forward-thinking revolution. Johnny “Blood” McNally was nearly a decade away from furthering Green Bay’s advanced use of passing. Don Hutson didn’t debut for the Packers until 1935. In their second season as a team, the Packers didn’t have someone to make the sort of plays as often as Hutson or McNally would later. But on November 28, 1920, a lanky backfielder made a “flying catch of the oval” – as it was described in the next day’s issue of the Green Bay Press-Gazette – for a 30-yard touchdown. He made it like Gus Rosenow made all his catches as a member of the original Packers teams: One-handed. Packers history is scattered with one-handed grabs by receivers. Max McGee’s reaching-back, hungover snare and gallop for a touchdown in Super Bowl I. Randall Cobb’s one-handed over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone against the Bears last season on Sunday Night Football. Jordy Nelson pulling in some out-of-reach missile from Aaron Rodgers. There are thousands of examples, all in some way shocking as it happens. Grabs with one hand are always memorable in the moment. They all draw the same instant reaction: Was that one-handed? Did he actually catch that?The degree of difficulty is high. We respond accordingly when it happens. Gus Rosenow’s one-handed catches were different, though. Rosenow made them with the only hand he had.

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Gus Rosenow, the Packers backfielder, is a mystery lost largely to time. He isn’t listed on the team’s all-time roster – the 2014 team media guide starts with the 1921 season to the present. He doesn’t show up in Pro Football Reference, the seemingly all-encompassing online database for the sport. His name is included in some captions of team photos from 1919 and 1920, often just listed as “Rosenow.” Those days, this is how players were referred to in local papers. Surnames only – Lambeau, Rosenow, Abrams, Dwyer – no first names, only a first initial to distinguish Carl and Martin Zoll, brothers on those early Packers squads. Anyway, being about six feet tall, Rosenow is always in the back row of these pictures. From every photo I could find, there is no photographic evidence that Rosenow had only one hand. In one, his torso is visible but his arms are crossed. Only one hand can be seen, though that’s hardly concrete proof that Rosenow was a one-handed pass-catcher. More than that, the more I started going through contemporary books and online resources, the more I realized there was hardly any noteworthy mention of Rosenow on those original Packers teams. (Other than the fact that he was listed as a member of the team.) You’d be lucky to find a position for him through online research, which often turns up at least basic information on a former Packers player, much less an original. That’s what was intriguing me: For the mythos attached to these teams – Lambeau, George Whitney Calhoun and the team creationism stories that read almost like folklore – it felt strange to have so little on one of those players. Especially one who not only played with one hand, but played really well, by most accounts, with one hand. It made me wonder: How big of an impact was Gus Rosenow on the original Packers teams? And did he really play with one hand? That seems like an interesting story in any age. Then, I remembered part of what Cliff Christl, Packers team historian and longtime Wisconsin sportswriter, told me about the early, early Packers when we spoke in late 2014: “The history, that early history, is pretty muddled,” he told me. “And in fact the true story is better than the myth, which is a rarity.” If Gus Rosenow was lost in time, the only place to go was back into that history. To find some true accounts of those teams and games. Try to learn more about a guy who it seemed shouldn’t have gotten lost in the shuffle. Even if we are approaching 100 years since the 1919 team, shouldn’t a one-handed receiver get a closer look? The best way to get the pulse of day-to-day goings-on from generations gone by is eye-crossing microfilm of old daily newspapers. So I went back to 1919. And the start of a local football team.

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First, an admission. I had no idea who Gus Rosenow was before I meandered across an archived article online. It was from the Iron Ore newspaper, which at the time covered the Twin City football team of Ishpeming-Negaunee, Michigan. On October 19, 1919, the Packers went up to Ishpeming to face an undefeated Twin City team. The Iron Ore’s account says Green Bay’s speed and depth overwhelmed the home team in a 33-0 Packers win. Then, in the second-to-last paragraph of the write-up, this (emphasis mine): “Lambeau, the Green Bay captain, played a star game. He is a former Notre Dame fullback and displays the result of expert coaching. Rosenow, a one-armed player who entered the game in the last half, showed cleverness at dodging. He also did the kicking during the time he was in the game.” At this point, to me, he was a one-armed player. This would, of course, add even more impressive weight to his contributions on the field. Also, the same amount of intrigue for me all these decades later. And as mentioned, one team picture shows him standing, torso visible, with what appear to be a pair of crossed arms. Was he one-handed or one-armed? Was this article out of its mind? Was it some weird, dated figure of speech? (For example: Teams were often described as “husky” in old newspaper stories, which I believe was a compliment.) It wasn’t clear at all, but one thing was: This disappointed Iron Ore account of the Packers’ sixth game of 1919 – that one sentence spent on a guy called Rosenow – opened up the rabbit hole. So what follows is what I now know about Gus Rosenow, his life circa 1919-1921 in Green Bay and with the Packers, then his post-football life after. It is a rough, incomplete timeline of sorts, from information gathered online and in text, through correspondences, and in plenty of microfilm from the Green Bay Press-Gazette back in the day.

Gustav Adolph Rosenow – called “Rosie” with the Packers and later “G.A. Rosenow” – was born in 1892. He probably grew up in Menasha and definitely studied in the College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin. Shortly after college he started as a teacher and coach at Green Bay West High School. Newspaper accounts call him a “high-class” basketball coach. After the 1919 Packers season Rosenow returned to the hardwood sidelines for West. By 1920 he’s called the school’s faculty athletic advisor. Meanwhile, Lambeau and Calhoun were busy trying to put together a football team. An article from Wednesday, August 13, 1919 includes a partial list of candidates for the new squad. Rosenow is not mentioned. He also isn’t part of a longer roll call of 38 guys in the next day’s edition. Rosenow was also a football coach at West. An August 30, 1919 brief in the Green Bay Press-Gazette says Rosenow was set to coach the West football team. And in the same issue there’s a notice: The first Packers practice will occur next Wednesday night, September 3. On September 5, a report from West’s first practice sits next to a write-up on the Packers’ second workout. The Packers, according to the Press-Gazette, were being coached by West head man Bill Ryan, and captained by Lambeau. Then, in the Saturday, September 13 edition of the paper – a day before Green Bay’s first game against Menominee – “Rosenow” is listed under the “FB” position in the lineup. (Lineups were usually printed before and after games, occasionally but not always along with scoring summaries.) Just like that he was there. We don’t really know how or what exactly happened. But, maybe, who: Somehow, Lambeau and Calhoun came calling. Because by September 23, when West announces its 1919 football schedule in the newspaper, only W.J. Ryan is named as coach. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Rosenow was totally out as coach at West. But somewhere between August 30 – when he was set to be West’s head football coach – and September 23, something changed.

In a preview of the 1961 NFL Championship between the Packers and New York Giants, famed sportswriter Red Smith mentions the 1919 outfit. (By the ‘60s the Packers legend as a team of champions built from little more than snow and an idea was already firmly rooted in NFL lore.) Rosenow is, Smith writes, “among the hometown mob that Curly Lambeau recruited for the Packers’ first season.” Smith continues with this aside between dashes, mid-sentence, writing, “Rosenow, the coach at West High, was a one-handed end and a remarkable pass receiver.” Forty-two years later, Red Smith’s attention to detail offers a great bit of assurance. Still, before and after I came across Smith’s article, I was curious how an astonishing footnote like this was hardly getting any press attention at the time. When that turned up, I’d have my first real feeling of discovery. To make matters stranger, a feature in the September 24, 1919 edition of the Press-Gazette spotlighted John Sullivan, a sophomore football player at Green Bay West. Sullivan had only one leg. In practice he hobbled on a crutch, got close enough to the tackling dummy, then dove. He hit as hard as anyone on the team, the dummy “bounds against the earth with a thump,” the article says, when Sullivan would collide with it. An interesting story by itself, to be sure. And, of course, made weirder by the fact that one of his coaches – now a Packers player – also played with one less extremity. It shows where the Packers were on the public’s radar while they were starting out. Specifics behind Rosenow joining are never mentioned in the local newspaper. But he was on the Packers’ roster. He scored a touchdown in their 53-0 victory over Menominee. He’s in the pregame lineup again for the next game against Marinette, a 61-0 win. And for the first time, on Thursday, September 25, he’s listed among the names of players who need to be in attendance for tomorrow’s practice. Daily coverage of the team was picking up. Games were all painted as fights to the bitter end – a 54-0 win over New London was called a “hard-fought battle.” In October, the paper started running a series of features by Walter Camp explaining the role and duties of each position on the football field. Rosenow scored a touchdown in the aforementioned win over Ishpeming-Negaunee. Two days after the Packers’ next game – an 85-0 decimating of the Oshkosh Professionals – on October 28, a day without any other Packers-related stories in the paper, Rosenow’s one-handed uniqueness got some ink. In a regularly-appearing sports column called “Looking Em Over”, writer Val Schneider would run through various talking points in a bullet point sort of style. It was, oftentimes, something like a late night talk show host’s monologue, in written form. In one of his spaces that day, Schneider writes: “Many spectators who have witnessed the football games in which the Packers have participated marvel at the playing of Gustav Rosenow, half back. “Rosie,” as he is familiarly called has but one hand, but his does not seem to handicap him at all. He is able to spear forward passes with the best of pass receivers, is a good open field runner and line smasher. “His greatest asset, however, one connected with his backfield duties, is giving interference. Rosenow is a past master in the art of blocking and spills the opposition with due regularity. When he goes for a man he always gets him.” And there is probably the most detailed, lengthy portrait of Gus Rosenow of the Green Bay Packers. He’d get nods here and there in game recaps. He scored twice against Chicago on November 9. After a winter coaching basketball at West High, he returned to the Packers, injuring himself in the October 3, 1920 game against the Kaukauna American Legion. The following week he is listed in the paper’s injury report on October 7: “The lanky backfielder’s knee got a bad twisting in last Sunday’s game.” Rosenow played the following Sunday versus the Stambaugh Miners. The contest was played in terrible conditions, the Press-Gazette calling the pouring rain the “the worst gridiron day in the history of the game here.” Water rose up to player’s ankles, everyone so caked in mud it was difficult to tell the two sides apart. In this game, a 3-0 Packers win, Rosenow caught the only completion for either side: A 15-yard catch in the third quarter. He caught a 20-yard pass from Lambeau the next week against the Marinette Professionals and ran in a touchdown three plays later. Green Bay won 25-0. Rosenow made a “nifty” 30-yard grab on Beloit in a 7-0 Packers victory on October 31. Rosenow’s name was peppered into write-ups. You never knew where it’d come up. Or if. Rosenow was listed in the lineup for the November 7 contest against the Milwaukee All-Stars, and in the following week’s 14-3 loss to the Beloit Fairies. (A quick word on Beloit: During these first two seasons the Fairies were arguably Green Bay’s fiercest rival. Beloit upset the 1919 Packers in the last game of the season on November 23. The 6-0 contest nearly caused riots due to dubious officiating – and no doubt, gambling money lost. The referee, allegedly using an outdated rulebook from 1918, according to the Janesville Daily Gazette, called an offsides penalty on Green Bay, wiping the tying touchdown off the board. A December rematch was set for $5,000, the Janesville Daily Gazette notes, but was later cancelled by Beloit’s manager due to unseasonably cold weather. In any event, Beloit served up both of Green Bay’s only losses in 1919 and 1920. There was bad blood here.) Previewing the Packers next game against Menominee after the 14-3 Beloit loss, the Eau Claire Leader wrote about Green Bay leaving the defeat an injured, beaten up team. Lambeau was hurt. And, as the Leader puts it, “Rosenow, another back, was pretty much used up at Beloit.” Rosenow wasn’t in the lineup against Menominee. Or the next, against Stambaugh, on November 25. He returned Sunday, November 28, 1920, where he made the “flying catch of the oval” for his 30-yard touchdown against the Lapham Athletic Club of Milwaukee. The Packers won. And Rosenow’s career with the team was effectively done. SOURCE: Packerland Pride magazine (March 19th 2015)

follows: Sacks, Fraster, LaOcha and Paden, ends; Annes, Hayes, Cropp and Bond, tackles; Bomark and Biepgrass, guards; Koeing, center; Applehans, quarter; Neilsen, Alexandra, Capt. Knop, Reilley, Miller and Goodman, backs...PACKERS WORKING HARD: The Packers are working nightly to get in shape for the game. Several additions have been made to the squad. Wagner, former Marinette High star, will be playing in the backfield, while Schneider, coach at East High, former Kenyon college star, will hold down one of the tackle positions. "Turk" Warwick, Defresne and Lurquin will help bolster the line positions.

HOEFFEL TO OFFICIATE THIS FALL UPON GRID

SEPT 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The call of the gridiron has again attracted Joe Hoeffel, former Wisconsin captain and mentioned by Walter Camp on his second All-American team. No, Hoeffel isn't going to play but he has accepted an offer by the Packers management and he will act as an official in all of the game that the Green Bay eleven stages this year. The old Badger grid star has been in retirement for a long while. He couldn't be induced to play, coach or officiate but conditions this year look for such a successful gridiron season here that he has jumped on the bandwagon and will ride along with the rest.

CRACK FOOTBALL MAN SIGNS WITH PACKERS ELEVEN

SEPTEMBER 24 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Wagner has arrived. And the Packers football stock has been boosted 20 percent. He reported for practice last night. Football fans here remember Wagner. He was the captain of Marinette's state championship football team that won the title game from Watertown here three years ago at the league park. It was Wagner's forward passing to Peters that enabled the speedy Twin City end to dash 

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across the goal line three times for the only scores. Wagner saw Army service.

CHICAGO BOOSTERS MEET PACKERS ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON

SEPT 25 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Sunday afternoon at Hagemeister park the Packers will battle the Chicago Boosters in the opening game of the professional football season in this part of the state. The kickoff is scheduled promptly at 3 o'clock and 13-minute periods will be played. Preparations have been made to handle a large crowd. The sidelines markers are up and the field will be kept clear of spectators. There will be room galore inside the fence because no autos will be given parking space inside the field. The Chicago squad, twenty strong, gets in tonight over the Northwestern at 9:15 p.m. They will be quartered at the Sherwood hotel during their stay in Green Bay. The Windy City aggregation will indulge in a short workout Sunday morning at the field. The Packers are ready to go. With the exception of two men, Coach Dalton's team is right on edge for the initial fracas and the Green Bay eleven can be counted on to give the visitors the hottest kind of a gridiron argument.

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PRINTERS WORKING OVERTIME

NOV 30 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - A hurry call for more tickets was sounded in football camps of the city this morning when it was found that the 3,000 pasteboards for the Riggie Dwyer benefit game had been gobbled up. At a meeting of the football men and boosters held at Hagemeister's Monday night, the first block of tickets printed was disposed of and this morning Neil Murphy, manager of the Packers, had placed orders for a new block of tickets for the Dwyer benefit game which will be stages Sunday at Hagemeister Park. Not only has the fervor to help Rig Dwyer, who lies at St. Vincent's hospital the victim of a railroad accident, but Green Bay and De Pere has heard the call and two loyal knights from the southland in the persons of Doc Schumert and Doc Curtin appeared at the booster meeting Monday night and carried back several hundred tickets with them. The tickets will be sold in De Pere...TAKE ALL TICKETS: Those at the benefit meeting held Monday night took every available ticket. The sales today were reported to be going fast. That more calls for tickets will be sounded before the gate open Sunday was predicted by Manager Neil Murphy today. Persons who are skeptical and believe that the game will be a hit and miss affair are to be badly disappointed. The Bellevue lads as well as the Northern Paper Mill men are training hard this week and Curley Lambeau, who leads the ice cream mixers, promises a hot scrap with Dalton's paper makers. The two men still have the friendly football fight left from the inter-high school game and will drive their teams hard to beat another. Lambeau is certain that his charges will whip Dalton's men as East beat West but Dalton predicts that the "worm will turn." All persons who have taken out tickets for the game will be asked to attend the booster meeting which is carded to be held at 7:30 Thursday night at the Armory...ALL WORK FREE: A check of all tickets sold will be made Thursday night to find the exact status of the benefit fund. Every dollar turned in for the sale of tickets will go into the fund; players, officials and everyone connected with the game Sunday will work gratis. No complimentaries will be issued and a ticket, bought and paid for, will be the only admission recognized at the gate. Agitation for a preliminary tilt to the Bellevue-Northern game is now on. Boosters of the amateur teams in the city are clamoring for a game between the Junior High players and the Nelson A.C. These two teams have met twice this season and have played tie games both times. If the two teams have not yet disbanded it is possible that they might be brought together for a preliminary scrap.

THIS LAD OPENS HIS SAFE; GIVES ALL FOR TICKET

DEC 2 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Buddy Levitas is happy. Buddy is the nine year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Levitas, 210 North Madison street. Like all other small boys, Buddy has his favorite hero and in this particular case the hero is none other than Riggie Dwyer, seriously injured member of the Packers' team. Every game played in Green Bay in which Riggie appeared little Buddy was on hand to see and when he heard that Riggie was hurt the little fellow's heart was near bursting. Yesterday Buddy stole into his bedroom, got his safe and carried it to the bank where he keeps his saved nickels and dimes. At the bank the saving box was opened and Buddy carried the contents, $4.35, to the Congress Billiard parlors where he laid the money in front of his uncle, "Izzy" Abrams, and asked for a ticket for the Riggie Dwyer benefit game to be played Sunday. Buddy has a ticket and a receipt showing he paid $4.35 for the precious pasteboard and what is more Buddy is happy in the thought that he has at last done something for his hero.

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THERE WILL BE MUSIC SUNDAY WHEN FOOTBALLERS CLASH FOR REGGIE DWYER BENEFIT FUND

DEC 2 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Music with football. While it is not new it is tasty and there will be plenty of music at the Reggie Dwyer benefit game at Hagemeister's park Sunday afternoon, when the Northern Paper Mill and Bellevue Ice Cream clans lock horns. The Northern Paper Mills band has offered its services for the afternoon and will play before the game and between halves. The band will as all others donate its services. Tonight at 7:30 a mass meeting will be held at the Armory at which a check of all tickets sold thus far will be made. According to the promoters of the game, the seat sale has been large and it is expected that more than 3,500 will be announced sold when the count is completed. Following tonight's meeting another seat sale drive for the game will be launched and this will be carried on until the starting whistle blows Sunday. Football fans predict that 5,000 will witness the game Sunday if the weather is at all good. Every person who has taken tickets for sale or those who are interested in the Riggie Dwyer fund are expected to be on hand at the meeting to be held tonight...TURNS OVER EARNINGS: Dr. E.S. McNevins who has been administering professional aid to injured Packers' team players today announced that any renumeration due him for caring for the injured football men will be turned into the Dwyer fund. Dr. McNevins has, in a letter to C.M. Murphy, asserted that in payment for the professional services rendered to Lambeau, Ladrow, Maclean, Medley, Gavin and others the management of the Packers can turn any just amount over to Riggie Dwyer's fund as a mark of appreciation for his services to the team and as a token of sympathy for his loss. Joe Weber added to the list of fund boosters when he contributed $10 to the Riggie Dwyer benefit.

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TICKETS SELLING LIKE HOT CAKES FOR DWYER BENEFIT; EXPECT BIG CROWD SUNDAY

DEC 4 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Cloudy skies today did not happen the ardor of the Riggie Dwyer boosters who are bending every effort to make tomorrow's benefit game the biggest game of the season. While the sun failed to break through the fleecy skies this morning the fear of rain or snow was dispersed by the weather man who maintained that good weather would smile on the benefit game. The ticket salesman were today making their last big drive to put over the rule to get out every pasteboard printed and reports from the headquarters of the benefit boosters indicated that the sale would easily eclipse any ticket sale for a football game in Green Bay. Streams of fans have been pouring into the billiard parlors, new depots and other stations where were put through a stiff workout last night and today they were also given a light practice. Captains of the teams 

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announced that their lineups will be unchanged unless some unforeseen contingency arises. Should any team lose a man during or before the game, his place will easily be filled for there has been a host of extra 

men lined up by both captains and these special duty guards will pace the sidelines in fervent hope to get into the fracas and help their teammate and friend, Riggie Dwyer...DWYER IMPROVING: From St. Vincent's hospital where Dwyer is lying with one arm and a leg gone as a result of a railroad accident suffered by him a few weeks ago, reports that Reggie was "getting along nicely" cheered those who are planning to help him. While the injured football and basketball star is not yet able to pen a note to the boys telling them that he has heard of their efforts to help him and thanking them for the loyal support during his illness. All eyes today were turned on the members of the two contesting teams, the Northern Mills with Dalton on their whip end were said to be ready to lash Curley Lambeau's horde of Bellevues. The team under Dalton's care has had the same training administered to the Packer clan and West High boys this year while Curley has sent his mates through a stiff workout ala East high style. When the teams line up neither will be able to fathom the signals of the other for they have not alone been changed but some new trick plays inaugurated which will make the game one of the classiest staged here this season

BELLEVUE SCORE 21 TO 13 WIN OVER NORTHERN ELEVEN IN DWYER BENEFIT CONTEST

DEC 6 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) -"And the sun always shines on God's own." Some 4,000 football fans journeyed to Hagemeister Park Sunday afternoon to pay tribute to Riggie Dwyer and, incidentally, they watched the Bellevues wallop the Northerns to the tune of 21 to 13 in a pretty good exhibition of pigskin chasing. But the game was but a secondary consideration to the tribute that the Green Bay sport lovers paid to the Packer star, who lies at a local hospital maimed for life as a result of injuries suffered while railroading. Yesterday's turnout proved that the city is in sympathy with one of the best footballers that ever donned the moleskins in this part of the state. Every man, woman and child in the crowd was out there, not to witness the local stars out capers on the gridiron but to do their bit towards helping out "Riggie" in years to come. At St. Vincent's hospital, Rig Dwyer got flashes of the game and he also heard with pleasure that the teams were engaged in a real gridiron scrap - not an exhibition. It is said that words could not express his feelings when he was told that one of the biggest crowds of the season was attending "His" game...ABOUT $3,700: Aside from raising a nice little nest egg for Riggie (possibly $3,700) Sunday's contest showed that Green Bay stands back of their heroes and their favorites. The huge turnout of fans proved conclusively that no clean red blooded sportsman is lost from the hall of fame when he is forced to leave the field due to an injury. Flowers, which were donated by the Meier-Schroeder company, sold like hot cakes at the field and 

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in this manner about $32 was added to the Dwyer fund. All mingled at the Dwyer game. It was a representative attendance. It seemed as if everybody was there. Professional men rubbed shoulders with the mill hands or railroaders and there was a vast sprinkling of women in the throng that packed every seat and stood about 'steen deep around the playing field. Every cent taken in at the game went to Dwyer. Even the men at the gate has paid tickets pinned on the lapels of their coats. There wasn't a complimentary given out and, when the final returns are summed out, the total will probably set a new figure for gate receipts in the local athletic world...IDEAL FOOTBALL DAY: There wasn't a better football Sunday throughout the season. Conditions were just ideal for pigskin chasing. Old Sol beamed forth now and then just to smile on the crowd and there was enough "zip" in the north wind to keep both spectators and players on tip toe. The gridiron was as fast as chained lightning, firm of foot, and it gave both teams a chance to cut loose with open football - much to the crowd's delight. It seemed as if all roads led to Hagemeister park shortly after the noon hour. There was a steady stream of humanity pouring out of all the highways leading to the park and shortly before 2 o'clock and the latecomers big jam at the gate. Seats in both bleachers were at a premium, long before 2 o'clock and the late comers had to be satisfied with standing room along the gridiron edges. But it wasn't all a Green Bay crowd. De Pere came down with a big bunch of fans, and there were delegations in attendance from all of the neighboring towns. There was a quite a handful of fans from Marinette, and Appleton, Oshkosh and Oconto were also represented...BANDS CUT LOOSE: The Northerners togged out in the green sweaters of St. Norbert's college were to appear on the gridiron. They were followed soon after by the Bellevues, wearing the red and white uniforms of East High. The Paper Mill band broke into the scene and cut loose with a bit of music while the captains completed preliminaries in the field. A trio of stars were missing from the lineups. "Cubb" Buck played in New York Saturday with the Canton Bulldogs, and he couldn't get back in time. Art Schmael was called to Chicago on coast guard duty, while Jimmy Crowley kept on the sidelines due to the fact that it was thought best not to take any chances of damaging his amateur standing. The East Sider has some years of college football still ahead of him. Joe Hoeffel was a late arrival but he walked in just in time to pipe the whistle and out the teams in action. The Northerns kicked off and both teams showed more class on the defense than carrying the ball in the opening minutes of play. Both elevens resorted to punting. After two exchanges of kicks, the Bellevues secured the ball on their opponents' 30-yard line. Three plays netted but a few yards and Lambeau failed in a dropkick...WAGNER BREAKS ICE: The Papermakers' scrimmaged on the 20-yard line. Lambeau caught a forward pass on the 40-yard line and after two first downs. Wagner tore away on a pretty run for a touchdown. Lambeau kicked the goal. The Bellevues kicked off and it wasn't long before Lambeau intercepted another forward pas and ran to the Northern 10-yard line. Wagner then shot outside of tackle for another touchdown. Lambeau kicked the goal. The Papermakers kicked off. The Bellevues made a first down and then on a spread formation. Lambeau threw a forward pass, 30 yards down the field to Wheeler, who made a splendid catch and dashed for a touchdown. Lambeau kicked the goal. At this stage of the game, it looked like a rout for the Northerns but they pulled together and shut off any further scoring. Towards the close of the second quarter, Dalton got away for a 30-yard run and he followed this by tossing a forward to Ladrow, who galloped for a touchdown. Dalton missed the goal. At the halftime the Bellevues were leading 21 to 6....FINAL TOUCHDOWN: There was no scoring in the third quarter. The Northerns stiffened their defense and smeared up the Bellevues' aerial attack. At the start of the third period, the Northerns made a first down, putting the ball on the Bellevues' 20 yard mark. Ladrow, aided by great interference, got around right end for a touchdown. Dalton kicked the goal. This ended the scoring. There was a lot of brilliant individual work and some mighty hard tackling. Some of the players were growling at each other before the final whistle blew but this only showed how hard they were scrapping for a victory. Lambeau, Wagner, Wheeler and "Dutch" Dwyer, brother to "Riggie", were the stars for the Bellevues while Ladrow, Dalton and Rosenow played consistently for the Northerns.

RIGGIE DWYER IS GIVEN $4,053.02

DEC 9 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The benefit football game netted $4,053.02 for Riggie Dwyer. A check covering this amount was presented to the star Packer football and at St. Vincent's hospital yesterday afternoon by Manager Neil Murphy. This was the biggest amount ever raised at a benefit sport contest in the state, according to local dopesters who have been digging into old records. Manager Murphy, in speaking of the success of the game, said: "In behalf of the Packers, I want to thank everybody for their splendid assistance. It's cooperation of this kind that helps make life worth living...I could name hundreds who did their bit towards "putting it over" and I take this means of thanking everybody who came across and helped swell the fund for Riggie."

PACKERS SQUAD DINES TONIGHT

​DEC 9 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers football squad and officers will be the guests of the Indian Packing plant corporation at a banquet this evening at DeLair's Cafe. This will be the finishing touch of the 1920 gridiron season. The Green Bay professional gridders went through a very successful season and the management plans to make the final affair this evening just a little bit out of the ordinary.

PACKERS FOOTBALL SQUAD IN BANQUET

DEC 15 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers football squad put the finishing touches on the 1920 football season last night with a banquet at DeLair's cafe. About thirty-six gathered around the festive board and joy rules supreme on all sides. Judge McGillan delivered the address of the evening and his discussion of clean athletics mingled in with words of praise for the Packers, drew a big hand from his hearers. The spoils of the season were divided and the players together with management each drew a check of $276. The net profits for the season amounted to $6,049.53. One of the surprises of the evening was the presentation by the players to Manager Neil Murphy of a handsome diamond stick pin. This gift was well merited because it was due to Murphy's splendid executive ability that the Packers went through the most successful financial season in the history of local football.

The 1920 YEAR IN FOOTBALL

Anchor 2

APFA FRANCHISES

Akron Pros - Buffalo All-Americans - Canton Bulldogs - Chicago (Racine) Cardinals - Chicago Tigers - Cleveland Tigers - Columbus Panhandles - Dayton Triangles - Decatur Staleys - Detroit Heralds - Hammond Pros - Muncie Flyers - Rochester Jeffersons - Rock Island Independents

Non-League Opponents (N)

All-Buffalo * Chicago Boosters * Champaign Legion * Cincinnati Celts * Elyria Athletics * Ft. Porter (NY) * Ft. Wayne Friars * Gary Elks * Washington Glee Club * Kewanee Walworths * Lansing Oldsmobile * McKeesport Olympics * Logan Square (Chicago) * Detroit Maroons * Minneapolis Marines * Moline Indians * Cleveland Panthers * Wheeling Stogies * Columbus Wagner Pirates * Pitcairn Quakers * Pullman Thorns * Rockford A.C. * Richmond Athletics * Rochester Scalpers * Chicago Stayms * St. Paul Ideals * Syracuse * Thorn Tornadoes * Toledo Maroons * All-Tonawanda * Union A.A.(Philadelphia) * Utica K. of C. * West Buffalo * Wash. & Jeff. Collegians * Zanesville Mark Grays

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 26

N-ROCK ISLAND 48, St. Paul Ideals 0 (800) - Rock Island scored two touchdowns in the first 10 minutes and continued to score almost at will. Kuehl of Rock Island ran 82 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Rock Island    1  0 0 1.000  48   0 Rochester      0  0 0  .000   0   0

Dayton         0  0 0  .000   0   0 Hammond        0  0 0  .000   0   0

Decatur        0  0 0  .000   0   0 Detroit        0  0 0  .000   0   0

Akron          0  0 0  .000   0   0 Chi. Cards     0  0 0  .000   0   0

Buffalo        0  0 0  .000   0   0 Chi. Tigers    0  0 0  .000   0   0

Canton         0  0 0  .000   0   0 Columbus       0  1 0  .000   0  14

Cleveland      0  0 0  .000   0   0 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

SUNDAY OCTOBER 3

DAYTON 14, Columbus 0 (NA) - Francis Bacon returned a punt 60 yards to clinch the win. Lou Partlow scored the first TD on a 6-yard run in the third

ROCK ISLAND 45, Muncie 0 (3,110) - Arnold Wyman scored on two blocked punts and returned a kickoff 86 yards as the Independents rolled, and the Flyers folded shortly after the game

DECATUR 20, Moline 0 (1,500) - Dutch Sternaman scored on three TD runs to lead the Staleys

N-CANTON 48, Pitcairn 0 - Joe Guyon was the shining light for the Bulldogs, as he scored three touchdowns, including a 62-yard dash to start the scoring

N-ROCHESTER 10, All-Buffalo 0 (2,000) - Even though the score did not indicate it, Rochester had their way with All-Buffalo. In the end, Rochester’s punting kept the visitors on Buffalo’s side of midfield

N-BUFFALO 32, West Buffalo 6 (NA) - Bodie Weldon ran for an early score, while QB Tommy Hughitt and Weldon added TDs to give Buffalo a 19-0 lead at the half. Hughitt scored from a yard out in the third to make it 25-0. West Buffalo got on the scoreboard when Bob Langdon intercepted a Buffalo pass and ran it back 75 yards for a TD.

N-AKRON 43, Wheeling 0 (4000) - DE Al Nesser of the famous Nesser Brothers scored three touchdowns (two fumble recoveries and 1 blocked field goal). TB Fritz Pollard also scored two rushing TDs.

Rock Island    2  0 0 1.000  93   0 Cleveland      0  0 0  .000   0   0

Dayton         1  0 0 1.000  14   0 Hammond        0  0 0  .000   0   0

Akron          1  0 0 1.000  43   0 Detroit        0  0 0  .000   0   0

Buffalo        1  0 0 1.000  32   6 Chi. Cards     0  0 0  .000   0   0

Rochester      1  0 0 1.000  10   0 Chi. Tigers    0  0 0  .000   0   0

Canton         1  0 0 1.000  48   0 Columbus       0  1 0  .000   0  14

Decatur        1  0 0 1.000  20   0 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

SUNDAY OCTOBER 10

AKRON 37, Columbus 0 (2500) - Frank McCormick ran for two TDs, as the Pros took an early 14-0 lead and never looked back. Bob Nash recovered a fumble in the end zone (the first in APFA/NFL history), and the Triangle defense added a safety. Blocking back Harry Harris and FB Fred Sweetland scored one rushing TD each.

ROCK ISLAND 26, Hammond 0 (2550) - Although outweighed, Rock Island tore the Hammond line to shreds, the visitors only being able to make three first downs. Waddy Kuehl ran for one TD and caught another.

CHI. TIGERS 0, Cards 0 (T) (10000) - The two QBs, Driscoll and Ghee, were the luminaries, both in their long punting and runs through center and off tackle, but neither team could dent the scoreboard

DAYTON 0, Cleveland 0 (T)

N-DECATUR 25, Kewanee 7 (1500) - Coach Halas's line opened great holes in the visitors forward wall during the first half while the backfield plowed and squirmed their way through, for four touchdowns

N-BUFFALO 51, All-Buffalo 0

N-ROCHESTER 66, Fort Porter 0

N-CANTON 42, Toledo 0

N-DETROIT 40, Cle Panthers 14

Rock Island    3  0 0 1.000  19   0 Dayton         1  0 1 1.000  14   0

Decatur        2  0 0 1.000  45   7 Cleveland      0  0 1  .000   0   0

Akron          2  0 0 1.000  80   0 Chi. Cards     0  0 1  .000   0   0

Buffalo        2  0 0 1.000  83   6 Chi. Tigers    0  0 1  .000   0   0

Canton         2  0 0 1.000  90   0 Hammond        0  1 0  .000   0  26

Rochester      2  0 0 1.000  76   0 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

Detroit        1  0 0 1.000  40  14 Columbus       0  2 0  .000   0  51

SUNDAY OCTOBER 17

CANTON 7, Cleveland 0 (7000) - Ike Martin scored on a 7-yard run in the first quarter, and the score held up as the Bulldogs remained perfect.

DAYTON 44, Hammond 0 (2000) - Triangle QB Al Mahrt tossed three TD passes, two to Norb Sacksteder, as Dayton rolled to a 27-0 halftime lead.

Decatur 7, ROCK ISLAND 0 (7000) - Dutch Sternaman ran 47 yards for a TD in the second quarter

CHICAGO TIGERS 12, Detroit 0 (5000) - Oscar Knop picked up a blocked punt and ran 20 yards in the first quarter to put the Tigers ahead for good.

N-AKRON 13, Cincinnati 0 (NA) - The Celts were not directly affiliated with the APFA and would not join the league until the following year. FB Rip King and RB Fritz Pollard each scored a touchdown for Akron, whose defense was so dominant that the Celts did not get a single first down all game long.

N-FT. WAYNE 14, Columbus 0 (5000) 

N-BUFFALO 28, McKeesport 7 (NA) 

N-ROCHESTER 0, Utica 0 (T) (NA) 

N-CHI. CARDS 33, Moline 3 (NA) 

Akron          3  0 0 1.000  93   0 Chi. Tigers    1  0 1 1.000  12   0

Buffalo        3  0 0 1.000 111  13 Rock Island    3  1 0  .750 119   0

Canton         3  0 0 1.000  97   0 Detroit        1  1 0  .500  40  26

Decatur        3  0 0 1.000  52   7 Cleveland      0  1 1  .000   0   7

Dayton         2  0 1 1.000  58   0 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

Rochester      2  0 1 1.000  76   0 Hammond        0  2 0  .000   0  70

Chi. Cards     1  0 1 1.000  33   3 Columbus       0  3 0  .000   0  65

1920PACKERS-AkronChampions.jpg
1920PACKERS-RacineRockIslandProgram.jpg

1920 Racine Cardinals vs. Rock Island Independents Program--Oldest Known APFA (NFL) Example!

While professionalism had long held sway over our national pastime of baseball at the completion of the first two decades of the twentieth century, the practice of paying football players for their services was in its infancy in 1920. Today that vintage stands in bold type in the history of the sport, a year that saw loose affiliations of professional teams in Ohio and New York State band together to form the American Professional Football Association, an organization that would take on the familiar name "The National Football League" just two years later. However it would be decades before the NFL would pull even with the collegiate game in the estimation of the American sports fan, a fact that left the first years of the league poorly attended or documented. Relics from the 1920's APFA/NFL are nearly non-existent, and we believe this remarkable offering to be the sole program to survive from the inaugural season of the league's existence. Diminutive in size but immeasurable in significance and collecting appeal, this 5.5x3.5" card reports team rosters matching only those present for the October 24, 1920 gridiron battle between the Racine Cardinals and Rock Island Independents, a 7-0 victory for the hosts at Rock Island's Douglas Park. Future Hall of Famers appearing on the roster include John "Paddy" Driscoll and Ed Healey. (Source: Heritage Auctions)

SUNDAY OCTOBER 24

AKRON 7, Cleveland 0 (NA) - Bob Nash picked up a blocked punt in the first quarter and ran 8 yards for the only score of the day. Nash apparently grabbed the ball from the Tigers' punter, Stan Cofall on the 8-yard line and ran in for the score. With an extra point from Charlie Copley, the Pros kept their undefeated streak alive.

DAYTON 20, Canton 20 (T) (5000) - Jim Thorpe kicked a 35-yard FG in the third and a 45-yarder in the final frame, as the Bulldogs failed to win for only the second time since 1915.

Decatur 10, CHI. TIGERS 0 (5000) - Pard Pearce ran 55 yards for a Staley TD in the second quarter, then Jimmy Conzelman kicked a 30-yard FG in the third to clinch the win.

DETROIT 6, Columbus 0 (NA) - Fitzgerald stepped in front of a short Frank Nesser passer and ran 85 yards for a second-quarter score

ROCK ISLAND 7, Cardinals 0 (4000) - Sid Nichols tossed a 6-yard TD pass to Arnie Wyman in the second quarter for the win

N-ROCHESTER 21, Syracuse 7 (NA) 

N-BUFFALO 38, Toledo 0 (6000) 

Akron          4  0 0 1.000 100   0 Detroit        2  1 0  .667  46  26

Buffalo        4  0 0 1.000 149  13 Chi. Cards     1  1 1  .500  33  10

Decatur        4  0 0 1.000  62   7 Chi. Tigers    1  1 1  .500  12  10

Rochester      3  0 1 1.000  97   7 Cleveland      0  2 1  .000   0  14

Canton         3  0 1 1.000 117  20 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

Dayton         2  0 2 1.000  78  20 Hammond        0  2 0  .000   0  70

Rock Island    4  1 0  .800 126   0 Columbus       0  4 0  .000   0  57

SUNDAY OCTOBER 31

Akron 10, CANTON 0                  CLEVELAND 7, Columbus 0

BUFFALO 17, Rochester 6             ROCK ISLAND 20, Chi. Tigers 7

CARDS 21, Detroit 0                 N-DAYTON 23, Cincinnati 7

N-Decatur 29, ROCKFORD 0 (NA)       N-Hammond 14, LOGAN SQUARE 9

Akron          5  0 0 1.000 110   0 Chi. Cards     2  1 1  .667  54  10

Buffalo        5  0 0 1.000 166  19 Detroit        2  2 0  .500  46  47

Decatur        5  0 0 1.000  91   7 Cleveland      1  2 1  .333   7  14

Dayton         3  0 2 1.000 101  27 Hammond        1  2 0  .333  14  79

Rock Island    5  1 0  .833 146   7 Chi. Tigers    1  2 1  .333  19  30

Rochester      3  1 1  .750 103  24 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

Canton         3  1 1  .750 117  30 Columbus       0  5 0  .000   0  64

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7

Canton 18, CLEVELAND 0              ROCK ISLAND 0, Decatur 0 (T)

Chi. Cards 6, CHI. TIGERS 3         N-Columbus 10, ZANESVILLE 0

N-Hammond 14, PULLMAN 13            N-BUFFALO 35, Tonawanda 0

N-ROCHESTER 27, Utica 7         

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 11

N-Decatur 20, CHAMPAIGN 0           N-THORN 7, Rock Island 7 (T)

Buffalo        6  0 0 1.000 201  19 Chi. Cards     3  1 1  .750  60  13

Akron          5  0 0 1.000 110   0 Hammond        2  2 0  .500  28  92

Decatur        6  0 1 1.000 111   7 Detroit        2  2 0  .500  46  47

Dayton         3  0 2 1.000 101  27 Cleveland      1  3 1  .250   7  32

Rock Island    5  1 2  .833 153  14 Chi. Tigers    1  3 1  .250  22  36

Canton         4  1 1  .800 135  30 Columbus       1  5 0  .167  10  64

Rochester      4  1 1  .800 130  31 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 14

CLEVELAND 7, Akron 7 (T)            BUFFALO 43, Columbus 7

Dayton 21, ROCK ISLAND 0            CANTON 21, Chi. Tigers 0

N-Decatur 3, MINNEAPOLIS 0          N-FT. WAYNE 0, Detroit 0 (T)

N-GARY 7, Hammond 6 (2,000)         N-Tonawanda 6, ROCHESTER 0

N-CHI. CARDS 20, Cincinnati 0

Buffalo        7  0 0 1.000 244  26 Rochester      4  2 1  .667 130  37

Decatur        7  0 1 1.000 114   7 Detroit        2  2 1  .500  46  47

Akron          5  0 1 1.000 117   7 Hammond        2  3 0  .400  34  99

Dayton         4  0 2 1.000 122  27 Cleveland      1  3 2  .250  14  39

Canton         5  1 1  .833 156  30 Chi. Tigers    1  4 1  .200  22  57

Chi. Cards     4  1 1  .800  80  13 Columbus       1  6 0  .167  17 107

Rock Island    5  2 2  .714 153  35 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 21

Canton 3, BUFFALO 0                 AKRON 13, Dayton 0

DECATUR 28, Hammond 7               N-ZANESVILLE 0, Columbus 0 (T)

N-CHI. CARDS 14, Lansing 0          N-CLEVELAND 14, Toledo 0

N-ROCHESTER 16, Roch. Scalpers 0

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 25

AKRON 7, Canton 0 (NA)              Decatur 6, CHI. TIGERS 0

DAYTON 28, Detroit 0                N-ELYRIA 0, Columbus 0 (T)

N-CHI. BOOSTERS 27, Hammond 0       N-Tonawanda 14, ROCHESTER 3

Decatur        9  0 1 1.000 148  14 Rochester      5  3 1  .625 149  51

Akron          7  0 1 1.000 137   7 Cleveland      2  3 2  .400  28  39

Buffalo        7  1 0  .875 244  29 Detroit        2  3 1  .400  46  75

Dayton         5  1 2  .833 150  40 Hammond        2  5 0  .286  41 154

Chi. Cards     5  1 1  .833  94  13 Chi. Tigers    1  5 1  .167  22  63

Canton         6  2 1  .750 159  37 Columbus       1  6 2  .143  17 107

Rock Island    5  2 2  .714 153  35 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 28

Akron 14, DAYTON 0                  BUFFALO 7, Cleveland 0

CHI. CARDS 7, Decatur 6             N-DETROIT 0, Lansing 0 (T)

N-CHI. TIGERS 27, Thorn 0           N-ROCK ISLAND 48, Wash & Jeff. 7

N-ROCHESTER 7, Roch. Scalpers 6

Akron          8  0 1 1.000 151   7 Rochester      6  3 1  .667 156  57

Decatur        9  1 1  .900 154  21 Detroit        2  3 2  .400  46  75

Buffalo        8  1 0  .889 252  29 Cleveland      2  4 2  .333  28  46

Chi. Cards     6  1 1  .857 101  19 Hammond        2  5 0  .286  41 154

Canton         6  2 1  .750 159  37 Chi. Tigers    2  5 1  .286  49  63

Rock Island    6  2 2  .750 201  42 Columbus       1  6 2  .143  17 107

Dayton         5  2 2  .714 150  54 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

SATURDAY DECEMBER 4 

Buffalo 7, Canton 3 at New York

SUNDAY DECEMBER 5

BUFFALO 0, Akron 0 (T)              DECATUR 10, Chi. Cards 0

N-DET. 7, Det. Maroons 7 (T)        N-COLUMBUS 24, Col. Pirates 0

N-WASHINGTON 0, Canton 0 (T) at New Haven, CT

N-ROCHESTER 0, Roch. Scalpers 0 (T)

Akron          8  0 2 1.000 151   7 Rochester      6  3 2  .667 156  57

Decatur       10  1 1  .909 164  21 Detroit        2  3 3  .400  53  82

Buffalo        9  1 1  .900 259  32 Cleveland      2  4 2  .333  28  46

Chi. Cards     6  2 1  .750 101  29 Hammond        2  5 0  .286  41 154

Rock Island    6  2 2  .750 201  42 Chi. Tigers    2  5 1  .286  49  63

Canton         6  3 2  .667 162  44 Columbus       2  6 2  .250  17 107

Dayton         5  2 2  .714 150  54 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

SATURDAY DECEMBER 11

N-UNION A.A 13, Canton 7 at Philadelphia

MONDAY DECEMBER 12

DECATUR 0, Akron 0 (T) at Chicago

Akron          8  0 3 1.000 151   7 Canton         6  4 2  .600 169  57

Decatur       10  1 2  .909 164  21 Detroit        2  3 3  .400  53  82

Buffalo        9  1 1  .900 259  32 Cleveland      2  4 2  .333  28  46

Chi. Cards     6  2 1  .750 101  29 Hammond        2  5 0  .286  41 154

Rock Island    6  2 2  .750 201  42 Chi. Tigers    2  5 1  .286  49  63

Dayton         5  2 2  .714 150  54 Columbus       2  6 2  .250  17 107

Rochester      6  3 2  .667 156  57 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

SATURDAY DECEMBER 18

N-Canton 39, RICHMOND 0

MONDAY DECEMBER 19

N-CHI. STAYMS 14, Chi. Cards 14 (T)

Akron          8  0 3 1.000 151   7 Canton         7  4 2  .636 208  57

Decatur       10  1 2  .909 164  21 Detroit        2  3 3  .400  53  82

Buffalo        9  1 1  .900 259  32 Cleveland      2  4 2  .333  28  46

Chi. Cards     6  2 2  .750 115  43 Hammond        2  5 0  .286  41 154

Rock Island    6  2 2  .750 201  42 Chi. Tigers    2  5 1  .286  49  63

Dayton         5  2 2  .714 150  54 Columbus       2  6 2  .250  17 107

Rochester      6  3 2  .667 156  57 Muncie         0  1 0  .000   0  45

No official standings were maintained for the 1920 season, and the championship was awarded to the Akron Pros on April 30, 1921.

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