Preseason: Green Bay Packers (3-2) 30, St. Louis Cardinals 13
Saturday September 11th 1965 (at Green Bay)
GAME RECAP (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE)
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers "broke" one of the strongest defenses in the NFL with four touchdown passes in producing a hard-earned 31 to 13 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Lambeau Field Saturday night. Green Bay scored in every quarter and won going away before a moon-bathed crowd of 50,858, which broke the previous attendance mark of 50,837 by 21 more voices. Defenses threatened to take charge, but the Bay offense kept pounding away - and, happily, the Packer defense emerged as "one of the best" since the Bays have now allowed the Eastern Division's top two teams just 27 points in two Saturday nights. The Bays whipped the Browns in Cleveland a week ago. The Packers now have their teeth well sharpened for the rugged league campaign ahead. The first test is at Pittsburgh next Sunday. Green Bay whipped the Giants, Bears and Cardinals and lost only to the Cowboys along the exhibition trail. While the score was a comfortable looking 17-6 at the half, the Packers really cut loose in
the second half, controlling the air lanes and the ground. The Packers were held to 30 yards in rushing in the first half but made nearly 100 in the second, with Allen Jacobs, the rookie who looks like Jim Taylor, setting the pace with 45 yards - all in the fourth quarter. Taylor injured his leg in the third quarter and remained out of action. Jacobs finished as the leading ball carrier. Bart Starr, despite a murderous rush, threw three touchdown passes and Paul Hornung, sparking for the second straight game, passed 30 yards to Marv Fleming for the other touchdown. Fleming's catch upped the Packers' lead to 10-3 in the first quarter. Then Starr hit Boyd Dowler for a 7-yard TD in the second quarter, Hornung for a 5-yard TD in the third, and Max McGee for a 17-yard TD in the fourth. Three field goals were booted, and they all were for 15 yards. Jim Bakken kicked the first to put the Cards ahead in the first quarter, and Chandler matched that on the Pack's next series. Bakken's other field goal came just before the half. The Packers finished with 318 yards for the night, which is something to holler about considering St. Louis' defense. The Cards settled for 247 yards, all but 109 in the first half.
PACKER TIE
There wasn't an interception all night, and Tom Brown made the only fumble recovery. Dave Robinson had a chance for three interceptions but dropped all of them. The Cardinals kept the crowd quiet with the first offensive moves of the night. After forcing the Packers to punt following the opening kickoff, the Cards held the ball for nearly seven minutes in rolling 53 yards in 12 plays to the Pack seven, where the Bays stiffened and Bakken booted his first field goal for a 3-0 Card lead at 7:24. The Packers got a tie in nothing flat, moving 63 yards in six plays to set up Chandler's 15-yard field goal. Starr, finding his wide ends double teamed, hurled 21 yards to Taylor and 34 to Hornung to gain position on the Card 13. Dowler, making a great move on Pat Fischer, couldn't hold onto a TD pass from Starr, so Chandler booted the knot. Green Bay had its first TD in one minute. Tom Brown recovered Bill Triplett's fumble on the Packer 30 and on the first play Hornung passed to Fleming on the 15 and the big crasher roared in for a TD, knocking a Cardinal into the end zone with him. Chandler converted at 11:54 and it was 10-3. The Packers forced another punt and then went on a 51-yard TD march, with aid of two Cardinal penalties, early in the second quarter. With third and four, the Cards were found guilty of defensive holding and the Bays had a first down on the Cardinal 37.
FLEMING 'ROUGHED'
Starr's two yard pass to Dowler and Hornung's 10-yard run set the ball on the 25 and two plays later Starr hit Fleming on the 16 where the Cards were roughed. The penalty put the ball on the seven. After Taylor fumbled and Dowler recovered, Starr hit Dowler for the TD and Chandler made it 17-3 at 2:38. The Packers couldn't move the rest of the half but the Cards' Bakken tried three field goals. His first from the 47 was low and wide, his next was blocked by Ron Kostelnik on the last play of the half.
CHANDLER KICK WIDE
The Packers made two big threats in the third quarter and got a touchdown on one of them. The Bays put together three first downs, with Taylor and Hornung running and Starr's 11-yard pass to Dowler, but the attack bogged and Chandler's field goal try from the 42 was far enough but wide to the left. After Smith punted twice and Chandler one, the Packers exploded with a four-play, 61-yard touchdown. Starr, on first down, hit Dale, who got a step on Fischer, for a 52-yard gain to the Card 9. On third down from the five, Starr, moving to his right, hit Hornung in the corner of the end zone for the TD. Chandler converted at 12:02 and it was a healthy 24-6. The Cards snapped back with their first touchdown of the night, moving 79 yards in 12 plays. Johnson hit Randle for 14 yards and Conrad for 20 on two key third down plays as the third quarter ended. Childress moved 11 yards to the Pack 36 and five plays later Johnson hit Randle under the goal crossbar for the TD. Bakken converted at 2:20. Now it was the Pack's turn. They got the TD back by advancing 70 yards (not counting a 15-yard penalty) in 10 plays. Allen Jacobs, making his first appearance, got it started with a 20-yard gain and added 11 more yards to the Card 22. Two plays later, Starr passed to Max McGee for the touchdown. Chandler set the final score at 31-13 with his conversion at 7:20. The Cardinals threatened once more, but Lloyd Voss put an end to that by throwing Johnson for a 15-yard loss.
ST.LOUIS - 3 3 0 7 - 13
GREEN BAY - 10 7 7 7 - 31
ST. LOUIS GREEN BAY
First Downs 15 15
Rushing-Yards-TD 26-80-0 31-118-0
Att-Comp-Yd-TD-Int 37-16-189-1-0 25-13-211-4-0
Sack Yards Lost 2-22 1-11
Net Passing Yards 167 200
Total Yards 247 318
Fumbles-lost 2-1 1-0
Turnovers 1 0
Yards penalized 2-13 3-35
SCORING
1st - STL - Jim Bakken, 15-yard field goal ST. LOUIS 3-0
1st - GB - Don Chandler, 15-yard field goal TIED 3-3
1st - GB - Marv Fleming, 30-yard pass from Hornung (Chandler kick) GREEN BAY 10-3
2nd - GB - Boyd Dowler, 8-yard pass from Bart Starr (Chandler kick) GREEN BAY 17-3
2nd - STL - Bakken, 15-yard field goal GREEN BAY 17-6
3rd - GB - Paul Hornung, 5-yard pass from Starr (Chandler kick) GREEN BAY 24-6
4th - STL - Sonny Randle, 19-yard from Charley Johnson (Bakken kick) GREEN BAY 24-13
4th - GB - Max McGee, 17-yard pass from Starr (Chandler kick) GREEN BAY 31-13
RUSHING
GREEN BAY - Allen Jacobs 6-45, Paul Hornung 7-31, Jim Taylor 10-28, Elijah Pitts 3-14, Bart Starr 1-2, Junior Coffey 4-(-2)
ST. LOUIS - Bill Triplett 12-29, Joe Childress 5-21, Prentice Gautt 5-20, Willis Crenshaw 4-10
PASSING
GREEN BAY - Bart Starr 22-12-181 3 TD, Paul Hornung 1-1-30 1 TD, Dennis Claridge 2-0-0
ST. LOUIS - Charley Johnson 37-16-189 1 TD
RECEIVING
GREEN BAY - Boyd Dowler 4-26 1 TD, Paul Hornung 3-41 1 TD, Marv Fleming 2-37 1 TD, Carroll Dale 1-52, Max McGee 1-17, Bob Long 1-17
ST. LOUIS - Bobby Joe Conrad 6-77, Sonny Randle 6-60 1 TD, Jackie Smith 3-44, Prentice Gautt 1-8
'PLAYED ABOUT SAME AS AGAINST BROWNS' - VINCE
SEPT 12 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "The Cards still think it (the NFL Championship game) will be here," Vince Lombardi was informed by a facetious member of the Fourth Estate as the Packer headmaster launched his postgame press conference in his Lambeau Field inner sanctum shortly before the witching hour Saturday night. A skilled fencer, Lombardi refused to be drawn into anything resembling a prediction. Countering with a board grin and the heartfelt observation, "I hope it's here." (In the event it has escaped notice, the NFL title game will be played in the home of the league's Western Division champion Jan. 2) Evaluating the Pack's workmanlike 31-13 conquest of the potent Big Red, Lombardi said, "I would say we played about the same as we did against Cleveland (a 30-14 victory last week), although I don't think we moved the ball as well. I really shouldn't say that, though, without seeing the statistics." The figures, shortly provided, bore him out - the home forces finished with 318 yards, compared to 376 in Cleveland a week earlier. "Hornung ran the ball well, and caught the ball well," he acknowledged, adding, "Of course, he always has been a good receiver." The other half of the "Thunder and Lightning" combination, Jim Taylor, has acquired an injury "above the ankle," Lombardi revealed, "but I don't know how serious it is." Rookie Allen Jacobs, who emerged as the game's leading rusher with 45 yards in 6 attempts, "did a good job," he said. "He's pretty quick." Cornerback Doug Hart, he felt, "also did a real good on Sonny Randle." Scanning the statistics, which had just arrived, Lombardi pointed out, "There weren't too many first downs, 15 apiece. That's a pretty good indication of two good defensive ball clubs. Nobody possessed the ball to any extent." The Packers had numerous opportunities for interceptions, it was noted. "Yes, we had our hands on seven of them," Vince conceded, shaking his head in disbelief. "But maybe we'll get 'em all when they count." Only two members of his 42-man squad, Tom Moore and Bob Jeter, were withheld. Both have been troubled with injuries. Did he feel his team was ready for the NFL's championship race? Lombardi chuckled and shot back, "They'd better be - it starts next week." In the players' quarters, Marv Fleming couldn't recall the Cardinal he bowled over on the goal line en route to the Pack's go-ahead touchdown in the second quarter. "I don't know who it was (it was, it developed, Jerry Stovall)," Marvelous Marv grinned. "I was thinking about those six points. When you get that close, you might as well go all the way." Sophomore safety Tom Brown, who recovered a fumble on the St. Louis 30 to trigger that big TD, confided, "The ball was just laying there - I don't think anybody else saw it. It was just out there waiting to be picked up." Cardinal chieftain Wally Lemm, not overly downcast, opined, "We had some good things happen to us, and some bad things. We moved the ball pretty well, better than we have in the past this season, which was heartening because we did it against a good defense. And Charley (quarterback Charley Johnson) threw better than he has up to now. Our biggest problem was the same as we had against Baltimore in our first game. We had a problem when we got down close to the goal line.
We twice had to settle for field goals when we got to the 10, or inside it." Turning to the enemy, Lemm declared, "Green Bay's a fine ball club - definitely the best ball club we've played thus far (the Cards' other opponents, in addition to Baltimore, were the Redskins, 49ers and Bears). We knew after that game down in Miami (the Playoff Bowl, won by St. Louis 24-17) that they would be up for this one. That was a psychological factor in their favor." The Cards suffered two casualties along the way, he reported. "Woodson (Abe) dislocated a shoulder and Stalling (linebacker Larry) hurt a knee. I suppose we'll lost Stallings for a couple of weeks," he said. Summing up the situation, Lemm confided, "There were three things that hurt us tonight. We fumbled early in the game right after Green Bay kicked a field goal, and it gave them a touchdown. The others were two short passes to Hornung and Taylor, which also set up touchdowns. I don't say the passes shouldn't have been caught, but they shouldn't have gone for that much yardage."
CITY DEDICATES STADIUM TO CURLY LAMBEAU
SEPT 12 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - As more than 50,000 persons stood in a hushed tribute Saturday, Green Bay's former City Stadium was formally renamed and dedicated to the honor of the late E.L. (Curly) Lambeau, founder of the Green Bay Packers. As the brief pregame dedication ceremonies were held, a giant searchlight played across the eastern edge of the stadium, outlining three-foot letters spelling out, "Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers." Mayor Donald Tilleman officially dedicated the stadium to Lambeau's honor, presenting framed copies of City Council resolutions to Don Lambeau, son of the Packer founder. The resolutions authorized the renaming of the stadium and memorialized Lambeau...'FOREVER GRATEFUL': In a brief address, Lambeau's son, obviously moved, thanked Packer fans and the people of Green Bay for the tribute. "I would be less than candid if I did not say that I am deeply moved by this occasion, and that I shall be forever grateful for the opportunity to participate in it," he said. "It has often been said that my father was without sentiment, but those of you who knew him intimately, either as a neighbor, or friend or business associate, know that he, too, could not have stood here tonight without having been deeply touched. Speaking for all the Lambeaus, past and those of the future, I want to thank all Packer fans, and the people of Green Bay, in particular, for the generous recognition you, on this nine, have accorded him for his fierce dedication to this team and to this town, his town and mine," Lambeau concluded. In presenting the copies of the City Council action, Tilleman described the move as "a welcome keepsake" to the Lambeau family. Don Hutson, former Packer star end under Lambeau, also paid tribute to the Packer founder, with whom he had associated over 30 years. "As you all know, Curly was always the eternal optimist. But even he could not predict a situation like this tonight," Hutson said pointing to the 50,858 persons in the stands. He briefly traced the history of the Packers since their beginning and said the team and the city have now reached the point where "Green Bay is a very substantial part of the professional football world." Also speaking during the ceremony were Packer President Dominic Olejniczak, who introduced Hutson, and Clarence Nier, Green Bay city attorney and president of the city's Stadium Commission. Hutson, who has been vacationing in England the past month, flew to this country Saturday, arriving at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport at 5:45 p.m., just two hours before the start of the dedication program.
PACKERS READY FOR FAST TRACK; SO ARE THE FAITHFUL
SEPT 13 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers are ready for the fast track. And it appears that their faithful followers are too. The 47th edition of the Sports Wonder of the World whizzed through the preseason schedule with a 4-1 record and outscored their opponents by a composite 29-13. The Packers are just one player over the final limit of 40, which must be reached Tuesday. They dropped from 43 with the official announcement of the retirement of Dave Hanner during the Cardinal game at Lambeau Field Saturday night and the trade of Gene Breen to the Steelers for a draft choice. Before going into fits about the NFL opener against the Steelers in Pittsburgh Sunday, let's pay tribute to "the people." This was the first year the Packers ever played two non-league games at their Green Bay base and the newly-dedicated and enlarged Lambeau Field was filed both times, with a total of 101,795 turning out. The attendance was 50,837 at the Bishop's Charities game and 50,858 (21 more seats were found) at the Cardinal battle. This has to be slightly short of fantastic when you consider that several cities in the league including New York and Pittsburgh don't even host one "home" preseason game, although some of the other cities are handicapped by lack of a home football field (tsk, tsk). And if the double sellout here isn't glossy enough, the Packers can point to Milwaukee where 47,066 attended the Shrine Classic. Thus, the Packer drew 148,861 for three exhibition games. Actually, the Packers played before five straight record crowds - 50,837 here, 47,066 in Milwaukee, 67,954 in Dallas, 83,120 in Cleveland, and the final 50,858 here. On the field, all four of the Packers' victories were reasonably comfortable - 44-7 over the Giants, 31-14 over the Bears, 30-14 over the world champion Browns, and 31-13 over the highly-rated Cardinals. The lone loss was a non-touchdown 21-12 showing against the Cowboys, and it marked the first time the Packers had been held without a sixer since the 1963 opener against the Bears when the Bays lost 10-3. But the Cowboy game proved that the Packers had a "foot," since all of the points were scored on field goals - one by Paul Hornung and three by Don Chandler. Beaten out for the championship for lack of a successful kick, Coach Vince Lombardi obtained Chandler from the Giants in the off-season. Don finished the preseason drill with nine field goals in 12 attempts and connected on all 16 extra point tries. Lombardi's major trade, Dan Currie for Carroll Dale, also showed up in exhibition stix. Dale's acquisition was figured to add "distance" to the Pack's aerial game and quarterback Bart Starr finished with an 8.7-yard attempt average, which is almost a yard over his norm. And Dale wound up as the Pack's only 20-yard pass reception receptionist - actually averaging 26.1. Boyd Dowler led the receivers with 16 catches for 197 yards. The Packers finished up as somewhat of a "passing" team, what with 972 yards throwing and 846 rushing. Jim Taylor led the rushers with 191 yards, while Elijah Pitts posted 190. No. 3 on the list was rookie Allen Jacobs, who ran for 100 yards (in 17 attempts) in just two games. The trade of Breen leaves the Packers with
four linebackers - Ray Nitschke, Dave Robinson, Lee Roy Caffey and Tommy Crutcher. Bill Curry, who backs up ken Bowman at center, is the fifth linebacker. It won't seem the same with old No. 79 among the missing. Hanner was trying for his 14th consecutive Packer season and would have stayed on as a player - if a suitable replacement hadn't been found. The back-up man in the defensive line is Rich Marshall, a real giant at 270. Hanner now joins Phil Bengtson and Norb Hecker as a defensive coach. The Packers lunched league opener week early. Lombardi had the Bays on the field this morning for a light drill.
HARD TO THINK ABOUT QUITTING GAME, HANNER SAYS AFTER RETIREMENT
SEPT 13 (Green Bay) - For the first time in 14 seasons, Dave (Hawg) Hanner feels out of place. He no longer as a spot on the Green Bay Packers' roster. "The worst thing is before the game, in the dressing room," said the 35-year-old defensive tackle, whose retirement was decided upon Saturday before the Packers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 31-13 in a NFL exhibition game. "I was always one of the first to get dressed and get out on the field and run around," Hanner said in a slow, sad Arkansas drawl. "You don't know what to do with yourself."...WORKED HARD: Hanner, who will remain with the Packers as an assistant coach, had worked hard to win a berth for another playing season in Green Bay. But his age was against him and he knew it. "I was to have played, providing we didn't get enough help," Hanner said. "If no one came through, I probably would have played again." But the handwriting was on the wall. Ron Kostelnik, who moved ahead of Hanner last season, looked better than ever. And a massive rookie, 6-foot-5 Rich Marshall, impressed the Packers' staff. "It's hard to think about quitting," Hanner said. "That's the only bad thing about the game. But you can't always play, though it's hard to admit it yourself," he said. Not being able to play was something Hanner always hated to admit. Stricken by an appendectomy, he underwent emergency surgery one season and missed a grand total of one game. "I had a good doctor," he said. Hanner, five times an All-Pro, didn't intend to stay active as a player for so long.
PACKERS IN PRIME - AVERAGE JUST 26.2 YEARS
SEPT 14 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - There's an old saying that an athlete doesn't reach his prime until about 26 or 27. The Packers of 1965, reduced to the final NFL limit of 40 players today, are indeed just at their prime. They average 26.2 years of age. And they have an average of 5.2 years in pro experience. Coach Vince Lombardi, who has kept the Packers youthful via trading and drafting, announced today that Eli Strand, rookie offensive lineman, has been placed on waivers. Certainly, this must be one of the youngest Packer teams - a most unusual fact when you consider that they are just three years removed from their last championship season and just two years removed from a virtual-championship campaign, the two-loss 1963 race. Lombardi said today he realized this was a young team, "but I have no idea whether it's the youngest." The final roster shows that four rookies made the team - three on offense (running backs Junior Coffey and Allen Jacobs and center Bill Curry) and one on defense (lineman Rich Marshall). The major portion of the youth (and do you remember that old say - "youth must be served") is concentrated in the two and three-year area. Eight players are sophomore and six are in their third year. Only 16 of the 40 players have had more than six years of pro experience, which means that more than half is just now moving into the prime of their "experience" life. The Bays have only 10 30-year players while an 11th, Jim Taylor, will turn 30 next Monday. The others are Zeke Bratkowski and Max McGee, each 33; Don Chandler, Hank Gremminger, Bart Starr, Forrest Gregg, Willie Davis and Bob Skoronski, 31; Hank Jordan and Fred Thurston, 30. The Packers' starting defensive te4am is highly sprinkled with youth - especially if Tom Brown, 24, gets the starting nod over Gremminger. They're all in their 20s except Davis and Jordan. The others are Ron Kostelnick 25, Lionel Aldridge 24, Ray Nitschke 26, Lee Roy Caffey 24, Dave Robinson 24, Willie Wood 28, Bob Jeter 28 or Doug Hart 26, and Herb Adderley 26. Sixteen of the players are on defense, 23 are on defense and one, Don Chandler, is on a team of his own - specialist First Class. Here's a breakdown of the team by groups:
Running Backs - Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung, Tom Moore, Elijah Pitts, Allen Jacobs and Junior Coffey. It's all experience here with two strong fullback-types in Jacobs and Coffey ready to add power.
Quarterbacks - Bart Starr, Zeke Bratkowski and Dennis Claridge. No argument here. The only thing they have to fear is interceptions. Claridge has two of the best teachers in the league.
Pass Receivers - Max McGee, Boyd Dowler, Carroll Dale, Bob Long, Marv Fleming, Bill Anderson. With Long blossoming and Dale's break-away speed, there's a new weapon here - long distance. In addition, they all ambidextrous, the right or left side of the line.
Offensive Linemen - Forrest Gregg, Bob Skoronski, Jerry Kramer, Dan Grimm, Fred Thurston, Steve Wright, Ken Bowman, Bill Curry. They make the offense go and there's enough competition here to keep everybody humping.
Defensive Linemen - Hank Jordan, Ron Kostelnik, Willie Davis, Lionel Aldridge, Lloyd Voss and Rich Marshall. They all came to play and this unit is the Pack's first line of defense.
Linebackers - Ray Nitschke, Dave Robinson, Lee Roy Caffey, Tommy Crutcher. Anchored by Nitschke, this is the Pack's new Fearsome Foursome.
Defensive Backs - Willie Wood, Hank Gremminger, Herb Adderley, Bob Jeter, Tom Brown and Doug Hart. They allowed just two TD passes in the last two games but look who scored 'em - Gary Collins and Sonny Randle.
PERSONALITY PARADE - SALUTE TO HAWG
SEPT 14 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Hawg Hanner is not a friend of mine. Though I wish he was. He is more like an acquaintance. I occasionally talk to him briefly in the Packer locker room after a game and once a couple years ago I spent the better part of an afternoon with Hawg, his gracious wife and wonderful family while preparing a story on him in connection with "Hawg Hanner Day." The Hanners invited for supper that day. They were having grits and now I wish I had accepted. Why do I mention all this today? Because it seems to me that it is typical of the image Dave Hanner has built in his 13 years with the Packers. Only I suspect it isn't just an image and it wasn't intentionally built. It is simply Dave Hanner. And Jane Hanner. And it was naturally built. And now Hawg has retired. Retired from the playing field, that is. He is remaining with the Packers. And by this time they must be his beloved Packers. As an assistant coach. Dave's retirement was not unexpected. Everybody knew it was coming any day. It has been forecast for several years, but it became apparently shortly after training season started this summer that this was the year. But the official announcement was unfortunately timed. It was made during last Saturday night's exhibition game against the Cardinals in Lambeau Field. Hawg deserved better than that. He should have had an "announcement day" of his own. Not squeezed in among the details of a game. That, however, is beside the point. The point is he has retired as a player. He will be retired in the minds of the fans, though. The point is that he will remain as one of the all-time favorites in Packerland. Hanner has been somewhat unique. He did not have the flamboyance of Johnny Blood. He did not have the super talent of Don Hutson. But what he did have was that elusive quality among athletes of being a regular guy. And that quality, along with enough talent to make All-Pro several times and a heart that brought him through the dark ages into the sunshine years without a wavering step places him in the same category with Blood and Hutson in the minds of fans...REGULAR GUY: Hawg was and is a farmer. He often dresses in farm work clothes and arrives in Green Bay driving a pickup truck. He's a family man, modest and unpretentious. Hawg is a regular guy. And a great football player. Chances are pretty good he'll be a great coach, too. And the thing about is becoming a coach is that it will make him a year 'round resident of Green Bay. At least I hope so. West Memphis, Arkansas' loss would be our gain. Gain? Score it as a touchdown.
5 CHANGES IN PACKER DEFENSE FOR FIRST TILT
SEPT 14 (Green Bay) - The Green Bay Packers' defense has a young and hungry look this year, but there is nothing lean about it. The Packers will have five of the 11 positions filled by faces fresh to their posts as they invade Pittsburgh Sunday in their NFL opener. The new
starters are there solely because of their ability. Tom Brown, a fleet second-year man from Maryland who gave up a promising baseball career to play pro football, has been tabbed to start in place of 10-year veteran Hank Gremminger, the defensive captain, at left safety. Brown sparkled with his pass defense as the Packers rolled to a 4-1 exhibition record. Another second-year player, Doug Hart, will replace the retired Jesse Whittenton at right halfback...ROBINSON SHIFTED: The trade that sent veteran Dan Currie to Los Angeles resulted in shifting third-year man Dave Robinson from Penn State to left linebacker with Lee Roy Caffey, another third-year player from Texas A&M, taking over Robinson's right linebacker slot. Ron Kostelnik, the old timer among the new faces, will start his fifth season by succeeding the retired Dave Hanner at left tackle. Kostelnik will be backed by Rich Marshall, the 270-pound rookie from Stephen F. Austin, who was impressive in preseason practice. With veteran Henry Jordan at Kostelnik's side at tackle and ends Willie Davis and Lionel Aldridge anchoring the line, the defensive front wall of the Packers can mount a four-man charge with an even 1,000 pounds of power. Ray Nitschke will begin his eighth season at middle linebacker, and Herb Adderley and Willie Wood, perennial all-pro picks, will team with Brown and Hart in the defensive backfield.
ONLY 5 OF 33 ROOKIES STAY WITH BAYS
SEPT 15 (Green Bay) - Four rookies, all big, fast and eager, have won berths with the green bay Packers and a fifth is waiting in the wings. The final cut Tuesday before the NFL season opener awarded jobs to tackle Rich Marshall, center Bill Curry, and backs Allen Jacobs and Junior Coffey. Third-round draft choice Allen Brown is still on the injured reserve list but remains a prime candidate for a berth on the team. The five are the sole survivors of a contingent of 33 first-year hopefuls who reported to the training camp in July. None of the freshmen are tabbed for starting roles as the Packers invade Pittsburgh Sunday, but all have the earmark of a future stardom. Marshall, the only rookie on the defensive unit to survive, was the sleeper who turned out to be perhaps the most impressive newcomer to the Packer squad. A huge man at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, Marshall was a 10th round draft choice from little Stephen F. Austin. But the 23-year-old tackle quickly impressed coaches with his power and unexpected speed...DEVELOPED RAPIDLY: Marshall developed so rapidly that he helped force the retirement of Dave Hanner, a 13-year veteran who was an all-pro five times. Curry, drafted as a future when he was a junior, was captain at Georgia Tech. he has already won a reputation as an extremely conscientious and hard-working player and a top blocker, although considered still light in the offensive line at 235 pounds. Coffey, from Washington, is a fleet 210-pound back with breakaway potential. Picked in the seventh round, he won a berth with the Packers while such higher draft choices as Bill Symons of Colorado and Wally Mahle of Syracuse fell by the wayside. One coach praised Coffey as having mastered the complicated Packer playing patterns, faster than any other rookie ever to arrive at the De Pere training grounds. Coffey rolled up 638 yards at Washington while Jacobs, another future choice, gained 695 yards at Utah and led the Western Athletic Conference with 48 points. Jacobs, a 215-pound bullish back, is a power runner in the style of the Packers' Jim Taylor, whom he will back up. The Utah fullback led the Packers' final touchdown march against St. Louis last Saturday night. Brown, a 230-pound end from Mississippi, was placed on the reserve list after an injury in the College All-Stars training camp. But he was impressed coaches enough that he might be battling Marv Fleming for the starting spot at tight end before the end of the season. Brown, a third-round pick, is the top draft choice on the Packer roster. First-round draftee Larry Elkins of Baylor and second-round selection Alphonse Dotson of Grambling both signed with the rival AFL, while the Packers' other first-round pick, Don Anderson of Texas Tech, was a future.
PITTSBURGH STILL HARD-NOSED - CHANDLER
SEPT 15 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Steelers have had umpteen coaches in their 33-year history. And hundreds of players have worn the Black and Gold. But one thing hasn't changed. The Steelers are hard nosed, sticky and always dangerous. They used to call old Forbes Field the "coal hole" because the Steelers loved to get contenders in there and smoke 'em up a bit. The smoke has been removed from Steeltown and the Steelers now play high on a windy hill - in the sanctity and purity of Pitt Stadium, which sets on top of what is known as Cardiac Hill. The Steelers play in the college bowl for the fourth straight season, and the Packers' latest authority on the joint is Don Chandler, the former Giant. "We played them twice a year in the Eastern Division you know, and they've always had a rock 'em sock 'em team. We won the championship in 1963, but they beat us out there 31 to 0," Chandler recalled, adding: "Pittsburgh always had good defensive teams and that's what makes them hard nosed." Chandler started his field goaling in 1962 - the first year the Giants played in Pitt Stadium, and he booted a field goal in New York's 31-27 victory. He kicked another in '64 but the Steelers won that game, 27-24. "I like kicking in Pitt Stadium because it's a complete oval and there is little wind. It's tough in some of these baseball parks where that wind sweeps in," Don said. Chandler is going in the 1965 campaign with his best preseason record. "I've never done this (he booted 9 out of 12 not counting 5 out of 6 in the intra-squad game) before. I usually start out pretty slow and then gradually improve," he noted. Any reason for the change? "Well, I did a lot of kicking on my own before I even came up here and that got me off to a good start. And we've got the best ball holder in the league right here in Bart Starr. You'd be surprised how much difference that makes. He puts the ball down the same way every time." Chandler could be a big factor when the Packers open the NFL season in Pittsburgh Sunday. The last time Green Bay played in Pittsburgh (in Forbes Field, yet) Paul Hornung kicked four field goals in a tough 19-13 victory. That was in 1960 - Coach Vince Lombardi's first championship year. The Packers launched Pittsburgh Week under leaden skies Tuesday, with the emphasis on offense. All hands were running well except Jim Taylor, who is taking it easy at the moment due to a leg injury suffered in the Cardinal game. The hard runners included Tom Moore, who was held out of the Cardinal game with injuries. In a brief session on defense, the major applause was reserved for Dave Robinson, who dropped three interceptions from his linebacking spot against the Cardinals. Robinson made an interception and it brought the house down. And speaking of defense, the Packers will oppose a former teammate, one Gene Breen, who had a good reputation for being a hard-nosed Packer. Breen was traded to the Steelers last week and was the first player obtained by the Steelers' new coach, Mike Nixon.
PERSONALITY PARADE
SEPT 15 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Economy-sized
Ron Kostelnik, wearing the mantle of maturity exceedingly well, is looking forward to the Packers' NFL inaugural Sunday with perhaps slightly greater relish than any of his colleagues - and not because it will be staged in Pittsburgh, which is less than 100 miles from his native Culver, Pa. Koz has an even more personal reason for anticipating the Steeler skirmish. The cherubic colossus (6-4 and 260), now in his fifth NFL season though only 25, will be drawing his first opening day starting assignment. And Ron, who has been understudying the recently retired Dave Hanner since joining the Pack in 1961, makes no attempt to conceal his satisfaction. "I'll say I'm looking forward to it," he imparts with an expansive smile, "after waiting this long." A delightfully candid citizen, the massive University of Cincinnati alumnus also concurs with close observers who feel he has exhibited vast improvement over 1964. "I agree," he unblushingly confides. "Experience is the answer - I played a lot last year and didn't get hurt." Assessing his role at defensive left tackle, Ron appended with a puckish grin, "Playing between two all-pros (Willie Davis and Hank Jordan) and having another behind me in Nitschke, how can I go wrong? If I make a mistake, they cover for me." The Packer faithful have been pleased to note he has been harassing the passer with much greater frequency than in the past, but Kostelnik is not entirely satisfied. "I'm not breaking through there as consistently as I'd like to be - especially on the pass. They pass about 50 percent of the time, so you'd like to get in there a little more." A perfectionist, as all Vince Lombardi's disciples must be, Koz added one other item to his self-critique. "I find I get a little high on runs, too. Too cautious, perhaps." Although the future now looks bright, the baby-faced behemoth has had his problems en route to starting status. "I was only 20 years old when I came to the Packers, and I think I was a little immature to start with," he says. "I feel what I'm doing this year, I could have done last year, and so on. Of course, you never know, but that's the way I often speculate about it. But I'm still happy to be 25 and have had five years in," Kostelnik added with understandable alacrity. "I'd never trade it." His artistic arrival was delayed by shoulder dislocation which shelved him for a portion of the 1962 season. "I had surgery after the season was over and wore a strap in '63, but I haven't worn it the last two years - the shoulder hasn't bothered me at all," he reported. Ron credits the man he succeeded, the canny Hanner, with assisting in his development. "Dave's my roommate, you know. He can analyze a player a lot better than I can," the youthful veteran explains. "That's where he helped me - he teaches me what to look for and that sort of thing."...GREAT CHANCE TO WIN: Highly impressed with the '65 Pack, he voluntarily pinpointed one major difference between this year's club and 1964's Western Division co-runnersup. "We have a lot more spirit than last year," Kostelnik declared. "And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Some of my friends came in from Cincinnati for the Cardinal game last weekend, and they said they could see it from the stands." And the championship outlook? "Terrific," he shot back without a hint of hesitation. "I think we've got a great chance to win it." Ron, the father of two (Mike, 2, and Laura, 1) has just become a Green Bay taxpayer. "We just bought a house on South Fisk Street, near Colburn Park," he revealed. "I don't know just yet what I'll be doing in the offseason - I'm looking for a business opportunity."
STEELERS WILL USE SHOTGUN (NOT FORMATION) TO STOP PACK?
SEPT 16 (Green Bay) - The Steelers may use the shotgun on the Packers in Pittsburgh Sunday. Bit not necessarily the formation. Mike Nixon, the Steels' new head coach of just two weeks, laughed along this way: "About the only way we can stop your passing attack is to have a few shotguns up in the stands to pick off those receivers." That would seem to take care of the Steelers' defense. What about the offense, coach? "Right now, we're sitting here trying to figure out how we can score 66 points on Green Bay. That's what we'll need to beat you," he chuckled via telephone today. Seriously, Nixon said his major job at the moment is to "try and solidify this team. We have so many new faces (20 who were not with the club last year) and once we get them working together we'll win some games." While the resignation of Buddy Parker came as a "complete surprise to me," Nixon said he's familiar with the nucleus of the Steelers, explaining "I've been here five years." Three former Packers may be in the starting lineups Sunday - center Art Hunter, the former Brown and Ram center who played here in 1954; tight end Lee Folkins, obtained from the Cowboys; and linebacker Gene Breen, who was traded from the Pack last week. "I may start Breen at middle linebacker if he's ready but if he's not Breedlove will be in the middle and Mesner will be outside. The other linebacker will be Campbell." Linebacking has been a problem for the Steelers since their star tackler, Myron Pottios, was sidelined with injuries three weeks ago. He will be out eight week. Rod Breedlove was obtained from the Redskins, Max Mesner from the Lions and John Campbell from the Rams. "Defense is our big headache. It has to be solidified and you know that can't be done overnight," Nixon pointed out. The defense line will have John Baker and Ben McGee at the ends and Riley Gunnels, obtained from the Eagles, and Chuck Hinton at the tackles - with Ray Mansfield in reserve. Jim Bradshaw and Clendon Thomas likely will play the safety spots with Brady and Marv Woodson at the corners in the defense backfield. Thomas was pulled off the offensive team to soften the pressure on the secondary. "I might have to use Thomas on both offense and defense," Mike explained. Offensively, the coach said that "we'll go with Bill Nelsen at quarterback. He's practically a rookie though he's been here three years. He never played a complete league game for us, but I like his cockiness and quickness. He can get out of the way of the tacklers and he's intelligent." The Steelers' strong points on offense are the guards and tackles, fullback John Henry Johnson and flanker Gary Ballman. The tackles are Dan James and Charlie Bradshaw and the guards are Mike Sandusky and Ray Lemek - all good blockers. "Johnson has looked as good as ever and we think Butler might surprise a few people," Mike said. Cannonball Butler, small at 190, has matched John Henry in rushing during the preseason campaign and the rookie likely will start in place of Dick Hoak, who is injured. Folkins figures to start at tight end and the other wide end besides Ballman will be Red Mack or rookie Roy Jefferson. Nixon confessed that he had no illusions about beating the Packers, pointing out that "Green Bay
is just too strong. Few teams have stopped the Packers and it would be foolhardy to expect us to handle them. But we'll try to play a heck of a game." Mike noted that his scout, Jack Butler, a former Steeler pass receiving star, told him: "Most clubs are thin somewhere in their starting elevens. Not so with the Packers. They do not begin to wear thin until the 40th players. Green Bay is the only team in the country with two of everything."
PACKERS COULD BE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
SEPT 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers are a good football team. They could very well be a championship team this season. They have 14 games to prove their right to play in Game 15 - the title battle Jan. 2. The Packers think they can win the championship. At least five other clubs in the Western Division, topped by the defending champion Baltimore Colts, think they can do the same. Green Bay is picked to replace the Colts as champions to the top two pickers in the country - Jack Hand of the Associated Press and Tex Maule of Sports Illustrated. Both have visited all camps in the league. And they both have that Green Bay feeling. Why are the Packers are a good team? A championship contender? They finished second in each of the last two years. In 1963, it was virtually a freak that they lost, losing only two games. In 1964, they lost three of their first five games by only five points and in the end it was the lack of a kicker that actually "helped" the Colts skin through. In addition to '64, Coach Vince Lombardi placed a great emphasis on first-year men - a sort of subtle rebuilding program. Injuries, loss of valuable Jerry Kramer via illness, and Paul Hornung's try to regain a lost year all added to the problems. Despite these handicaps, the Packers finished in a tie for second. By comparison to a year ago, all is peaches and cream. And here are some of the tasty bits:
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Jerry Kramer survived a series of operations and is back in good health.
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Don Chandler was obtained from the Giants to do the kicking and punting. He's happy here and, what's more he booted nine out of 12 field goal tries in five preseason games plus five out of six in the intra-squad game.
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Carroll Dale was obtained from the Rams in a trade for Dan Currie to add speed and distance to the passing attack. He has done just that, averaging 24 yards per reception in preseason toil.
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Paul Hornung, relieved of the kicking though he still will back up Chandler along with Kramer, has looked exceptionally good. A sharp Hornung takes the pressure off the big blaster, Jim Taylor.
There are many other factors and here a pair of reminders - (1) Plenty of youngsters to go with championship-experienced players and (2) the presence of a strong zest for combat. A willingness for strong blocking and tackling has been a trademark of the Packers since Lombardi took over the reigns here in '59. And that needs no further explanation. The youth movement is most noticeable this season, but it's also noteworthy that survivors of the Bays' last championship, in 1962, are sprinkled in each unit of play. The defensive backfield, to start with, has Willie Wood, Hank Gremminger, and Herb Adderley from the '62 titlists, and they work with newcomers Tom Brown, Doug Hart and Bob Jeter. The linebackers are middled by Ray Nitschke, who was named the most valuable player of that '62 title game, and he is flanked by Dave Robinson, Lee Roy Caffey and Tommy Crutcher - all in the "new" class. The defensive line has two key leftovers from that game - Willie Davis and Hank Jordan, in addition to Ron Kostelnik, who played under Dave Hanner that year. The newcomers are Lionel Aldridge, now a three-year regular, rookie Rich Marshall, sophomore Lloyd Voss, and, of course, Kostelnik, who is a starter. The offensive line has championship holdovers Bob Skoronski, Forrest Gregg, Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy Thurston. The newcomers here are Dan Grimm, Ken Bowman, Steve Wright and Bill Curry. Ron Kramer of the '62 titlists as departed but his spot is now filled by starter Marv Fleming and his replacement, Bill Anderson, a seven-year pro obtained from the Redskins, who is making a comeback after missing 1964 for a try at college coaching. The wider ends of '62 are both intact - Boyd Dowler and Max McGee, and their sidekicks are new, sophomore Bob Long and the aforementioned Dale. The offensive backfield is pretty much 1962 championship caliber. Only four current players weren't present that year - Zeke Bratkowski, Dennis Claridge, Allen Jacobs and Junior Coffey. The '62 offensive backfielders back are quarterback Bart Starr and running backs Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung, Tom Moore and Elijah Pitts. All but Pitts, who came up in 1961, were present for the Pack's three straight division championship seasons. Each unit is proven. Except tight end, where big Fleming still must prove himself over the murderous 14-game haul. He did well in his brief appearance for Kramer in the last two years. The Packers started the current season minus four regular from a year ago - Norm Masters, who announced his retirement the night before training opened; Jess Whittenton, who retired in favor of a career in golf; Dan Currie, who was traded to the Rams; and Ron Kramer, who "went" to the Lions. In addition, two replacements of a year ago were traded to other clubs - guard John McDowell to the Giants and linebacker Gene Breen to the Steelers. Both might wind up as starters for their new clubs Sunday.
PACK HURTS MINIMAL IN NON-LOOP GRIND
SEPT 17 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Packers have suffered their share of serious injuries during Vince Lombardi's reign. But season in and season out they have been at a minimum. Lombardi has made sure the squad has been in exceptional physical condition, thus preparing the athletes to better fight all the things that complicate Trainer Bud Jorgensen's life. The current season is a good example. The Bays came through the rough five-game preseason campaign (and those so-called exhibitions are as tough physically as the league games) with the pleasant "minimum" of hurts. Going into Sunday's NFL opener at Pittsburgh, the Packers have only two injured - Jim Taylor and Bob Jeter. And Jeter merely explains that "I'm all right." In fact, the rugged Jeter never appears to have a hurt. Actually, Bob picked up a couple of "ribs" in Cleveland two weeks ago and he was held out of the Cardinal game. Somebody called Jeter "rubber ribs" yesterday and he answered: "That's right." Taylor has an injury above the ankle and he has increased his running gradually. Lombardi said Thursday that it's too early to tell yet on Taylor. The Strong Man is going for his seventh straight opening day assignment, but if the coach feels he's not up to top capacity he could
be rested a week. Tom Moore, who missed the Cardinal game with an injury, is running line Tom Moore again...The aforementioned Mr. Jorgensen is now in his 42nd season with the Packers. And he's as eager today as the youngest rookie...The Packers will practice here Saturday and fly out via United Airlines charter at 12:30. Normally, the club drills in the enemy park before the game, but Pittsburgh will play Oregon in Pitt Stadium Saturday. The team will headquarter at the Pittsburgh Hilton...The Packers will wear their white jerseys for the first time Sunday. The Steelers will wear their traditional Black and Gold jerseys. Several teams have adopted the former "traveling white" as their home jerseys...Six teams exceeded 100 points in the five-game warmup season, topped by the Vikings' 167. The Colts scored 149, the Packers 148, the Redskins 139, the Browns 128 and the 49er (?) 102. The surprise here is the 49ers, but a few observers have started to issue warners about that club. Defensively, the Colts, Packers and Rams were the only three allowing in the 60s. The Colts gave up 60 points (apparently they don't miss Gino Marchetti and Bill Pellington), the Rams 63 and the Packers 69...NFL clubs have gone crazy wheeling and dealing players to each other. Latest count on the heavy trades that have swept clubs in advance of the league openers is 42. And they involve 67 players...Wally Cruice says the Steelers have improved in each of their last three games despite the switch in coaches two weeks back. And they held the Browns (that's Jim Brown & Co.) to five yards rushing in the first half last Saturday.
STEELERS RIGHT: PACK DOES HAVE TWO OF EVERYTHING
SEPT 18 (Pittsburgh-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Steelers claim the Packers have two of everything. The Packers, no doubt, are highly flattered but this kind of talk is a subtle way of fatting up the calf for that proverbial kill - especially when it comes a few days before a given game. The Packers and Steelers play in Pitt Stadium Sunday afternoon and Green Bay, tabbed as the championship favorite around the country, is a heavy favorite. But what about that "two of everything?" Here's a rundown of the various positions with the starters listed first, followed by the T and E:
Running Backs - Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung. The two behind them, Tom Moore and Elijah Pitts, could be starters on most other clubs in the league.
Quarterbacks - Bart Starr. Zeke Bratkowski was a starter with the Bears and Rams and ideal relief for Starr.
Spead Ends - Boyd Dowler and Max McGee. Carroll Dale has more speed than either of the starters and that goes for Bob Long.
Tight End - Marv Fleming. Bill Anderson was a six-year starter with the Redskins.
Offensive Tackles - Bob Skoronski and Steve Wright. Dan Grimm, a starter at guard last year, and Forrest Gregg, an all-pro at tackle last year.
Offensive Guards - Forrest Gregg and Jerry Kramer. Dan Grimm and Fuzzy Thurston, starters last year.
Center - Ken Bowman. Bill Curry is the best of the Pack's rookies nd he also goes at linebacker.
Defensive End - Willie Davis and Lionel Aldridge. Lloyd Voss, who played several games last year.
Defensive Tackle - Hank Jordan and Ron Kostelnik. Rich Marshall, the biggest man in camp and a good prospect - plus Voss.
Linebackers - Ray Nitschke, Lee Roy Caffey and Dave Robinson. Tommy Crutcher and Bill Curry.
Defensive Halfbacks - Willie Wood, Herb Adderley, Bob Jeter, Hank Gremminger. Tom Brown, who threatens to beat out Gremminger as a starter, and Doug Hart, who has played regular.
Kicker - Don Chandler. Paul Hornung and Jerry Kramer, both of whom kicked as regulars.
PS - Maybe the Steelers are right. The Packers do have just about two of everything...Bill Nelson, the Steelers' starting quarterback, is known for his cockiness, though he hasn't played a full league game yet - until he works against Green Bay Sunday. Nelson is cocky enough to believe that lightning will strike twice against the same team, explaining: "The Dallas Cowboys beat them and
we are as good as the Cowboys."
THIBERT SIGNS BRONCO PACT
SEPT 19 (Denver) - Jim Thibert, linebacker recently released by the Green Bay Packers, was activated by the Denver Broncos of the AFL Saturday. A Bronco spokesman said the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Thibert would be available to play against Buffalo here Sunday.
PERIL FOR PACK IN PITT?
SEPT 19 (Pittsburgh-Green Bay Press-Gazette) - The Steelers loom large and dangerous. Overnight. The Packers are solid choices to whale the Steels in Pitt Stadium this afternoon. But there's something cringy about being in enemy territory. All last week, while the Packers flexed their muscles, absorbed their plays and ran through their formations with great precision, the feeling that today's march would be a breeze prevailed. On top of that, little old Green Bay was flooded with tears out of Pittsburgh. Such as the Steelers have 20 new players - most of them castoffs from other clubs; the new coach, Mike Nixon, hasn't had time to regroup; and the Packers are least 18 deep in every position. But the hour of decision is at hand. And the voices of the local populace, represented by the press, radio and TV, are reminding the Steelers that (1) this is Upset Sunday and (2) that the Packers can only use 11 men at a time. So who's alarmed? The whole business will start coming to a head at 12:30 (WJPG, WBAY-TV) and a live crowd of more than 40,000 will be out to keep
The drawn-out battle over the name Lambeau Field - Public clamor overcame official stonewalling
(June 1st 2017 - Cliff Christl, Packers team historian) - The decision to change the name of Green Bay City Stadium to Lambeau Field couldn't appear today to have been more prescient. But like most ideas, it didn't come about without a political tug-of-war. Curly Lambeau died June 1, 1965. The stadium, originally dedicated in 1957, was officially renamed on Sept. 11, 1965. But the more than two-month debate over whether to do so was more protracted than one might think. The proposal to name the Packers' home field after Lambeau, the team's co-founder and driving force behind its improbable survival, was nothing new. As early as 1937, Milwaukee Sentinel sports columnist Howard Purser wrote, "Green Bay fans have started a movement to change the name of the city stadium to 'Lambeau field' as a tribute to the Packer coach." Purser wrote that when the Packers were playing in old City Stadium, their home from 1925 to 1956. There also were other efforts over the years to honor Lambeau, including a push when the new stadium opened to rename the old one after him. That discussion preceded the decision in October 1959 to rename old City Stadium, East High School Stadium. Two months later, George Banta Jr. of Menasha wrote a lengthy letter to the Green Bay Press-Gazette urging those in authority to rename the new stadium, Lambeau Stadium. Shortly thereafter, Green Bay alderman Thomas Atkinson urged his fellow City Council members to rename the stadium "in honor of the founder of the Green Bay Packers." Atkinson's proposal resulted in the Green Bay Stadium Commission voting to erect a plaque at the new stadium in Lambeau's honor instead. In the end, the plaque also included the names of the Packers' first six presidents and was affixed in November 1960 to the outer wall of the ticket office, then on the west side of the stadium. It wasn't until Lambeau died that the suggestions to rename the stadium in his memory gained traction. Then the clamor built until officials had little choice but to stop stonewalling it. Here is a timeline of events over the summer of 1965.
June 5 – Monsignor John Gehl of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral delivers the eulogy at Lambeau's funeral and says, "I do think that our stadium or arena should be called by his name. This would be proper." Team president Dominic Olejniczak and defensive coach Phil Bengtson represented the Packers at the funeral and former Packers coaches, Gene Ronzani and Lisle Blackbourn, were pallbearers. Vince Lombardi didn't attend.
June 6 – Banta renews his request to rename City Stadium in Lambeau's honor with another letter to the editor, the first of many on the subject that would appear in the Press-Gazette over the next two months. Banta noted that he thought the name City Stadium "lacked color and interest."
June 8 – The Greater Green Bay Labor Council unanimously passes a resolution asking that the stadium be renamed "Lambeau Stadium" or "Lambeau Field." The resolution stated that Lambeau "has contributed more to the recognition of Green Bay, both nationally and internationally, than any other native or adopted son."
June 9 – The Wisconsin Senate passes a resolution paying tribute to Lambeau, but avoids the topic of renaming the stadium.
June 12 – The Mike & Pen Club of Green Bay, an association of local sportswriters and sportscasters, goes on record favoring a change to "Lambeau Stadium." "Without the stamina of this man, building and coaching a football team, Green Bay would be just another location in the state of Wisconsin," the group stated in a letter to the Stadium Commission.
June 14 – Mayor Donald Tilleman tells the Green Bay Rotary Club that he opposes changing the name of City Stadium. "City Stadium already is dedicated, by the vice president of the United States, to the people of Green Bay," Tilleman said. "Some people are not aware of this and some have forgotten." However, Tilleman said some form of recognition for Lambeau should be considered and suggested maybe renaming East Stadium in his honor.
June 15 – The City Council passes a resolution paying tribute to Lambeau and notes he had previously rejected the idea of naming the new stadium after him. "Boys, I am glad that you didn't take any action on naming the new stadium after me," the council claimed Lambeau had said before his death. "I never played there, had no part in building it, and it is my opinion that the new stadium belongs to the people who built it, the citizens of Green Bay."
June 16 – The Press-Gazette prints an editorial favoring the name, "Curly Lambeau Field," and notes its stance reflects the strong public sentiment in Green Bay and throughout Wisconsin to do so.
June 17 – The Press-Gazette's Len Wagner writes in his sports column that he's confounded by the wording of the resolution introduced by the mayor and passed by the City Council two days earlier. Wagner called it "a piece of paper with meaningless words." He also said he conducted an informal poll of 34 Green Bay barber shops and the feedback he received overwhelming favored changing the name to honor Lambeau.
June 21 – Eric Karll, composer of the song, "Go, You Packers, Go," says he has written a letter to Mayor Tilleman asking that City Stadium be renamed in Lambeau's honor.
July 6 – The City Council creates a seven-member citizens council to study a Stadium Commission recommendation to build a museum-type memorial next to City Stadium to be dedicated in Lambeau's honor. City attorney Clarence Nier said a fund drive to build the memorial would show how serious people actually were about honoring Lambeau.
July 8 – The Press-Gazette's lead editorial again urges renaming the stadium, Lambeau Field. It noted building a memorial would be fine, but it was "not acceptable as a substitute for the proper enshrinement of the Lambeau name." The same day, Wagner writes another column in the Press-Gazette criticizing the Stadium Commission for stating that changing the stadium's name to Lambeau Field would be "trite" and "bush league." Wagner asked the commission members, "Gentlemen, if honoring an individual by naming America's most beautiful stadium after him is bush league, just what is considered to be major league?"
July 15 – Wagner writes that people calling him about renaming the stadium in Lambeau's honor should be calling their aldermen instead.
July 20 – Twenty-one aldermen circulate a one-sentence statement before a City Council meeting recommending that City Stadium be renamed in honor of Lambeau. Mayor Tilleman ruled the motion out of order, but said the recommendation should be sent to the Stadium Commission for review.
July 23 – The Press-Gazette polls four members of the Packers' board of directors asking where they stand on renaming City Stadium in honor of Lambeau. Charles Egan said he favored the idea. Fred Leicht and Carl Mraz refused comment. Hayden Evans said he hadn't made up his mind.
July 25 – The 1965 Packer Yearbook has hit the newsstands, the Press-Gazette reports. The cover is a 1961 photo of Vince Lombardi shaking hands with Lambeau. Forty-two years later, Art Daley, publisher of the yearbook, told Jeff Ash of the Press-Gazette that Lombardi called and berated him after he was shown a copy. "What do you mean putting me on the cover with him?" Daley remembered Lombardi shouting into his ear. "That was the worst yearbook you ever put out!" Daley said Lombardi slammed the phone down on him and ignored him for months. Former Packers PR man Lee Remmel said Lombardi had worked behind the scenes to prevent the renaming of the stadium. "Twice within my hearing, he inveighed against naming it Lambeau Field," Remmel told me in a 2003 interview. "(Lombardi) was diametrically opposed to it, no question about that."
July 26 – The seven-member citizens council named by the City Council 20 days earlier unanimously recommends renaming the stadium in Lambeau's honor.
July 30 – The Press-Gazette reports in an editorial that nearly 90 percent of the people it had contacted for its six Q&As about renaming the stadium favored the name, Lambeau Field.
Aug. 2 – The seven-man Packers executive committee recommends renaming City Stadium in Lambeau's honor. That same day, the Stadium Commission recommends naming the stadium, Lambeau Field.
Aug. 3 – Green Bay City Stadium is renamed Lambeau Field by a unanimous vote of the City Council. One alderman, Francis Hessel, said he thought Lambeau Stadium would sound better.
Sept. 11 –In a brief pre-game ceremony before the Packers played the St. Louis Cardinals in a preseason game, Green Bay City Stadium is formally rededicated and renamed Lambeau Field. Mayor Tilleman performed the dedication. Don Lambeau, Curly's son, spoke on behalf of the family. "It has often been said that my father was without sentiment, but those of you who knew him intimately, either as neighbor or friend or business associate, know that he, too, could not have stood here tonight without having been deeply touched," Don Lambeau told the crowd of more than 50,000.
the Packers from winning via voices and cold stares. It is likely to be something of a physical fitness test, since the weatherman has promised 90-degree heat. This is one of those proverbial musts for the Packers since they dive back into the Western Division for opposition next Sunday - the Colts in Milwaukee. The Colts host the Vikings in Baltimore today and out there the fans figure the winner will become the Western titlist. The Packers go into action today with a couple of position question marks - fullback and right corners on defense. Fullback Jim Taylor has an ailing leg and Coach Vince Lombardi may hold off until just before the kickoff before starting him or resting him. Bob Jeter apparently had the defensive job won until he was injured in Cleveland two weeks ago and the other right cornerman, Doug Hart, did a good job against Sonny Randle in the Cardinal game a week ago. So the starter is a tossup. Other starters will be Paul Hornung at running back, with Tom Moore if Taylor doesn't open; Bart Starr at quarterback; Bob Skoronski and Steve Wright at tackles; Forrest Gregg and Jerry Kramer at guards; and Ken Bowman at center. Defensively it will be Willie Wood, Tom Brown and Herb Adderley in the backfield with Hart of Jeter; Ray Nitschke, Lee Roy Caffey and Dave Robinson at linebacker; and Willie Davis, Lionel Aldridge, Hank Jordan and Ron Kostelnik in the line. There could be a switch at left safety where Hank Gremminger presided the last six years, but Brown has played there most of the exhibition season - plus the 1964 league windup when Gremminger was injured. The Packers' major chore will be neutralizing the Steelers' always-tough defense. The Steels have a reputation for playing it real tough - especially at home. The Packer defense, of course, is no slouch and Pittsburgh's young quarterback, Bill Nelsen, will have his hands full. The Packers will be playing their first road opener in 17 years. Back in 1948, they started against the old Boston Bulldogs and came away from a 31 to 0 win. Green Bay leads the Steeler series, 16 to 6, with no ties, but Pittsburgh has won six of the last 10 games. The Packers have a three-game winning streak going over Pitts, 27-10 in Pittsburgh in 195; 19-13 in Pittsburgh in 1960; and 33-14 in Milwaukee in 1963.
