Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Summer Camping

In the 1930s, the Milwaukee Journal started running a special Sunday section of color photography, highlighting world destinations, cultural superstars and local events. Little wonder that the Packers, who were on the cusp of their fourth world title, would be prominently featured (sporting their then-new kelly green and gold uniforms).

Click either image for the full-size "Action in Color" page from September 22, 1935 (the morning of the second game of the season):

The caption reads:
FOOTBALL ACTION PICTURES IN COLOR, never before possible, are brought to you through The Journal's new film, many times as fast as any color negative yet devised. These photographs were made as the Green Bay Packers, the state's big time professional football team, practised at the Rhinelander High school field. The picture above shows a line play, while the picture (below) shows the start of an end run. Joe Laws is taking the ball, Clark Hinkle (23) is at the right, No. 11 is Bob Monnett and No. 14 is Al Rose, an end.
All errors, spelling or otherwise, per the original (Clarke Hinkle never gets his due).

The photo was taken before the season during the Packers' training camp, which was then being held in Rhinelander, 130 miles northwest of Green Bay.

Interesting that Al Rose is wearing #14. The number is most famously associated with Don Hutson, then in his rookie year. According to the team, he wore it the entire season (Johnny Blood wore #14 in 1934).

It certainly seems plausible that Rose, who wore four jersey numbers in his five seasons with Green Bay, might have worn #14 in training camp before it was issued to Hutson. But if so, what number did Don Hutson wear?

3 comments:

Tom Farley said...

Holy cow, that's a beautiful pair of photos, Chance. Great find!

The Journal seems to have been at the cutting edge of color reproduction in daily newspapers. You probably saw that color photo I submitted to UniWatch of the UW-Marquette football game from 1932. I was astonished; I didn't know color film even existed that early.

Chance Michaels said...

I think I missed that one - my attendance at UniWatch has been spotty recently.

I also have some gorgeous shots of the minor league Milwaukee Brewers:

- the 1936 pennant-winning club; and
- Spring Training in 1931

The 1936 team photo is from the same type of Journal color section as these Packer photos. My notes indicate that the 1931 photos were published in Sentinel, which would put both major Milwaukee papers on the cutting edge.

Glad you like them - I have one more Journal color pic, a 1936 team photo, that I'll post next week.

Packdynasty said...

Hi Hutson wore #43 in LA CROSSE Old Style Lager game 9-8-35. He wore #42, his first game ever with Pack on Labor Day 9-2 vs Chippewa Falls Marines in Chippewa!