That Touch of Mink

We've been discussing the rewards given to players following championship seasons; rings, watches and the like. But to quote the old saw, behind every successful man is a woman. Coach Lombardi knew that, and made sure those women were similarly rewarded.

George Silk/LIFE

LIFE Magazine had this to say:

Snuggling happily in their new furs, the Packers' wives get together with their grinning benefactor, Coach Lombardi, who says: "Happy wives make for happy football players," gave each of them a mink stole after Green Bay won the National Football League championship last December. The single players were not neglected. Their mothers got minks.

Barbara Kramer, then wife of right guard Jerry, was one of the wives who received a stole from Lombardi on that day. Her mink was put up for action at Heritage Auctions in May 2008, providing us with an excellent look at this memento:

Heritage Auctions

No wonder that Lombardi's players would have run through walls for him.