White After Labor Day - 1939 Team Photo

Ladies and Gentlemen, your World Champion 1939 Green Bay Packers, proudly posing in their alternate white jerseys.

Green Bay Press-Gazette archives

Back row (left to right): John Brennan (37); Frank Balazs (35); Harry Jacunski (48); Warren Kilbourne (58); Frank Steen (36); Tom Greenfield (56); Buford "Baby" Ray (44); Carl "Moose" Mulleneaux (19); Larry Buhler (52); Allen Moore (55); Don Hutson (14); Charles Schultz (60); Clarence Thompson (10); Assistant Coach Richard (Red) Smith.
Middle row: Coach Curly Lambeau; Larry Craig (54); Paul Kell (41); Clarke Hinkle (30); Milt Gantenbein (22); Arnie Herber (38); Earl Svendsen (53); Bill Lee (40); Cecil Isbell (17); Charles "Buckets" Goldenberg (43); Hank Bruder (5); Lee Mulleneaux (18); Russ Letlow (46); Paul (Tiny) Engebretsen (34).
Front row: Andy Uram (42); Charley Brock (29); Don Wilson (49); Herm Schneidman (51); Joe Laws (24); Clarence Thompson (50); Dick Zoll (57); Francis Twedell (62); Chester "Swede" Johnson (15); Dick Weisgerber (33); Pete Tinsley (21); John Biolo (32); Ed Jankowski (7).

This simple and elegant, with green numbers on a solid white jersey, formed the basis of the Packers' 2001 Thanksgiving throwbacks.

The Packers didn't get those throwbacks quite right, though. They used their standard block numbers, as seen here on Brett Favre as he munches down on postgame turducken:

Getty Images

The original uniform, as worn by Don Hutson, utilized a simpler number style.

Maple Leaf Productions, on the other hand, got the numbers right on their Packers uniform history plaque:

The Packers didn't have a #27 on the roster that year, but artist Tino Paolini borrowed Larry Buhler's 52 and Cecil Isbell's 17.

One more note on 1939; it wasn't only a white-and-green season. The Packers wore the whites in rotation with the era-defining gold-yoked blue jerseys. And on the biggest stage, the world championship game against the Giants, Curly's boys took the field at Wisconsin State Fair Park in their blues.

Although they were short-lived, I've always liked these white jerseys, certainly much more than the mismatched, overly-striped 1980s road jerseys they wear now. And in this age of disappearing sleeves, perhaps a simple design like this could make a comeback. Paired with the Packers' classic gold pants and helmets, I don't think even Emily Post would mind seeing these whites after Labor Day.