Thursday, March 14, 2013

Photo Gallery - Dr. Eugene Brusky

Green Bay Press-Gazette Assistant online editor Jeff Ash brings us a marvelous photo gallery of team physician Dr. Eugene Brusky, who passed away last week.

Brusky was hired by Vince Lombardi in 1962 and served the club until 1990. He had been inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame three years earlier.

Brusky was apparently known as "Dr. B"; at least, that was chainstiched on the watch cap he wore on the sidelines.

Dr. Eugene Brusky, the Green Bay Packers' team physician, in an undated photo. Vernon and Jim Biever photo
Brusky was on the sidelines for one of the Packers' dynasties, the greatest single decade any team has had in the NFL.

Dr. Eugene Brusky, the Green Bay Packers' team physician, works with quarterback Bart Starr in this undated photo. Green Bay Packers photo
Note the 1966 World Championship ring on the doctor's finger. He also saw the team through some less-than-glamorous times:

Dr. Eugene Brusky, the Green Bay Packers' team physician, examines quarterback Lynn Dickey during a game in the mid-1980s. Vernon and Jim Biever photo
Lynn Dickey's uniform helps us narrow down the date for that particular photo, at least to a three-year period; numbers on the pants were introduced as part of head coach Forrest Gregg's general re-design for 1984 and eliminated after the 1987 season. Dickey himself retired after 1985, which leaves us with a two-year window.

Brusky appears to be wearing the same outfit in this photo with quarterback Randy Wright, who wore the green and gold from 1984-88. If the two photos are from the same season, that would make it 1984.

Dr. Eugene Brusky, the Green Bay Packers' team physician, left, helps quarterback Randy Wright from the field in this photo from the 1980s. Packers trainer Dominic Gentile is at right. Green Bay Packers photo
In warmer weather, it would seem that Dr. Brusky spent much of his time on the sidelines in a gold sport shirt, either on its own:

Dr. Eugene Brusky, the Green Bay Packers' team physician, left, talks to linebacker Mike Hunt in this undated photo. Vernon and Jim Biever photo
or under a green jacket:

Dr. Eugene Brusky, left, the Green Bay Packers' team physician, talks with injured linebacker John Anderson during a game at Milwaukee County Stadium in an undated photo. Vernon and Jim Biever photo
In this photo, the gold shirt is paired with a mesh-back gold cap.

Dr. Eugene Brusky, center, the Green Bay Packers team physician, looks at medical supplies on the sideline before a game at Milwaukee County Stadium in this undated photo. Packers trainer Dominic Gentile is at left. Vernon and Jim Biever photo
I love the helmet graphic on those caps, with its single-bar gray facemask. The Packers switched to green facemasks in 1980, but continued to use a gray-masked logo as late as 1993.

When Dr. B retired after the 1990 season, the Packers presented him with a bronze medical bag.

Dr. Eugene Brusky is honored for his 29 years of service as the Green Bay Packers' team physician before the game between the Packers and the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field on Dec. 15, 1991. Press-Gazette Media archives
There's the "Dr. B" cap again.

The full gallery is here. Once again, the Press-Gazette illuminates a chapter in the Packers' history that could easily have gone ignored.

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