Don Hutson's Packers Playdium

Press-Gazette Archives

Don Hutson assists an unidentified young woman at the Packer Playdium, February 7, 1942.

Until relatively recently, "football player" was not a year-round occupation. Even Packer legend Don Hutson, whose career as a player spanned from 1935 through 45 (and who continued to coach for three years after that), ran two well-known Green Bay businesses — an auto lot named, appropriately enough, Don Hutson Motors, and a bowling alley and bar named the Packers Playdium.

Hutson's partner in the Playdium was another Packer great, Charles "Buckets" Goldenberg, who joined the Packers in 1933 and wore the Blue and Gold (and sometimes Green) through the 1945 season. Together, the two men had enough star power in Green Bay to change the city's liquor ordinance; until 1942, alcoholic beverages could only be sold in premises located on street level. That would have left the ten lanes of the Playdium's second floor dry, so Hutson and Goldenberg convinced the city council to exempt hotels, clubs and "bowling alleys with not less than five alleys on the second floor." The two were aided by over 1,000 signatures supporting the change.

Glassware from the Playdium is prized by collectors. This particular glass is currently available from Titletown Nostalgia.


This linen postcard, postmarked 1949, gives us our best look at the interior of the Playdium.

You can see those distinctive swirls on the alley's walls in the photograph above.

I love the mural on the bar's wall, depicting a generic Packer surrounded by mascots of the other NFL clubs, including an Eagle, Lion and Cardinal:

Why not Hutson's #14?

The player depicted is wearing the Packers' 1935-36 uniform, with its distinctive gold raglan sleeves:

The reverse bears a photo of Hudson in his navy and gold mid-1940s Packer jersey. This particular card was sent to a customer as an appointment reminder.

Sherwood is over 30 miles from Green Bay; perhaps Mr. Runge was a Packer fan, or the Playdium was a particularly good place to bowl.

"Through Curly's Eyes"

Opening July 19, we have a new entry into the "stage and screen" category: "Through Curly's Eyes", from Green Bay's Let Me Be Frank Productions. As a writer and theatrical producer myself, I'm very intrigued about the dramatic possibilities of the team's earliest days.

The same company, you might remember, supplies actors for trolley tours of the Packers Heritage Trail around Green Bay.

The photo of three Packers in their sepia-toned blues is a nice image, even if the text could use some work (there's no apostrophe in "Packers", fellows).

Unfortunately, information about "Through Curly's Eyes" is scant and somewhat contradictory online. The show is described on its ticket service page this way:

A little bit of history and a lot of laughs are the best ways to describe this Let Me Be Frank show. Learn about the Pack and take the tour in downtown Green Bay from 1919 to 1950. But this isn't just any tour - it's through Curly's eyes! Join us for this all-original show with original songs written by Cliff Christl!

Songs by Cliff Christl, the former Green Bay Press-Gazette and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writer who covered the Packers from 1974-2007? Creator of the Packers Heritage Trail? Count me in!

I think they might mean the "all-original show" is written by Cliff Christl, with some original songs added in. The production company's site describes it this way:

Nobody really knew Curly Lambeau, but he is probably the best known person from Green Bay. He started the franchise and the stadium is named after him. Known as a ladies man and a braggart, Let me be Franks takes you back to the 1932 season and the great stories of Cliff Christl. You will laugh and remember the glory days before Lombardi. July 19th through August 17th at the Meyer Theatre!

Also on the company's site, but on the "Show Schedule" page, we have this summary:

Nicolet Bank and Let me be Franks present a little bit of history and a lot of laughs with the new musical about Curly Lambeau. Learn about the Pack and take a tour of downtown Green Bay and the Packers from 1932-1934. But this isn't just any tour – it’s through Curly’s eyes! Join us for this all-original show with stories from Cliff Christl!

So now we have three different settings: '1919 to 1950", "the 1932 season" and "1932-1934". It's also a bit hazy as to how Cliff Christl and the Packers Heritage Trail factor into this production. Christl may have written the show or it may just be based on his stories. The show is branded with the trail's name over the title, and the press materials lean heavily on the word "tour", but they don't seem to have anything in common other than the actors they've already been using as guides. "Tour" here seems more likely to have the more poetic "stroll-through-history" meaning than the literal trolley jaunts. We could really use a proper press release to clear this up.

Think of it, though: site-specific/environmental theatre, with historical scenes performed at the actual locations where the events happened! Sounds like fun, but I don't think that's what they have in store.

This report in the Green Bay Press-Gazette might clear it up:

Packers history explored through new musical

For Let Me Be Frank Productions' latest show, "The Packers Heritage Trail: Through Curly’s Eyes," the group travels all the way back to the 1932 season of the Green Bay Packers and Curly Lambeau.

Set to popular tunes from the '40s and '50s, the musical begins in the old Hagemeister Park where Curly is declaring to his future wife that he’ll conquer the world, and continues along the story of the fund-lacking Packers chasing a title, just trying to stay financially afloat.

In addition to the show, Let Me Be Frank and C&M Marketing are putting together trolley tours of the Packers Heritage Trail hosted by one of the cast members.

That seems to indicate that the musical at the Meyer Theatre is a separate project, related only by the actors the two have in common.

The same Press-Gazette offers this publicity photo, giving us a better look at the uniforms.

That's definitely not the 1932 uniform: in 1932, the Packers were wearing plain blue jerseys as seen at right (with large numbers on the back). They do look like pretty decent reproductions of the Packers' 1929-30 uniforms, made famous via the throwback uniforms worn in 2000 and in 2011 and which will be revived this season. Can't really fault the costume designer for going with the more distinctive numbered jerseys, even if they aren't strictly period.

Looking again at Let Me Be Frank Productions's site, we can piece together some information on the cast, at least those three pictured above. Perhaps the numbers can also give us some insight into which characters might make appearances.

That's company founder and namesake Frank Hermans as Curly Lambeau in the center. He looks good in the part, too. Although Lambeau wore many numbers during his playing career (and remains so far the only man to wear #1), 20 was his number in 1929. Lambeau retired after the 1930 season.

On the right is Jack Janowicz. I don't know who he's playing; number 14 was issued to back Paul Fitzgibbon in 1932, although today it's most remembered for legend Don Hutson, who wore it from 1935 through 1945 and for whom it was retired in 1951.

The other player is played by Paul Evansen, although I can't make out his number. Perhaps he's playing Johnny "Blood" McNally (who wore #20 in '32); by all accounts Johnny Blood was a colorful character to justify a musical of his own life, and should at least feature prominently in a show about those Big Bay Blues Glory Days.

"Through Curly's Eyes" runs July 19th through August 17th at the Meyer Theatre in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Tickets are available at the Resch Center box office, at ticketstaronline.com or by calling 1-800-895-0071.

National Pro Quarterbacks,1961

This picture has been making the rounds lately. Taken by famed photographer Ralph Morse, it was published in the November 17, 1961 issue of LIFE magazine. It shows the starting quarterbacks for each of the NFL's teams (the AFL was in its second year of existence, but hadn't yet broken through to the big time).

(back, L-R) Milt Plum, Bobby Layne, Sam Etcheverry, Bill Wade, Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas, Norm Snead & Zeke Bratkowski, (front L-R) Jim Ninowski, Fran Tarkenton, Don Meredith, John Brodie, Sonny Jergensen & Y.A. Tittle.

Of course, every football fan recognizes Bart Starr, although there's something appropriate about his unassuming place in the back row. Nothing flashy about him, always the good son, but getting the job done. And there's his future backup, Zeke Bratkowski, representing Los Angeles.

I think what I love most about this photo is the variety in the uniforms. There's almost no overlap in the color schemes. Three red jerseys, but each paired with a different color pants. I suppose you could say that the Lions (blue/silver) and Giants (blue/gray) and then the Colts/Cowboys (each blue over white) overlap, but even those are distinctive.

Even without their helmets, we can go right down the line. Browns, Steelers, Cardinals, Bears, Packers, Colts, Redskins, Rams. Lions, Vikings, Cowboys, 49ers, Eagles, Giants. You don't even need custom stripes or details to tell them apart; the color combinations are enough. The trend towards moving many teams to navy and black was still decades away.

"G" Now Stands for "Great-Big"

The Lambeau Field South End Zone expansion project is going full-speed, and the Packers have added their logo to the back of what will become the scoreboard.

That could well be the largest version of Dad Braisher's classic "G" logo ever. Have to compare it to the 50-yard line paint job.

What's "the Greatest Uniform in NFL History"?

NFL.com's "Uniform Monitor", Dave Dameshek, is now running a bracket-style poll to determine the "Greatest Uniform in NFL History".

The Packers have two entries. Their regular uniforms are the 5 seed in the NFC Uniforms Bracket:

The 2010 throwbacks (which will make their first appearance since 2011 this season) are the 16 seed in the NFC Throwback Bracket:

Interestingly, in both brackets the Packers are matched up with the Philadelphia Eagles (regular and 1961 throwbacks).

The voting process is a little confusing; there are checkboxes for each team but no "vote" button, nor is there any indication that the vote has been counted. I've looked in two different browsers but don't see any sort of confirmation. Head on over to NFL.com and tell me what I'm missing here.

We'll continue to give updates as the brackets progress.

Packer fans have come through before, securing nine consecutive victories in the Chunky Soup "Click for Cans" promotion before it was shut down. Time to do it again!

"A Letter to Reckon With"

Jeff Ash of the Green Bay Press-Gazette sent me a note about this new video from St. Nobert College. It's about John Gordon, who as an art student at the college in 1961 designed the Packers' iconic "G" logo.

We've talked about this story before, but it's great to hear it from his own mouth.

I'm going to send Mr. Gordon an interview request; I have some new questions for him after seeing this video.

The Old Man at Sneezer's, 1960

This marvelous photo comes to us via Shorpy, a "vintage photo blog featuring thousands of high-definition images from the 1850s to 1950s." This photo lies just outside that timeframe, featuring head coach Vince Lombardi eating breakfast at Sneezer's Snack Shop, his morning haunt.

Shorpy

1960. Green Bay, Wisconsin. "Packers coach Vince Lombardi at lunch counter." Photo by Frank Bauman for the Look magazine assignment "The Packers Pay the Price."

Outstanding. When was the last time you could order a glass of "fresh, healthful buttermilk" in a diner?

The coach reportedly ate breakfast every morning at Sneezer's on his way to the stadium, and the Packers were known to rent out a private back room for team functions.

Here's a chrome postcard of Sneezer's from 1967:

Flickr/it's better than bad

The postcard's caption reads:

SNEEZER'S SNACK SHOP
"Titletown U.S.A."

Mrs. Geneva Jahnke with her 1966 Mustang which she won in the Icelandic Fish Co. contest at The Wisconsin Restaurant Convention.

Sneezer's specializes in Broasted Chicken, Hamburgers and Icelandic Sea Foods.

I love the sign, with the rotund chef carrying a massive burger.

Geneva Jahnke was the wife of Norman "Sneezer" Jahnke, master of the house.

For a glimpse at what the exterior might have looked like as Lombardi drank his coffee on that morning, this photo was taken just a few years earlier, on September 25, 1957:

Wisconsin Historical Society

Sneezer’s Snack Shop at 1608 S. Greenwood (now Ashland) Avenue. Vince Lombardi often ate breakfast here on his way to the practice field. The left half of the building was the restaurant, and the right half of the building was the Jahnke family home. On game day, Sneezer’s was a de facto tailgating site, 1960s style. During the 60s, tailgating at the stadium did not enjoy the popularity that it does today.

Note that in 1957 the Coca-Cola "BREAKFAST" sign hadn't been put up, nor was there a "SNEEZER'S" sign on the chimney.

Sneezer's was close to Lambeau Field (then known as City Stadium or New City Stadium). The original address was 1608 S. Greenwood Avenue, but upon the construction of Highway 32, also known as South Ashland Avenue, the building's address was changed. On this satellite view, Sneezer's location is on the right, marked with (A):

Sneezer's souvenir ashtrays are beloved by Packer collectors. This version from 1959 features facsimile signatures from the entire roster, coaching staff and even longtime trainer "Bud" Jorgensen and equipment manager "Dad" Braisher.

eBay

A similar ashtray was issued in 1960, one of which sold at auction last year. It proudly proclaims the Packers as "Western Division Champions", perhaps a bittersweet reminder that the Packers lost the title game to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Heritage Auctions

I'm not aware of those ashtrays having been produced in any other seasons. There is this undated ashtray, again sold at auction last year, proclaiming Sneezer's as "The Home of the Packers":

Inside the Park Collectibles

There's the fat chef again.

I don't know when this ashtray was produced, or even if it was ever offered to the public, unlike the the 1959 & 60 versions (which are labeled "Compliments of Sneezer's"). The address is still listed as "1608 S. Greenwood", whereas by 1959 it had been changed to "S. Ashland Ave - Hwy. 32", meaning this item precedes Lombardi's arrival in Green Bay. That would also indicate that Sneezer's was a Packer favorite before being discovered by Lombardi. I also don't know if the lack of green and gold indicates this is from one of the Packers' many seasons in navy, or if it's just Sneezer's standard color scheme.

Although the ashtrays appear to have been discontinued before Lombardi's team started winning championships, the restaurant did print coasters commemorating the Packers' wins in Super Bowls I and II.

Just about every decent Packers collection will contain at least one Sneezer's item.

Sneezer's Snack Shop has been closed for years. Norman Jahnke died in 1983, Geneva in 1986. The building still remains, however, on South Ashland Avenue.

It is currently occupied by the Green Bay Veterans Center.

Number 5 in Your Programs?

Reader Trevor Whitlock sends us this tip:

the issuing of these 'uncirculated numbers' continued today. unfortunately, it looks like this is going to become common with the expanded rosters.

He also sent me a screencap. Check out the last sentence:

And sure enough, looking at the Packers' roster they've assigned Paul Hornung's #5 to Terrell Sinkfield.

Quick digression: an ad for Culver's? How did my Brooklyn-based browser pick that one up?

Although never technically retired, the number has been held out of circulation since the Golden Boy retired, with one notable exception; a one-year issuance to quarterback Don Majkowski in 1987. After that one season, the Majik Man requested a number change because, as he put it at the time:

People kept asking me how it feels to wear Paul Hornung's number. I kept hearing that, and I realized the impact Hornung had. I wanted to wear a number people could remember me for.

We'll see if Sinkfield feels this problem as keenly, if he even makes the 53-man roster. But now we have a second longtime "unofficially retired" number being issued this season, after undrafted free agent QB Matt Brown was given Curly Lambeau's #1 after 87-years on the sidelines.

Trevor's right that the increasing number of players will create these problems. It's ironic that they're being given to people who come in least likely to match the exploits of the previous wearer, but I wonder if that isn't by design: if Brown and Sinkfield make the team, perhaps the Packers will issue them the newly-freed number of one of their colleagues who didn't.

Also, two #7s? We'll see how long that lasts...

Happy 100th, Vince Lombardi!

On the occasion of Vince Lombardi's 100th birthday, this gorgeous shot is a rare look at the coach in (over-saturated) color.

The satin jacket with chain-stitched team name is fantastic, and I always love to see the "GB" cap.

Lombardi was born in my home of Brooklyn on June 11, 1913. I wonder what the Packers will do this season to mark the anniversary. Retiring the number one jointly for Lombardi and Lambeau would be a nice gesture.

Packers v. Lions, 1958

This photo was taken at New City Stadium (a few years away from being renamed Lambeau Field) on October 5, 1958, the second game of the season. The Packers had lost to the Bears in the season opener the week before.

A handwritten notation on the back of the photo indicates that "this field goal attempt by Jim Martin of the Lions was no good":

In the background, we can see the then-new Brown County Arena, which was due to open to the public approximately five weeks later. Green Bay residents will know it as the home of the city's hockey teams until 2002, but Packers fans are probably more likely to remember it as the original home of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame from 1976 through 2003.

I'm also transfixed by the crowd in what appears to be mostly topcoats and blazers, with some shirtsleeves thrown in for good measure; a far cry from the green-and-gold-sprinkled-with-blaze-orange you'll find today.

I'm also impressed by the size of the crowd; the Packers were a truly awful team in 1958. After dropping the first game, only this missed field goal allowed the Pack to salvage a 13-13 tie with the Lions on that November afternoon. This game was the last "1" in their 1-10-1 record for 1958, a record which cost head coach "Scooter" McLean his job and set the stage for the hiring of Vince Lombardi the following offseason.