Mean Green Machine, Part II

After overhauling their uniforms for 1935, the Packers kept their kelly green and gold uniforms for a second season.

They are pictured here in the Sunday color section of The Milwaukee Journal from September 20, 1936, in advance of their Week Two contest against the Bears:

THE GREEN BAY PACKERS didn't come far from the national professional league championship last year and the 1936 team, shown above, is determined to do even better. They play their traditional game with the Chicago Bears at Green Bay today. In the lower row are Gantenbein, end; Scherer, end; Hinkle, back; Gordon, tackle; Letlow, guard; Butler, center; Rose, end; Smith, tackle; Engebretsen, guard; and Monnett, back.

Second row players are Eiduayan, guard; Paulekas, guard; Paul Miller, back; Mattos, back; Croft, guard; Oliver, back; Prime Miller, tackle; Clemens, back and Bruder, back.

In the third row are Laws, back; Herber, back; Kiesling, guard; Sauer, back; Becker, end; Agatore, tackle; Svendsen, center and Johnston, back.

Left to right in the fourth row are Trainer Woodward; Schneidman, back; Goldenburg, back; Evans, guard; and Hutson, end. On top are Coach Lambeau; Schwammel, tackle; Seibold, tackle; and Asst. Coach Smith.

These Packers would lose and lose badly to the Bears that day, 30 to 3. Curly's boys would bounce back, and that would be their only loss of the season, as they rolled to a 15-1-2 record and their fourth World Championship.

The Golden Ghost

Here we see Tony Canadeo, the Gray Ghost, modeling one of the Packers' most unusual uniforms - gold over gold.

This was part of Coach Ronzani's rotating series of mix and match uniforms. Here are the all-golds in action against the Lions:

How likely is it that we could see the Packers in gold/gold/gold again? Well, the Packers have been selling a gold fashion jersey for years.

Of course, this is just merchandising. The Packers have never expressed any inclination towards wearing them on the field. But plans can change.

It wouldn't be unheard of; the NFL is no stranger to fashion faux pas. Even the once-reliable Black and Blue Division has had its share of regrettable choices in recent years. And we all know the Packers aren't immune.

NFL uniform regulations allow for alternate jerseys, so long as they remain within the team's color palette. So no problem there. The team would then have to keep it as the only alternate for five years. It's not likely the Packers would adopt another alternate during that period, so again, no problem.

If the Packers were to make this a real alternate and not just a fashion jersey, they'd have yet another set of mismatched sleeve stripes that need fixing. Hopefully, it'll never get that far.

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?

Bearing Down

In honor of this season's sweep of the Bears, we get a peek at a 1940s game between Green Bay and Chicago at old City Stadium:

Before television broadcasts became commonplace, it was not unusual for both teams to take to the field wearing the same color. Although the Packers had a white alternate as early as 1938, this kind of navy v. navy "color clash" with the Bears continued until the Packers adopted green uniforms in 1950.

The Coolest Jersey You Didn't Know You Could Buy

One of the things that bothers me, as a fan of the Packers' Lambeau-era uniforms, is how thoroughly forgotten they have become by the team.

The navy and gold with gold shoulder yokes was the look which defined the Bays for much of their first three decades, including a couple World Championships.

You wouldn't know that, however, from looking around the Packers Pro Shop. The Packers sell all manner of Lombardi Green and Gold, and they have recently started showing some love (if not historical fealty) for the Acme Packers of 1921. But there's an awful lot of history between those two points, and it's largely being ignored.

Sure, you can buy a blue and gold Favre throwback jersey, but that's a 1994 throwback, not 1944. Mitchell & Ness has at times made Tony Canadeo jerseys - a 1949 navy and 1946 white - but those have been out of production for years.

Enter HR Derby. They're an outfit in western New York state, near Niagara Falls, specializing in throwback jerseys of all kinds. Aside from their website, they also maintain a store on eBay.

HR Derby carries the standard Mitchell & Ness baseball flannels, but also a line of custom-made historical football jerseys in a number of styles, but - and here's where it gets good - they also do custom orders, which means they can make just about any classic football jersey you want.

For years, I've been lobbying for a 1940s Hutson throwback over at the Database, but never with any success. So, finally given the opportunity to own one, I couldn't resist.

jersey front

It's absolutely stunning. Deep navy and vivid gold are a beautiful combination, sadly unused in the NFL today.

jersey back

Now, the design's not perfect. The gold yoke should be higher in the front, exposing some of the gold collar, as seen on this 1943 photo of (left to right) Tony Canadeo, Irv Comp, Lambeau and Hutson:

This low yoke is more reminiscent of the first 1937 version, as seen here on Arnie Herber and Hutson:

This wouldn't be a problem, except that it probably means that my 1940s numbers are inaccurate for this jersey. But that's fairly fine nitpicking.

I can't recommend these guys highly enough. But if you're thinking of ordering one yourself, you should be aware that the process takes a long time. HR Derby has the base jerseys themselves manufactured by Southland Athletics (who outfitted, among other NFL clubs, the Cowboys of the 1960s and 1970s), before HR Derby sews on the letters, numbers and other insignia.

Southland Athletic tag

This results in amazing quality but also means you have to wait until HR Derby compiles enough custom orders to meet Southland's minimum. In my case, it was about six months from the time I placed my order until delivery. I've heard of others having to wait longer than that. But once you actually receive the jersey, you'll find they're well worth the wait.

And heck, since Mitchell & Ness no longer sells Canadeo jerseys, HR Derby is picking up the slack there as well. This beauty (perhaps the same Southland batch as mine?) recently sold on their eBay store.

If anybody over at the Packer Pro Shop is reading this, you should really work out a deal with the guys at HR Derby. I know I'm not the only one who's been wanting one of these for a long, long time.

Mean Green Machine

In 1935, fifteen years before Gene Ronzani made the obvious-in-retrospect Green Bay connection, Curly Lambeau added green to his Notre Dame-inspired navy and gold color scheme. He sent his boys onto the gridiron wearing dark green jerseys with gold numbers over green pants.

The string bean look must not have been too pleasing; midway through the season, the Packers scrapped them in favor of kelly green jerseys with gold raglan sleeves and gold pants.

Here's the squad, most of which saw service in every game, which made the Green Bay Packers a deciding factor all the way in the National Professional league cahampionship.

At the bottom (left to right) are Mike Michalske, Bob Tenner, Nate Barragar, Ade Schwammel, George Svendsen, Lon Evans, George Sauer, Bob O'Connor, Bob Monnett, Trainer Bob Woodward.

In the second row are Buckets Goldenberg, Joe Laws, Tiny Engebretsen, Clark Hinkle, Arnie Herber, Roger Grove, Hank Bruder, Milt Gantenbein, Herman Schneidmann and Swede Johnston.

On top are Coach Curley Lambeau, Johnny Blood, Al Rose, Frank Butler, Champ Seibold, Cal Hubbard, Walter Kiesling, Claude Perry, Don Hutson and Ernie Smith.

These sharp uniforms would return for 1936 (and the Packers' fourth world championship), but proved to be short-lived. For the 1937 campaign, the Packers returned to their traditional blue with the introduction of Lambeau's classic navy-and-gold uniform.

Green remained in the Packers' scheme as an alternate color, but wouldn't again be on the home jerseys until after Lambeau left the Packers. Coach Ronzani, looking to looking to emerge from Lambeau's long shadow, would re-introduce a green-over-green uniform. It seems likely that he was unaware that Lambeau had done the exact same thing.

Giving Thanks for Throwbacks

Brett Favre and Ahman Green feast on turducken, Thanksgiving 2001

This Thursday, the Packers take on the Lions in Detroit's traditional Thanksgiving Day game.

Detroit's Thanksgiving legacy goes back to 1934. In 1951, the Packers joined the party and became the Lions' traditional opponent, traveling to the Motor City every year on the fourth Thursday in November. This lasted until Vince Lombardi pulled the Packers out of the annual meeting after the 1963 game, citing the unfair demands of playing a short-week road game every season (it certainly didn't help that the Packers went 3-10 during that span).

Since then, the Lions have faced a rotating series of opponents and the Packers have returned to Detroit for the Thanksgiving game only a handful of times. Twice, in 2001 and 2003, those games have been occasions to wear throwback uniforms, as part of the NFL's "Thanksgiving Classic" promotion (which began with the 2001 game and was discontinued after through 2004).

2001

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The 2001 uniform was based on an alternate introduced in 1939: white jerseys with green numbers, gold helmets, white socks.

I'm not convinced that the canvas-colored pants are historically accurate—the Packers were wearing gold pants with their navy jerseys by 1939—but they are in line with the similarly-inaccurate 1994 throwbacks.

It would be interesting to know how often this white alternate uniform was worn. The Packers had introduced their first white jersey the previous season to avoid the traditional navy-versus-navy confusion when facing the Chicago Bears. They might also have worn them as "clash jerseys" against the Cleveland Rams or New York Giants, who wore royal blue. Pictures from the 1939 season are scarce, but from news accounts we know the Packers wore their traditional navy and gold jerseys in the championship game against the Giants, on the way to their fifth world championship:

The 2001 Packers also fared well in their throwbacks, holding off a late Detroit surge to win the Turkey Day contest 29-27.

In an unusual move, the Packers offered pro-cut throwback jerseys for sale online in various sizes, which has resulted in a glut of Berlin-tagged jerseys on the secondary market. These retail jerseys (principally Favre's #4) are often misleadingly identified as "team issued" or even "game used" jerseys and sold as such at inflated prices.

Readers of Guy Hankel's wonderful blog White Mesh and Green Durene will remember the excellent article he published a few months ago, complete with great pictures of the real thing. If you missed it, go check it out.

2003

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Two years later, the Packers once again found themselves celebrating Thanksgiving in the Motor City. And once again, the Packers wore a classic Green Bay uniform. Trading Curly Lambeau for Vince Lombardi, the Packers took the field that day in an updated version of their 1967 road uniforms.

Unlike the previous encounter, the throwback changes were subtle.

The sleeve and neck stripes were alternating green and gold, unbroken by white, and the home sleeve striping pattern was repeated on the socks. The Packers wore black cleats, standard in the 1960s but wouldn't be re-introduced to the Packers' regular uniform until 2008. The pants striping was narrowed, echoing Lombardi's late 1960s design. Although the Reebok logos would adorn the sleeves and pants, the clunky "NFL EQUIPMENT" patch was nowhere to be seen.

The best part? Gray facemasks.

Although the Packers looked great, they failed to play up to the level of the uniforms, turning the ball over five times as the Lions won, 22-14.

These uniforms are far less common on the collectors' market. Not only did the Packers not sell pro-cut replica jerseys, they didn't offer authentic replicas at all (at least not online). Fans wishing to purchase one of these gorgeous jerseys had to settle for a lower-quality replica with screenprinted numbers.

Game worn jerseys do surface from time to time, though. Brett Favre's complete game uniform sold at auction for $7,582.00 in December 2004.

This beauty, worn by Al Harris, provides us with a closer view of the jersey details.

I would love to see the Packers bring this back as the road jersey. Trying to shoehorn the home jersey stripes into a different color pattern has never worked for me. You can't improve upon a classic, and every tweak of the road uniforms has resulted in another step backwards.

Sadly, the Thanksgiving Classic program was short-lived, so we'll see no such sartorial splendor from either the Packers or Lions this year. This most traditional of regular-season games will see Detroit's newfangled Honolulu blue, silver and black against the Packers' oh-so-close-but-no-cigar modern whites.

Quite a Stretch

Week 11 is in the books, and by now we have plenty of reference on the new uniforms. Take a good look - this is what the well-dressed Packer will be wearing next season:

• Tank top sleeves? Check.


• Itty bitty sleeve shoulder stripes? Check.


• Peekaboo shoulder pads? Check.


• Matte finish? Check.


• Super-stretchy numbers? Check.

Those numbers are a particular point of concern. Made out of the same material as the jersey, and sewn to it with elastic thread, the numbers conform to the contours of the player's body. As the jersey is stretched tighter and tigher across his torso, the numbers bend and warp:

There aren't any right angles left on that number "5". Matthews' nameplate also appears to bend upwards across his pads.

This also happens with the front numbers, no more so than on Aaron Kampman's jersey, with the kerning between his "7" and "4" exaggerated by the tight stretch.

This gives him a certain 1970s retro look:

Even Brockington's gap-toothed jersey is preferable to my eye. The beauty of the Packers' uniform is its timelessness. Strong athletic block numbers give it weight and gravity. Wavy, fluid numbers do not.

I don't have a position of knowledge to debate the performance merits of the new uniforms, but from an æsthetic perspective, it's just more chipping away at a once-perfect uniform.

The Numbers Game

Although pictures of early Packers squads are not uncommon, most tend to be posed team photos, such as this view of the 1931 squad at the beginning of their third consecutive World Championship season.

So while we know what the uniforms looked like from the front, solid blue shirts and socks paired with gold pants, views of the back are few and far between. This leaves a large hole in our knowledge of Packers uniforms - the jersey numbers, worn only on the back from their introduction in 1925 until 1934 (except for the 1929 & 1930 seasons).

This Milwaukee Journal article from Monday, October 10, 1932 provides us with a very rare glimpse of those numbers. The picture was taken the previous day, as 5,500 fans watched the Blues defeat the Portsmouth Spartans at Old City Stadium.

Standing deep in his own end zone Earl Clark, all-American pro quarter, attempted to kick. But Joe Zeller, all-conference guard at Indiana last season, rushed in and blocked the punt. A second later Rose (No. 52 in the picture) fell on the ball (indicated by an arrow) for the touchdown. Zeller is the player lunging forward directly under Clark's foot.

While the Spartans are wearing an oversized version of a common block, the Packers' numbers are thinner, rounded and more stylized. Although I'm very reluctant to judge such things from old photographs, let alone old black-and-white newspaper photos photocopied, bound into a book and scanned decades later, it looks to me as though the numbers are darker in color than those worn by the Portsmouth players. The Spartans' colors were purple and gold, but it seems likely that they wore large white numbers (as the Packers would adopt in 1934).

"Rose" is Al Rose, wide receiver for Green Bay from 1932 through 1936. He was the first Packer to wear number 52 on his jersey, and only for that one season. Rose never really settled on a number - after 1932, he moved to #34 in 1933, #49 in 1934 and #47 in 1935 and 1936.

The most notable Packer to sport the number was Frank "Bag of Donuts" Winters, who wore it from 1992-2002. The longtime center was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2008.

52 is currently being worn by outside linebacker Clay Matthews.

Ramming the Point Home

Still trying to identify the point when the Packers abandoned leather helmets. We do know that the entire team was wearing plastic shells (at least in some games) by 1952, based on this photo from the Packers' heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Marquette Stadium in Milwaukee on October 12, 1952.

As we've discussed, Gene Ronzani was putting his own stamp on the club, slowly eliminating Curly Lambeau's blue and athletic gold scheme. Here we see Ronzani's green jerseys paired with a metallic gold shell. The result was reportedly something like this:

Not dissimilar to the color scheme Ron Wolf almost adopted in 1994.