On This Date in Sports September 29, 1957: Lambeau
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
The Green Bay Packers open the season by unveiling their new stadium. Dubbed New City Stadium to distinguish itself from its predecessor, the stadium seats 32,132 and is the first to be built specifically for an NFL team. At the time, all other teams were in older stadiums or sharing with baseball. Vice President Richard M. Nixon dedicates the new stadium as the Packers upset the rival Chicago Bears 21-17.
The Green Bay Packers are a relic from the early days of the NFL, when most of the league was in small Midwestern towns, playing on glorified sandlots. While the rest of the league eventually came to the big city, the Packers could survive thanks to the teams coached by Curley Lambeau, who was consistently among the league’s best. The Packers would win three straight titles in 1929, 1930, and 1931 in the days before the championship game began to bring legitimacy to the league and professional football. Battling the Chicago Bears, the Packers went to the NFL Championship Game three times in four years, winning twice.
The NFL was growing thanks to television, but the Packers seemed trapped in a time warp. After adding a seventh NFL Championship in 1944, the Packers struggled as their star player Don Hutson, the first star receiver in the NFL, retired. Over the next decade, the Packers became one of the league’s weakest teams. Wanting to keep their connection to the league’s early years, the Packers still called Green Bay home but were increasingly reliant on their three home games in Milwaukee, which had opened County Stadium in 1953, hoping to bring the Packers in full-time.
Professional football continued to grow, and the Packers’ City Stadium became increasingly inadequate. The stadium was shared by a local high school, with wooden bleachers seating just 25,000 fans. Things were so bad that visiting teams often dressed at the hotel and came to the game in full pads and uniform due to the small locker rooms. Shortly after County Stadium opened, the NFL began to pressure the Packers to move to Milwaukee or build a new stadium in Green Bay. The stadium was built at $960,000, near the Village of Ashwaubenon, where they had plenty of open space to accommodate a practice field and parking lot. The voters of Green would approve a bond issue to finance the new stadium in April of 1956.
The Packers opened the new City Stadium against the arch-rival Chicago Bears. The stadium seating 32,132 was the first stadium built specifically for an NFL team. At the time, the other 11 teams played in older pre-existing stadiums or were secondary tenants to the local Major League Baseball team. The Bears scored first in the new stadium as Ed Brown capped a 77-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run. With second-year Quarterback Bart Starr struggling early in the game, Babe Parilli came on in relief and led a 79-yard drive, which ended with a 37-yard pass to Billie Howton. The Bears regained the lead with Eddie Brown hitting Harlon Hill on an 11-yard touchdown pass. The Packers tie things up again late in the second quarter, as Howton drew a pass interference call in the end zone, setting up Fred Cone for a simple dive into the end zone.
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With the score tied 14-14 at halftime, City Stadium held a dedication ceremony, with Commissioner Bert Bell on hand along with Vice President Richard M. Nixon and Miss America Marilyn Van Derbur. Nixon declared the new stadium the best spectator stadium he had ever visited. The Bears regained the lead early in the third quarter on a 13-yard field goal by George Blanda. From there, the Packers' defense took over, shutting down the Bears and forcing four turnovers. In the fourth quarter, Green Bay took the lead for the first time with 8:21 left in the game, as Parilli connected with Gary Knafelc on a six-yard pass into the end zone. The Packers would go on to win the game 21-17 as the Bears never made it to midfield the rest of the way. Wins would not be expected for the Packers in their first season in the new stadium as they finished with a record of 3-9.
Despite the new stadium, the Packers would still split games with County Stadium for the next four decades. City Stadium would be renamed Lambeau Field in 1964 after the coach that won seven NFL championships while in Green Bay. The new stadium would again help the Packers become an NFL powerhouse, as Vince Lombardi arrived in 1959 and began the most successful decade in franchise history. Over eight years, the Packers would play in the NFL Championship Game six times, winning five and the first two Super Bowls.
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Lambeau Field has undergone several renovations increasing seating capacity to 81,441 in 2013. As it turns 65, it is the oldest continually operating stadium in the NFL. Packers tickets are in demand more than ever in Green Bay, as the season ticket waiting list averages 30 years.