Seymour History Bulletin Fall/Winter 2014
November 12th, 2014
The Annual Meeting
Just over 100 people attended the annual meeting of the historical society at Doxbee’s on May 3. The theme for the day was “Seymour’s Connection to the Green Bay Packers.” Society members were encouraged to wear green and gold and to bring their Packer items for display. Host John Maino interviewed guests and answered questions regarding his media coverage of the team. Janice Eick, Sue Keyzers, Mike Keyzers, and Jennie Huettl were reelected to the SCHS Board of Directors. A few highlights for the event include:
Ted Eisenreich, of Seymour, Facilities Director for the Packers, explained the renovations underway at Lambeau Field and gave a historical summary of the additions. Ted and his wife Bobbie Jo, both work for the Packers. They had their Super Bowl rings on display.
Carl Kuehne a native of Seymour and member of the Packer Board of Directors and Executive Committee told how he recently discovered that his Grandfather was one of the founders of the team. He talked about the origin of the Packers and how his grandfather was vice-president of the packing company that helped outfit the team with the understanding the team would be called “Packers.”
Patti Dethardt recalled that she organized bus trips from the Hotel Seymour and they became a big part of Seymour’s Lambeau experience. To start the party Patti told how Debbie Peterson would recite the “Our Favre” as a tribute to the team. Patti and Debbie then did a reenactment accompanied by slides.
We were fortunate to have three Packer Fan Hall of Fame finalists in attendance. Seymour’s Greg Marnocha, a finalist in 2013, coordinated this aspect of the event and had his huge Packer collection on display. Other finalists who had displays and were interviewed by John Maino included Greg’s father in-law Joe Kuhar and Lisa Rickert’s father Dave. Becky Ullmer, Mary Lou Melchert, Carl Kuehne, and other Packer enthusiasts brought items for display.
Historical society members Bud and Audrey VandenHeuvel, Marge and Bob Coonen, and Don and Dorothy Reed provided fun stories about the history of their season tickets. Overall, it was a fun day for everyone with the profits benefiting the museum sustainability fund. A special “Thank You” to Doxbee’s, ACN, John Maino, Greg Marnocha, all exhibitors, everyone in attendance, our auctioneer Bud VandenHeuvel and the Green Bay Packers.
Packer History from a Seymour Perspective
When Keith Van Vuren was editor of the Seymour Press he often expressed his opinion about the Packers in the paper. This was a time before extensive television coverage and national analysts. Excerpts from a number of his more controversial columns are reprinted below. Since many Seymour area people attended games, his comments always generated interest.
October 28, 1948 – Lambeau Resign
“Last week we said we’d have to wait to see how the Packers put out in a few more games before we could pass judgment on their win over the Rams. The showing they made in Milwaukee Sunday before a measly crowd of 13,000 was showing enough. Washington made saps out of them and after looking over the roster and comparing the material the Packers have with other teams, and above all with Washington who only brought along 28 men for the game, and lost another five by way of injuries before the game was over, we’d say it isn’t the players, it is the coaching staff, namely Lambeau.
Curley has been great in his day, but that has gone past. Lambeau better step upstairs to the front office and let somebody else run the team. They more than stunk Sunday. If Lambeau has the good of the team, the good of Green Bay, and the good of the National League at heart, he’ll get out without being asked.”
Lambeau struggled through a 3 and 9 season in 1948 and finished 2 and 10 in 1949 before resigning. He coached the Packers for 29 years and ended with a 209-104-21 record,
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