When Pride Still Mattered

by David Maraniss

  8. Six weeks after Jack Vainisi died: Int. Jackie Vainisi.

  15: GOLDEN

  1. John F. Kennedy, the new president: Ethel Kennedy letters to Vince Lombardi (1969-70); Lew Anderson notebooks; Vincent H. Lombardi papers.

  2. What was it about Lombardi?: Ints. Susan Lombardi, Lois Bourguignon, Mary Antil, O. C. Krueger, Bud Lea, W. C. Heinz.

  3. Here he is, on the Wednesday evening: Program, Testimonial Dinner-Dance honoring Vincent Lombardi, April 5, 1961, Clara Parvin papers; photographs of testimonial, Susan Lombardi photographs; ints. Ray Walsh, Victor Del Guercio, Joe Lombardi, Eddie Izzo, Anthony Izzo.

  4. It was a snap to draw: Ints. Ruth McKloskey, Pat Peppler, Tony Canadeo, Bob Skoronski, Lorraine Keck.

  5. That was true only: Ints. Bob Skoronski, Gary Knafelc.

  6. Lombardi carried this dread with him: Heinz notes; Cohane papers; ints. Art Daley, Lee Remmel, Bud Lea, Max McGee, Willie Wood.

  7. The mythmakers were finding their way: Cohane papers; Cohane, Bypaths, p. 11; Look, Oct. 24, 1961.

  8. And out came more writers: Int. Dick Schaap; “The Rough Road Ahead for Paul Hornung,” Sport, November 1961.

  9. Myth or reality?: Int. Gary Van Ness.

  10. To trade places for a moment: Ints. W. C. Heinz, Ruth McKloskey, Vincent H. Lombardi, Jack Koeppler.

  11. Paul Hornung never enjoyed much: Ints. Paul Hornung, George Dickson, John Druze, Max McGee; Sport, November 1956; Family Weekly, Sept. 24, 1961; Hornung and Silverman, Football and the Single Man, p. 61.

  12. His teammates in Green Bay: Ints. Elijah Pitts, Ron Kramer, Max McGee, Gary Knafelc, Dick Schaap, John Ebert, Tony Canadeo.

  13. Lombardi was openly distraught: Account of Hornung experience in Army drawn from ints. Paul Hornung, Lew Anderson,O. C. Krueger, Duane Dinius, Gen. John Ruggles, Bud Lea: AP,Oct. 7-10, 1961; UPI, Oct. 27, 1961; Milwaukee Sentinel, Nov. 14, 1961; Chief of Staff, U.S. Army memorandum, Oct. 20, 1961; Lew Anderson letter to Dick Voris, Packers director of personnel, Nov. 6, 1961; Lombardi letter to Kenneth O’Donnell, special assistant to the president, March 16, 1962.

  14. The Giants thought they had a chance: Account of 1961 championship game drawn from ints. Jack Koeppler, Tony Canadeo, Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Ray Nitschke, Max McGee,Willie Wood, Gary Knafelc, Ron Kramer, Red Cochran, Bill Austin, Wellington Mara, Vic Del Guercio, Father Tim Moore,Vincent H. Lombardi, Lois Bourguignon; Steinbreder, 70 Years, p. 81; Whittingham, Giants, pp. 119-120; New York Times, Jan. 1, 1962; New York Daily News, Jan. 1, 1962; Press-Gazette, Jan. 1, 1962; Milwaukee Sentinel, Jan. 1, 1962.

  16: A NIGHT AT THE ELKS

  295. On the Monday evening of April 30, 1962: The Program, Tribute to Vincent Thomas Lombardi.

  295. This was a night for tales: Account in this chapter drawn from long-playing audiodisks of evening recorded by WJPG in Green Bay, April 30, 1962; Cohane, Bypaths, pp. 11-13; Press-Gazette, May 1, 1962; Washington Post, Nov. 7, 1963; ints. Father Tim Moore, Jack Koeppler, Paul Hornung.

  17: DAYLIGHT

  304. The call came one Sunday: Int. W. C. Heinz.

  306. On the thirtieth of June: Heinz notes; int. W. C. Heinz.

  307. Nothing came so easily: Heinz notes, Notebook No. 1.

  308. Lombardi even forgot: Int. Susan Lombardi.

  312. But did he need the Wisconsin press?: Ints. Bud Lea, Art Daley, Lee Remmel, Terry Bledsoe, Russ Kriwanek, Wayne Vander Patten, Dave Hrubesky, Jim Irwin, Al Sampson, Al DelGreco, Robert Strom.

  316. It was their defense that made them: Ints. Ray Nitschke, Art Daley, Willie Wood.

  317. He got the game: Heinz, Run to Daylight!, pp. 208-235; Heinz notes; int. W. C. Heinz.

  318. The astounding team in the heartland: Herbert Warren Wind, “The Sporting Scene (Packerland),” The New Yorker, Dec. 8, 1962.

  319. Detroit had a defense as tenacious: Account of Thanksgiving Day loss to Lions drawn from ints. Max McGee, Bob Skoronski, Willie Wood, Bart Starr, W. C. Heinz; Press-Gazette, Nov. 21-24, 1962.

  320. Heinz had written six chapters: Int. W. C. Heinz; Heinz, Run to Daylight!, pp. 21-193; Flynn, The Vince Lombardi Scrapbook.

  18: THE END OF SOMETHING

  22. Marie had traveled: Ints. Susan Lombardi, Vincent H. Lombardi; Vincent H. Lombardi papers.

  323. The entire family: Time, Dec. 21, 1962.

  324. Of the 54.9 million homes: NFL Pro Football Review and Analysis prepared by Leo Burnett Company for Philip Morris Inc.

  25. There would be a seamless web: NFL internal documents and notes of league meetings, 1962.

  26. Vince had made plans to take the family: Cohane papers; Wiebusch, Lombardi, p. 122.

  27. He and Marie had left their daughter: Int. Susan Lombardi.

  28. By God it was thrilling: Ints. Bud Lea, Red Cochran; Bengtson, Packer Dynasty, p. 60; Sports Illustrated, Jan. 7, 1963.

  29. When the bus stopped: Jerry Kramer interviewed by John Minot on WNFL in Green Bay, December 1996.

  30. But were the Yankees this beat up?: Ints. Ron Kramer, Paul Hornung; Marie Lombardi tapes; Wiebusch, Lombardi, p. 124.

  31. Red, white and blue bunting: Sports Illustrated, Jan. 7, 1963; Red Smith column reprinted in Green Bay Packers Yearbook, 1963; ints. Vincent H. Lombardi, Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Ray Nitschke, Ron Kramer, Willie Wood.

  32. Up in the auxiliary press box: Ints. Red Cochran, Ray Scott, Steve Sabol.

  33. Willie Wood kicked off: Account of 1962 championship game drawn from ints. Willie Wood, Paul Hornung, Ray Nitschke, Bob Skoronski, Gary Knafelc, Ron Kramer, Bart Starr, Max McGee, Tom Brown, Eugene Brusky, Red Cochran, Pat Cochran, Lew Anderson, Bill Austin, Bud Lea, Art Daley, W. C. Heinz, Steve Sabol, Ken Kavanaugh, Susan Lombardi, Vincent H. Lombardi; Jerry Kramer interview with John Minot; Press-Gazette, Dec. 31, 1962; Lee Remmel, “Greatest Packers Games,” reprinted in the Green Bay Packers Game Program, 1996; Washington Post, Dec. 31, 1962; Sports Illustrated, Jan. 7, 1963; Pro Football Illustrated, January 1963; Whittingham, Giants, p. 124; Wiebusch, Lombardi, p. 122; Vince Lombardi letter to players, Jan. 4, 1963.

  19: FOOT OF THE CROSS

  34. Not long after: Int. Max McGee.

  35. Hornung’s other roommate: Int. Ron Kramer.

  36. The story of how Paul Hornung: Int. Paul Hornung; Hornung and Silverman, Football and the Single Man, p. 17; Las Vegas Review-Journal, Apr. 19, 1963.

  37. Late in the summer: NFL internal documents and minutes of owners’ meetings, 1963.

  38. Lombardi appeared mildly concerned: Ints. Jack Koeppler, O. C. Krueger; Flynn, Lombardi Scrapbook, p. 119.

  39. After the championship game: Int. Paul Hornung.

  40. At the end of January: Minutes of special meeting of NFL executive committee, Bal Harbour, Fla., Jan. 28, 1963.

  41. Hornung was home in Louisville: Int. Paul Hornung.

  42. On the first of April: NFL documents; Cohane papers; ints. O. C. Krueger, Jack Koeppler.

  43. it came at last on the morning of April 17: Int. Paul Hornung; NFL Commissioner’s Report on Investigation, Apr. 17, 1963; Cohane papers; New York Times, Apr. 18, 1963; Chicago Tribune, Apr. 18, 1963; (Madison) Capital Times, Apr. 18, 1963; Press-Gazette, Apr. 19, 1963; Las Vegas Review-Journal, Apr. 19, 1963.

  44. The gambling story, Schaap wrote: Sport, September 1963.

  45. The essential relationship: Ints. O. C. Krueger, Jack Koeppler, Ray Scott, Paul Hornung.

  20: COMING IN SECOND

  46. Only two of Harry Lombardi’s three sons: Ints. Joe Lombardi, Harold Lombardi.

  47. Vince did know that Harold was gay: Ints. Vincent H. Lombardi, Susan Lombardi, Michelle Walden, Father Guy McPartland, George Dickson.

  48. If there was any awkwardness: Int. Harold Lombardi.

  49. Bigness is relative: Int. Dave Robinson; Green Bay Packers publicity memorandum.

  50. How and where: Ints. Pat Richter, Dave Robinson, O. C. Krueger, Pat Peppler, Ruth McKloskey, Willie Wood.

  51. Lombardi was consumed: Wiebusch, Lombardi, p. 125; O’Brien, Vince, p.
164; W. C. Heinz, Run to Daylight!, p. 21.

  52. He pushed harder: Ints. Ruth McKloskey, Lorraine Keck, Jack Koeppler, Eugene Brusky, Red Cochran.

  53. Could the Packers win?: Ints. Al Sampson, Art Daley, Max McGee, Jack Koeppler, Dave Robinson, Willie Wood, Ray Nitschke, Ruth McKloskey; D’Amato and Christl, Mudbaths & Bloodbaths.

  54. President Kennedy was killed: Press-Gazette, Nov. 24, 1963; Milwaukee Sentinel, Nov. 24, 1963; Vincent H. Lombardi memorabilia collection; W. C. Heinz article on Willie Davis in Once They Heard the Cheers (Doubleday, 1979), pp. 276-279.

  55. Lombardi later would place: Lombardi speech to First Friday Club, Los Angeles, Spring 1964.

  56. Paul Hornung, on his knees: Int. Paul Hornung.

  57. The manner of Ringo’s departure: Ints. Pat Peppler, Bob Skoronski, Bill Austin, Red Cochran; Dowling, Coach, p. 28; O’Brien, Vince, p. 221; Milwaukee Journal, May 6, 1964.

  58. If there was anything in Lombardi’s life: Ints. Jack Koeppler, Eugene Brusky, Bert Turek, Gary DeBauche, Father Dennis Burke, Tony Canadeo, Russell Reeder III, Bob Milward, Tom Hallion, Bob Maahs, Mike Flessner, Walter Davis, Max McGee.

  59. The documentary borrowed the name: Run to Daylight! documentary, Howard Cosell, producer, Lou Volpicelli, director, W. C. Heinz, writer; ints. W. C. Heinz, Lou Volpicelli.

  60. Much was at stake: Sports Illustrated, September 1964; Gentile, The Packer Tapes, p. 5; ints. Paul Hornung, Max McGee, Pat Peppler.

  61. In private meetings: Ints. Max McGee, Bob Skoronski, Willie Wood, Tom Brown.

  62. It was an uncertain time for Lombardi: Olejniczak papers; ints. Tony Canadeo, Susan Lombardi, Vincent H. Lombardi, Jill Lombardi, Jack Koeppler, Shirley Koeppler; Minot Daily News, June 23, 1965.

  21: WINNING ISN’ T EVERYTHING

  63. there was a crucial distinction: Ints. Red Cochran, Bill Austin, Willie Wood, Tom Brown, Bob Skoronski, Paul Hornung, Bart Starr.

  64. The signature phrase itself: Int. Melville Shavelson.

  65. The script became the movie: Trouble Along the Way (1953), Warner Bros., written and produced by Melville Shavelson.

  66. Shavelson had only a passing knowledge: Int. Melville Shavelson.

  67. If Red Sanders coined the phrase: Int. Fred Russell; Russell, Bury Me in an Old Press Box, pp. 73-75; Cohane papers.

  22: IT’S THE ONLY THING

  68. “Whadaya think of that?”: Ints. Bud Lea, Art Daley, Tom Brown; O’Brien, Vince, p. 173.

  69. “There’s an old fable”: Cohane papers; The New Yorker, Dec. 8, 1962, Feb. 4, 1967; ints. W. C. Heinz, Steve Sabol, Jack Koeppler, Vincent H. Lombardi.

  70. Was it love or hate?: Cohane papers; ints. Max McGee, Bob Skoronski; AP, July 12, 1966; Washington Star, Aug. 24, 1967; James Maraniss, “Vince Lombardi—Is It Love or Hate That Makes His Team Tick?” (Madison) Capital Times.

  71. There was a similar paradox: Ints. Bob Skoronski, Tom Brown, Dave Robinson, Willie Wood, Pat Peppler, Gary Knafelc, Red Cochran, Bill Austin, Max McGee.

  72. There was a more practical explanation: Bengtson, Packer Dynasty, p. 207; ints. Jack Koeppler, Paul Hornung, Willie Wood, Art Daley, Ray Nitschke, Tom Brown, Max McGee, Dave Robinson.

  73. On the airplane returning from the coast: George Plimpton and Bill Curry, “The Green Bay Monster”; ints. Bob Skoronski, Willie Davis.

  74. Hornung seemed rejuvenated: Newsday, Dec. 13, 1965; Press-Gazette, Dec. 13, 1965; Arthur Daley, “The Golden Dome,” New York Times, Dec. 14, 1965.

  75. The next big game: Press-Gazette, Dec. 23-27, 1965; Milwaukee Sentinel, Dec. 27, 1965; ints. Paul Hornung, Willie Wood, Ray Scott, Red Cochran, Art Daley, Lee Remmel, Bud Lea, Ray Nitschke.

  76. The world championship was played: Press-Gazette, Jan. 1-3, 1966; Carroll, Total Football, p. 136; ints. Paul Hornung, Steve Sabol, Bob Skoronski.

  77. The game on the field: Ints. Pat Peppler, Jim Grabowski, O. C. Krueger.

  78. On the eleventh of June: Ints. Vincent H. Lombardi, Jill Lombardi, Susan Lombardi, Ray Scott, Mary Antil, Jack Koeppler, Mary Jo Johnson.

  79. After the game Ken Hartnett: AP, Oct. 24, 1966; ints. Bud Lea, Art Daley, Chuck Lane, Lee Remmel, Bill Austin.

  80. Lombardi had a need to prevail: Ints. Art Daley, Russ Kriwanek, Vernon Biever, Lee Remmel, Wayne Vander Patten, Jim Irwin, Al Sampson, Bud Lea, Mike Gourlie.

  81. The pressure of success: Ints. Chuck Lane, Eugene Brusky, Father Tim Moore, Jack Koeppler, Bill Austin, Red Cochran, Ruth McKloskey.

  82. “LAST GO FOR LOMBARDI?”: Dallas Times-Herald, Dec. 27, 1966; ints. Lee Remmel, Art Daley, Dave Robinson, Elijah Pitts, Jim Grabowski, Tom Brown.

  83. The game was a lower-case phenomenon: Account of Super Bowl I drawn from ints. Paul Hornung, Max McGee, Bart Starr, Bob Skoronski, Ray Nitschke, Dave Robinson, Tom Brown, Carroll Dale, Willie Wood, Elijah Pitts, Lee Remmel, Art Daley, Bud Lea, Vernon Biever, Tony Canadeo, Vincent H. Lombardi, Ruth McKloskey, Red Cochran, Pat Cochran, Jack Koeppler, Shirley Koeppler, Lois Bourguignon, Steve Sabol. Also Carroll, Total Football, p. 101; “Day One,” Sports Illustrated; The New Yorker, Feb. 4, 1967; Life, January 1967.

  23: IN SEARCH OF MEANING

  84. The doldrums of 1967: Ints. Red Cochran, Pat Cochran.

  85. That crossover process had begun: Int. W. C. Heinz.

  86. When responding to letters: Ints. Ruth McKloskey, Lorraine Keck; John Minot papers.

  87. The Great Lakes region: Life, Feb. 10, 1967; Press-Gazette, Feb. 2-6, 1967; New York Times, Feb. 3-8, 1967.

  88. It was in the midst of this storm: Int. Christ Seraphim.

  89. At several stops along the route: Ints. Pat Conway, George Disegni.

  90. They were finishing the salad course: Ints. George Disegni, Joe Lombardi; New York Times, Feb. 9, 1967; AP, Feb. 8, 1967.

  91. Many of Blaik’s: Blaik, Pay the Price, p. 413; Cohane papers; archive of Lombardi speeches maintained by Lorraine Keck, standard speech for this chapter based on speech titled “Leadership in Management.”

  92. Fifteen years earlier: Cohane papers; Blaik, Pay the Price, p. 524; ints. Doug Kenna, Red Reeder.

  93. When Father Cox: Cox, Liberty: Its Use and Abuse.

  94. Lombardi had mixed feelings about the reforms: Ints. Jack Koeppler, Father Dennis Burke.

  95. Father Lombardi?: Int. Ruth McKloskey.

  96. Lombardi could adjust: Murray Olderman, NEA interview, Spring 1970.

  97. This line of thinking went back: Blaik letters, West Point Research Library.

  98. He was “such a forceful personality”: Int. W. C. Heinz.

  99. Character is an integration: Cox, Liberty: Its Use and Abuse.

  100. Love and loyalty: Kramer, Instant Replay, p. 19.

  101. The loss of Hornung: Ints. Max McGee, Paul Hornung, Jack Koeppler, Bert Turek.

  102. At seven o’clock: Fordham Research Library archive; ints. Joe Lombardi, Jack Koeppler.

  24: ICE

  103. Ed Sabol could not sleep: Int. Steve Sabol.

  104. The same words of disbelief: Ints. Paul Mazzoleni, Willie Wood, Chuck Mercein.

  105. His colleague called at seven: Ints. Lee Remmel, Chuck Lane.

  106. Dick Schaap led a foursome: Ints. Dick Schaap, Dave Robinson.

  107. There was a full house: Ints. Susan Lombardi, Vincent H. Lombardi, Jill Lombardi.

  108. The Sabols were already there: Int. Steve Sabol.

  109. Chuck Lane was heading out: Ints. Chuck Lane, Bud Lea, Jim Tunney.

  110. In the locker room: Ints. Willie Wood, Tom Brown, Dave Robinson, Jim Grabowski.

  111. Of all the major characters: Ints. Chuck Mercein, Wellington Mara.

  112. When the team returned: Ints. Willie Wood, Max McGee.

  113. His playing career done: Int. Gary Knafelc.

  114. To many fans: Ints. Carol Schmidt, Bob Kaminsky, Jack Koeppler, Jerry Van, Lois Bourguignon, Red Cochran, Gary Van Ness, Mary Turek, Tom Olejniczak, Lorraine Keck, Chuck Mercein.

  115. For the first quarter: Ints. Tom Brown, Dave Robinson, Ray Ni
tschke; Green Bay Packers Yearbook, 1968.

  116. Willie Wood drops back: Int. Willie Wood.

  117. Lombardi had little to say: Ints. Tom Brown, Bob Skoronski, Paul Hornung, Lee Remmel; Kramer, Instant Replay, p. 215.

  118. The wives of Dick Schaap and Jerry Kramer: Int. Dick Schaap.

  119. The third quarter: Tunney, Impartial Judgment, p. 64; ints. Jim Huxford, Ray Nitschke, Chuck Mercein; Gifford, The Whole Ten Yards, p. 243.

  120. The press box: Ints. Chuck Lane, Bud Lea, Lee Remmel, Art Daley, Jim Irwin, Ray Scott.

  121. Willie Wood thought: Ints. Willie Wood, Ray Scott, Ray Nitschke, Dick Schaap, Vincent H. Lombardi, Clara Parvin, Eugene Brusky, Jim Huxford, O. C. Krueger, Paul Mazzoleni, Steve Sabol.

  122. Before trotting onto the field: Ints. Bart Starr, Bob Skoronski, Chuck Mercein.

  123. Then came what Starr considered: Ints. Bart Starr, Chuck Mercein, Art Daley, Jim Huxford.

  124. Starr knows exactly what his coach: Ints. Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Chuck Mercein, Max McGee, Bud Lea, Pat Peppler, Willie Wood; Green Bay Packers Yearbook, 1968; Green Bay Packers 1967 highlights film; Kramer, Instant Replay, p. 216; W. C. Heinz interview of Willie Davis in Once They Heard the Cheers (Doubleday, 1979), pp. 276-279.

  125. Vincent has worked his way: Ints. Vincent H. Lombardi, O. C. Krueger, Dick Schaap, Vernon Biever.

  126. Now the Packers are in the same situation: Ints. Chuck Mercein, Bob Skoronski, Bart Starr, Vernon Biever, Dick Schaap, Clara Parvin, Ray Scott, Bud Lea, Lee Remmel, Chuck Lane; Kramer, Instant Replay, p. 217; Bengtson, Packer Dynasty, p. 124; Green Bay Packers Yearbook, 1968.

  127. The locker room was a jangle: Press-Gazette, Jan. 1, 1968; Milwaukee Sentinel, Jan. 1, 1968.

  128. Glacial tears: Ints. Ray Nitschke, Tom Brown, Willie Wood, Jim Grabowski, Dick Schaap, Vincent H. Lombardi, Jill Lombardi, Steve Sabol; Blaik, Pay the Price, p. 440.

  129. A few days later: Int. Chuck Mercein.

  130. A few weeks later: Int. Dick Schaap.

  131. A few months later: Ints. Steve Sabol, Vincent H. Lombardi, Jack Koeppler; NFL Films The Greatest Challenge.