Only in Green Bay?

GREEN BAY – In May of 1968, plans were being made by the Downtown Businessman’s Association of the Green Bay Chamber of Commerce to host a city-wide appreciation event for Vince Lombardi.

Lombardi had ended his run as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, which included five NFL championships and obtaining the first two Super Bowl trophies in just nine years, at the end of the 1967 season.

He took a position as general manager during the 1968 season before heading to Washington to operate as the team’s head coach and general manager.

Referred to as “Vince Lombardi Day,” the city had grand plans centered on and around an all-day event.

“The cancellation ‘Titletown USA’ will appear on all mail leaving the Green Bay post office commencing Aug. 8, [the day after] Vince Lombardi Day, Green Bay Postmaster George Farah reported today,” a July 25, 1968, Press-Gazette article stated. “He said the post office department had assured him that the cancellation mark had already been made and would be used over a period of six months.”

While many of the events scheduled for the day were free, tickets were sold for an evening event at the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Proceeds from the evening event went toward the United Fund of Brown County and the St. Norbert College Building Fund — two funds selected by Lombardi himself.

The evening event featured Peter A. Carlesimo, who was director of Fordham University at that time, as emcee and NFL/Cleveland Browns President Art Modell as the featured speaker.

The possible highlight of the evening was Paul Hornung, Max McGee and Fuzzy Thurston’s rendition of “Run to Daylight” — an original song written by Dan Vandenhouten, named after Lombardi’s 1963 book.

Other entertainment was provided by the Green Bay City Band, the Packers Band and the St. Norbert College Chorus.

Days before the event, Gov. Warren Knowles declared Aug. 7 “Vince Lombardi Day” across the state, in recognition of this “winning philosophy, enthusiasm, dedication to competitive excellence and sportsmanship.”

The Wednesday celebration began with a service at Resurrection Church, where Lombardi quipped, “At least some good is going to come of this. I got you all up for early Mass.”

It also included a convertible ride from Lombardi’s office to the corner of South Oneida Street and Highland Avenue, where Highland was unveiled as Lombardi Avenue.

The day was designed to celebrate Lombardi’s commitment to a team that spanned a decade and brought home wins, but local reporters saw it as much more than that.

“But the important thing is that this was Green Bay honoring him. This was Hicksville…where the fans turned out over 5,000 strong for the event. Fans — the guys and gals who scrimp a bit out of each paycheck to buy a season ticket, the folks who brave every type of weather known to man to back their team. There weren’t the people who could afford to pay $6 for a high-priced testimonial. These were Green Bay’s fans,” wrote Press-Gazette Sports Writer Len Wagner.

“It’s not true that it could happen only in Green Bay.

“But it is true that it did happen in Green Bay — a city setting a whole day aside to honor a football coach.”