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Letters To Lee Remmel
posted 11/06/2007
Which Packer has appeared in the most movies? I know Brett Favre was in "There's Something About Mary" and Ray Nitschke had cameos in "Head" (A movie about The Monkees directed by Jack Nicholson) and Burt Reynolds' "The Longest Yard". Anybody else? - Jeff, San Antonio
Dear Jeff: Our research suggests that Alan Autry, a quarterback-turned-actor, has appeared in more feature films than any other Packers player. Warren Gerds, Green Bay Press-Gazette critic, confirms that Autry, a Packer in 1975-76 under the name of Carlos Brown, has appeared in four feature films: "That Close Range," "North Dallas Forty," "Southern Comfort" and "Popeye."
Autry-Brown, who apparently has had much more cinematic exposure than any other Packer "alumnus," also has been featured in a number of television series, among them 'In the Heat of the Night," "Sons of Thunder," which was a spinoff of "Walker, Texas Ranger," "Grace Under Fire" and "Gib."
As you recalled, Ray Nitschke had a role in "The Longest Yard," along with Burt Reynolds, in addition to appearing in "Head." Nitschke also made a number of TV commercials for a Milwaukee brewery, as did Bart Starr for automobiles and other products.
For the record, Carlos Brown was a 12th-round selection in the 1975 draft, the 296th player chosen overall.
***
Dear Mr. Remmel: I have a couple questions. First, what do you remember about Dick Deschaine? I think he was the first punting specialist in league history. Is that correct? Second, how has the NFL roster limit changed? I know when they instituted free substitution in 1950 teams had something like 35 players on a team. When did that go up? When did it get to the 53 that it is today? Thank you for your time. - Zac, Oshkosh
Dear Zac: In reply to your first question, the Elias Sports Bureau, official keeper of NFL records and statistics, says it has no knowledge of who may have been the first punting specialist in league history. But certainly, Dick Deschaine, the Packers' resident punter in 1955-56-57, should have been among the earliest such specialists.
Deschaine, a graduate of neighboring Menominee (Mich.) High School, did not play college football. Possessor of a powerful leg, he finished second in the NFL in punting in 1955, his first Packers season, with a 42.7-yard average for 62 punts.
In regard to your other question, the roster limit's growth has been a relatively gradual thing, beginning with the first such limit, 16, in 1925. That number, by the way, increased to 18 players in 1926, remaining static for three years. For further example, the limit was increased to 40 in 1964 and remained at 40 for nine years, through 1973.
More recently, the limit has held firm at 45 active players annually for the past 16 years (1991-2007). Each team also has a list of eight inactive players for each regular season and postseason game. Also, provided that a club has two quarterbacks on its 45-player Active List, a third quarterback from its Active List is permitted to dress for the game, but if he enters the game during the first three quarters, the other quarterbacks are thereafter prohibited from playing. Teams also are permitted to establish practice squads of up to eight players who are eligible to participate in practice, but these players must remain free agents and are eligible to sign with any other team in the league.
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I am originally from Green Bay and would appreciate it if you could tell me what the name of Lombardi Ave. was before it changed? - Judith, Muskogee, Okla.
Dear Judith: Prior to August of 1968, when the street's name was changed to honor then-Packers coach Vince Lombardi, today's Lombardi Avenue was known as Highland Avenue.
***
Dear Lee, I remember a movie about Coach Lombardi starring Ernest Borgnine as Lombardi, but can't find any information about it. Can you help me out? Thanks - Douglas, Hope, Ind.
Dear Douglas: There was such a film and I believe it was entitled something like "A Man Named Lombardi." As I recall, it was produced by the ABC Television Network shortly after the great coach's death (Sept. 3, 1970). As you noted, Borgnine portrayed Lombardi and the esteemed actress, Colleen Dewhurst, played the role of Marie Lombardi.
I would suggest that you contact ABC Sports for further information. The address is ABC Sports, 47 W. 66th Street, New York, NY (10023), phone (212) 456-3998. Ask for public relations.
***
Is it true that the Packers were going to relocate to Racine in the early years? - Mark, Racine, Wis.
Dear Mark: Over more than 60 years of association with the Packers, I have heard a variety of stories relating to the team's franchise, but I have never heard of Racine being suggested as a potential relocation site for the Green and Gold. That, of course, does not mean the subject had never been broached.
***
Dear Mr. Remmel: We've seen several NFL teams this season utilize their retro uniforms in various games. Can you tell us if the Packers plan to use their old-time uniforms this season and in which game? - Steve, Racine, Wis.
Dear Steve: Red Batty, our equipment manager, tells me there are no plans for our players to wear the "old-time uniforms" this season. They last wore them for their most recent Thanksgiving Day visit to Detroit (Nov. 27, 2003), a day on which the Lions prevailed, 22-14.
***
In closing, a final question from Indiana:
Dear Sirs: I am a member of Bristol American Legion (PUFL) 143 Bristol, Ind. One day last week at the bar discussing football, the Green Bay Packers, Brett Favre and the Chicago Bears, another member asked the question: Who owns the Green Bay Packers? I knew, or thought I knew it was locally owned by stockholders. His answer was it (the franchise) is owned by the American Legion. Several others, myself included, disputed this. A couple of days later, he came with the history of the Packers, very interesting, that he had gotten from a friend over the internet. It told in the info about the Packers donating dividend proceeds and profits to the American Legion, but I never saw the word "owned" by the American Legion. My question is does the Green Bay American Legion own the Green Bay Packers? Waiting for a reply which will be greatly appreciated. - Sincerely Yours, James, Marcellus, Mich.
Dear James: Green Bay's American Legion Post (Sullivan-Wallen Post No. 11) has never owned the Packers franchise. There has been, however, a working relationship of long standing between the Packers and the local Legion Post which, at one time following World War I, provided personnel (Legionnaires) for staffing of home games.
Also, for many years, the Packers' bylaws contained a provision that if the team should go out of business, its assets would go to the Sullivan-Wallen Post. However, within the last decade, the Packers' board of directors decided to make a change -- that should there ever be a dissolution of the Packers' assets, they would henceforth be assigned to the Green Bay Packers Foundation, which annually distributes funds to many charities and institutions throughout the state of Wisconsin.
Sullivan-Wallen, incidentally, still provides a color guard for pre-game ceremonies at home games, and the Packers organization, in turn, annually provides financial support to the Post.
***
Continuing an association with the team that is more than 55 years old, Lee Remmel was named the first official Team Historian of the Green Bay Packers in February 2004. The former Green Bay Press-Gazette reporter and Packers public relations director, Remmel will write regular columns for Packers.com as part of his new assignment.
In addition to those articles, Remmel will answer fan questions in a monthly Q&A column. To submit a question to Remmel, click here. |
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