A Nice Story About NFL Players In The 60's and 70's In Green Bay... Gives Me Hope

[WiVoter]

Last edited Tue Oct 7, 2025, 08:46 PM - Edit history (2)

Whether or not you are a fan of the Green Bay Packers, this is a story that gives me some hope, and might give you some hope. African American football players experienced racism and discrimination throughout their careers, in the NFL and beyond. A book by David Maraniss (When Pride Still Mattered) talks about many stories of the players and coaches and their experiences with racism and discrimination in almost 100% white Green Bay during the 60's. I've read the book, and a couple of examples come to mine. One is that Lombardi was a dark-skinned Italian American experienced discrimination and was sometimes overlooked for coaching positions early in his career. Lombardi had a zero tolerance policy for prejudice. He made it clear to his team that anyone who spoke against a player's race or sexual orientation would face immediate removal from the team.

https://www.nbc26.com/greenbay/filmmakers-hope-to-get-documentary-made-about-historic-packers-bar?fbclid=IwY2xjawNShCBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFKenZtbUQ0eHNYNkR3WTVpAR6m6-G52J5GQsOde4MWObGpyFb6VRWRcnxRssOYO9VqiDOy5B6q_qSY50o9jA_aem_n9FmJquMZJIXFSfy0I-ldg

"Filmmakers Hope To Get Documentary Made About Historic Packers Bar"

This is a story of a cocktail lounge, "My Brother's Place," that welcomed black Packers during the late 60's and 70's.
As a side note, I shared frog legs with Deve Robinson a little over a month ago. He is such a kind and fun guy to be around.

[CentralMass]

1. Is Green Bay Wisconsin a racially progressive city. ?

[WiVoter]

2. Somewhat

But back then, no.

[617Blue]

3. Excellent book. Thank you.

[rsdsharp]

4. Lombardi felt, probably with justification, that he had been denied a head coaching job until he was 46

because he was Italian American. He got into a fight with a teammate at Fordham when he was one of the Seven Blocks of Granite because the other man used a racial slur directed at Lombardi.

Lombardi’s brother Harold was gay, and that fact, coupled with the prejudice he had suffered was the basis of his no tolerance policy.

Lionel Aldridge, who played right defensive end for Lombardi, approached him to tell him he wanted to get married, but he wanted to know if he would still have a job if he did. Aldridge was black, and his fiancé was white. Lombardi assured Aldridge that his impending nuptials would have no effect on his job. All Lombardi cared about was that he played hard, and stayed out of trouble.

When Pete Rozelle, the NFL Commissioner called to try to get Lombardi to quash the wedding, Lombardi told him that he was the coach and GM of the Packers, and would decide what was best for his team.

Lombardi was ahead of his time, and was a good Democrat.

[WiVoter]

5. Great Post!

Thank you!

[GusBob]

6. I grew up in Green Bay, it gets a little deeper

Back then if you saw a black guy in town he played for the team. It is still a blue collar and redneck town

But Vince had a gay brother, so he was wised up. He insinuated that he had a gay player on the team and knew and was ok with it

He also played golf at the bougie golf course there. Insisted on Native American caddies and tipped them huge