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1923 Green Bay Packers season

1923 Green Bay Packers season
Head coachCurly Lambeau
Home fieldBellevue Park
Results
Record7–2–1 NFL
(8–2–1 overall)
League place3rd NFL

The 1923 Green Bay Packers season was their fifth season overall and their third season in the National Football League (NFL). The team finished with a 7–2–1 record under player/coach Curly Lambeau earning them third place. This was the Packers first season in Bellevue Park.

The NFL season opener on September 30, bringing the Minneapolis Marines to town for their NFL debut, drew a paid attendance of 3,008 — said to be "the largest crowd that ever witnessed a football game in Green Bay."[1] That figure would be exceeded twice more during the year.

Schedule

Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources
September 23 Hibbing Miners W 10–0 Bellevue Park 2,670 [2]
1 September 30 Minneapolis Marines W 12–0 1–0 Bellevue Park 3,008 Recap [1][3][4]
2 October 7 St. Louis All-Stars T 0–0 1–0–1 Bellevue Park 2,831 Recap [5]
3 October 14 Chicago Bears L 0–3 1–1–1 Bellevue Park 4,451 Recap
4 October 21 Milwaukee Badgers W 12–0 2–1–1 Bellevue Park 5,000 Recap
5 October 28 Racine Legion L 3–24 2–2–1 Bellevue Park 2,800 Recap
6 November 4 at St. Louis All-Stars W 3–0 3–2–1 Sportsman's Park 750 Recap
7 November 11 at Racine Legion W 16–0 4–2–1 Horlick Field 3,500 Recap
8 November 18 at Milwaukee Badgers W 10–7 5–2–1 Athletic Park 5,400 Recap
9 November 25 Duluth Kelleys W 10–0 6–2–1 Bellevue Park 3,000 Recap [6][7]
10 November 29 Hammond Pros W 19–0 7–2–1 Bellevue Park 2,000 Recap [8][9]
Note: Games in italics indicate a non-NFL opponent. Thanksgiving Day: November 29.

Standings

NFL standings
W L T PCT PF PA STK
Canton Bulldogs 11 0 1 1.000 246 19 W5
Chicago Bears 9 2 1 .818 123 35 W1
Green Bay Packers 7 2 1 .778 85 34 W5
Milwaukee Badgers 7 2 3 .778 100 49 W1
Cleveland Indians 3 1 3 .750 52 49 L1
Chicago Cardinals 8 4 0 .667 161 56 L1
Duluth Kelleys 4 3 0 .571 35 33 L3
Buffalo All-Americans 5 4 3 .556 94 43 L1
Columbus Tigers 5 4 1 .556 119 35 L1
Toledo Maroons 3 3 2 .500 35 66 L1
Racine Legion 4 4 2 .500 86 76 W1
Rock Island Independents 2 3 3 .400 84 62 L1
Minneapolis Marines 2 5 2 .286 48 81 L1
St. Louis All-Stars 1 4 2 .200 25 74 L1
Hammond Pros 1 5 1 .167 14 59 L4
Akron Pros 1 6 0 .143 25 74 W1
Dayton Triangles 1 6 1 .143 16 95 L2
Oorang Indians 1 10 0 .091 50 257 W1
Louisville Brecks 0 3 0 .000 0 90 L3
Rochester Jeffersons 0 4 0 .000 6 141 L4
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Roster

The following players saw action in at least one NFL game for the 1923 Green Bay Packers.[10] The total number of NFL games in which they appeared during the year follows in parentheses.

Linemen

Backs

†- Denotes player in starting lineup for the non-NFL season opener against Hibbing.

References

  1. ^ a b "Packers Beat Marines 12 to 0 Before Big Crowd: Green Bay Eleven Smashes Way to Two Touchdowns in Last Half of Pigskin Fray," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Oct. 1, 1923, pp. 12–13.
  2. ^ "Packers Win Opening Game from Hibbing 10 to 0: Bays' Aerial Attack Much in Evidence; Earps Blocks Punt; Lyle Gets Touchdown," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Sept. 24, 1923, p. 14.
  3. ^ "Marines Bow Before Green Bay Team, 12–0: Second Half Offensive Pushes Across Two Touchdowns in First League Game of Season," Minneapolis Tribune, Oct. 1, 1923, p. 8.
  4. ^ "Marines Oppose Duluth Sunday: Green Bay Eleven Defeats Marines in Opening Contest, 12 to 0," Minneapolis Journal, Oct. 1, 1923, p. 26.
  5. ^ "Packers and St. Louis Stage Sensational 0–0 Tie: Big Bay Blues Play Rings Around Opponents; Thrills Galore in Pigskin Combat," Green Bay Press-Express, Oct. 8, 1923, p. 11.
  6. ^ "Aerial Attack Gives Green Bay Win Over Duluth: Stubborn Game by Both Teams Thrills 3,000," Duluth News Tribune, Nov. 26, 1923, p. 27.
  7. ^ "Packers Win Northwest Title, Defeat Duluth 10–0: Mills Gets Touchdown on Pass from Lambeau; Buck Kicks Another Field Goal," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Nov. 26, 1923, pp. 12-13.
  8. ^ "Thanksgiving Day Passes Off Quietly in Green Bay," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Nov. 30, 1923, p. 13.
  9. ^ "Packers' Aerial Attack Buries Hammond 19 to 0: Bay Eleven Passes Their Way to Victory; Invaders Never Close to Scoring," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Nov. 30, 1923, p. 13.
  10. ^ "1923 Green Bay Packers Roster & Players," Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com

Further reading

  • Cliff Christl, The Greatest Story in Sports: Green Bay Packers, 1919–2019. 4 volumes. Stevens Point, WI: KCI Sports Publishing, 2021.
  • Larry D. Names, The History of the Green Bay Packers: The Lambeau Years, Part One. Wautoma, WI: Angel Press of Wisconsin, 1987.
  • Arch Ward, The Green Bay Packers. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1946.