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1925 Green Bay Packers season

The 1925 Green Bay Packers season was their seventh season overall and their fifth season in the National Football League. The team finished with an 8–5 record under player/coach Curly Lambeau earning them a ninth-place finish. The season marked the first year the Packers played at City Stadium.

Background

Work began on a new football stadium in July 1925, located in Green Bay at Joannes Park, just north of old Hagemeister Park, where the Packers played through 1924. Construction of the facility, featuring grandstands on both sides of the field and bleachers in the end zones, was completed in just eight weeks — just in time for a September 13 tune up game against the professional team from Iron Mountain, Michigan, located in that state's Upper Peninsula.[1]

The new "City Stadium" was touted as having roomy seating and wide aisles for fan convenience, with "every seat in the park" said to offer "a splendid view of the gridiron."[1] About half the city of Iron Mountain made the trek to Green Bay for the game, one reporter noted with only slight exaggeration, and the visitors received a hearty round of applause for their serpentine dance on the field at halftime.[2] The debut contest proved to be a mismatch, however, with the Michiganders thoroughly drubbed by a score of 48 to 6, with the "Big Bay Blues" making effective use of the forward pass to move the ball up the field.[2]

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources
— September 13 Iron Mountain W 48–6 — City Stadium 4,000 — [2]
1 September 20 Hammond Pros W 14–0 1–0 City Stadium 3,000 Recap [3]
2 September 27 Chicago Bears W 14–10 2–0 City Stadium 5,389 Recap
3 October 4 at Rock Island Independents L 0–3 2–1 Douglas Park 3,500 [4] Recap [5][6][7]
4 October 11 Milwaukee Badgers W 31–0 3–1 City Stadium 2,300 Recap
5 October 18 Rock Island Independents W 20–0 4–1 City Stadium 5,000 [8] Recap [9][10][11]
6 October 25 Rochester Jeffersons W 33–13 5–1 City Stadium 2,700 Recap
7 November 1 at Milwaukee Badgers W 6–0 6–1 Athletic Park 2,300 Recap
8 November 8 at Chicago Cardinals L 6–9 6–2 Comiskey Park 3,000 Recap
9 November 15 Dayton Triangles W 7–0 7–2 City Stadium 3,000 Recap
10 November 22 at Chicago Bears L 0–21 7–3 Wrigley Field 6,898 Recap
11 November 26 at Pottsville Maroons L 0–31 7–4 Minersville Park 3,500 Recap
12 November 28 at Frankford Yellow Jackets L 7–13 7–5 Frankford Stadium 10,000 Recap [12]
13 December 6 at Providence Steam Roller W 13–10 8–5 Cycledrome 7,000 Recap
Note: Game in italics is against non-NFL team. Thanksgiving Day: November 26.

Standings

NFL standings
W L T PCT PF PA STK
Chicago Cardinals * 11 2 1 .846 229 65 W2
Pottsville Maroons * 10 2 0 .833 270 45 W5
Detroit Panthers 8 2 2 .800 129 39 W1
New York Giants 8 4 0 .667 122 67 W1
Akron Pros 4 2 2 .667 65 51 L2
Frankford Yellow Jackets 13 7 0 .650 190 169 W2
Chicago Bears 9 5 3 .643 158 96 W3
Rock Island Independents 5 3 3 .625 99 58 L1
Green Bay Packers 8 5 0 .615 151 110 W1
Providence Steam Roller 6 5 1 .545 111 101 L1
Canton Bulldogs 4 4 0 .500 50 73 L1
Cleveland Bulldogs 5 8 1 .385 75 135 L1
Kansas City Cowboys 2 5 1 .286 65 97 W1
Hammond Pros 1 4 0 .200 23 87 L3
Buffalo Bisons 1 6 2 .143 33 113 L4
Rochester Jeffersons 0 6 1 .000 26 111 L5
Dayton Triangles 0 7 1 .000 3 84 L7
Duluth Kelleys 0 3 0 .000 6 25 L3
Milwaukee Badgers 0 6 0 .000 7 191 L6
Columbus Tigers 0 9 0 .000 28 124 L9
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
* The Pottsville Maroons were suspended from the league in December,
and the Chicago Cardinals named the NFL champions.


References

  1. ^ a b "New Green Bay Stadium is Ready for Opener Sunday," Appleton Post-Crescent, Sept. 12, 1925, p. 13.
  2. ^ a b c Cal [George W. Calhoun], "Packers Smother Iron Mountain by 48 to 6 Score: Big Bay Blues Air Attack is Too Much for Invading Gridders in Opening Game," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Sept. 14, 1925, pp. 12–13.
  3. ^ George W. Calhoun, "Packers Trim Hammond 14–0 in Pro League Game: Lewellen and Basin Score for Big Bay Blues; Vegara Plays Wonderful Football," Green Bay Press Gazette, Sept. 21, 1925, pp. 12–13.
  4. ^ The Green Bay Press-Gazette has the size of this crowd as 3,000.
  5. ^ "Independents Upset Green Bay Packers by 3 to 0: Ursella's Drop Kick Gives Islanders Win Over League Leaders," Davenport Daily Times, Oct. 5, 1925, p. 18.
  6. ^ R.E. Jeanes, "Independents Beat Green Bay Packers, 3–0: Ursella's Drop-Kick Gives Rock Island Close Victory Over Fast Wisconsin Team," Rock Island Argus, Oct. 5, 1925, p. 19.
  7. ^ G.W. Calhoun, "Packers Beaten by Rock Island Independents, Score 3–0: Rube Ursella's Field Goal from 20-Yard Line Defeats Green Bay Professionals," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Oct. 5, 1925, pp. 16–17.
  8. ^ The Moline Daily Dispatch has this crowd as 7,000.
  9. ^ "Independents Trimmed by Green Bay Pros, 20 to 0: Rock Island Weakens in Second Half and Packers Get Revenge," Davenport Daily Times, Oct. 19, 1925, p. 14.
  10. ^ "Independents Lose at Green Bay: Cold Wind and Rains Fatal to Island Aerials," Moline Daily Dispatch, Oct. 19, 1925, p. 14.
  11. ^ G.W. Calhoun, "Packers Take Revenge on Rock Island; Win 20 to 0: Big Bay Blues Get Going in Second Half; Cross Goal of Independents Three Times," Green Bay Press Gazette, Oct. 19, 1925, pp. 14–15.
  12. ^ "Sullivan Stars as Jackets Triumph in Grueling Battle," Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 29, 1925, sports section, pp. 1–2.

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.