1958 Green Bay Packers season
Encyclopedia
The 1958 Green Bay Packers
season was their 38th season in the National Football League
. The club posted a 1-10-1 record under coach Ray McLean
, earning them a last-place finish in the Western Conference and the worst record ever posted by a Packers team. In the immortal words of New York sportswriter and Green Bay native Red Smith
: “they overwhelmed one opponent, under whelmed ten, and whelmed one." McLean would not return to Green Bay in 1959, and his dismissal paved the way for the historic hiring of Vince Lombardi
.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
season was their 38th season in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The club posted a 1-10-1 record under coach Ray McLean
Ray McLean
Ray "Scooter" McLean was a football player and coach at both the collegiate and professional levels, but may be best remembered for preceding Vince Lombardi as head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1958....
, earning them a last-place finish in the Western Conference and the worst record ever posted by a Packers team. In the immortal words of New York sportswriter and Green Bay native Red Smith
Red Smith (sportswriter)
For other uses, see: Red Smith Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith was an American sportswriter who rose to become one of America's most widely read sports columnists.-Career:After graduating from Green Bay East High School, site of Packers home games until 1957, Smith moved on to...
: “they overwhelmed one opponent, under whelmed ten, and whelmed one." McLean would not return to Green Bay in 1959, and his dismissal paved the way for the historic hiring of Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
.
NFL Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Dan Currie Dan Currie Daniel George Currie is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played nine seasons for the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams . He was an All-American linebacker and center at Michigan State in 1957... |
Linebacker Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... |
Michigan State Michigan State University Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,... |
| 2 | 15 | Jim Taylor | Fullback Fullback (American football) A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback... |
LSU Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name... |
| 3 | 27 | Dick Christy Dick Christy Dick Christy is an American and former collegiate and professional football player. The 5'11", 191 lb. Christy was a star halfback at North Carolina State University from 1955 to 1957, leading them to the 1957 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in his senior year... |
Back | North Carolina State North Carolina State University North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution... |
| 3 | 36 | Ray Nitschke Ray Nitschke Raymond Ernest "Ray" Nitschke was a professional football player who played his entire career as a middle linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. Wearing #66, he played fifteen seasons, from 1958-72.... |
Linebacker | Illinois University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system... |
| 4 | 39 | Jerry Kramer Jerry Kramer Gerald Louis "Jerry" Kramer is a former professional football player, author and sports commentator, best remembered for his 11-year NFL career with the Green Bay Packers as an offensive lineman... |
Guard Guard (American football) In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team.... |
Idaho University of Idaho The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state... |
| 5 | 51 | Joe Francis Joe Francis (American football) Joseph Charles Alexander Francis is a former gridiron football quarterback.-High school career:Francis attended Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, Hawaii and starred in football.-College career:... |
Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
Oregon State Oregon State University Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the... |
| 6 | 62 | Ken Gray | Tackle | Howard Payne Howard Payne University Howard Payne University is a four-year private university located in Brownwood, Texas.Currently the university enrolls 1,400 full-time students. Howard Payne is known for the Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom, its Music program and its Christian Studies program... |
| 7 | 75 | Doug Maison | Back | Hillsdale Hillsdale College Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, United States, is a co-educational liberal arts college known for being the first American college to prohibit in its charter all discrimination based on race, religion, or sex; its refusal of government funding; and its monthly publication, Imprimis... |
| 8 | 86 | Mike Bill | Center Center (American football) Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense... |
Syracuse Syracuse University Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College... |
| 9 | 99 | Norm Jarock | Back | St. Norbert St. Norbert College St. Norbert College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the college became coeducational and today enrolls about 2,175... |
| 10 | 110 | Carl Johnson | Tackle | Illinois |
| 11 | 123 | Harry Horton | End | Wichita State Wichita State University Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs.... |
| 12 | 134 | Wayne Miller | End | Baylor Baylor University Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:... |
| 13 | 147 | Gene Cook Gene Cook (American football) Gene Cook is a former player in the National Football League. He was a member of the Detroit Lions during the 1959 NFL season.... |
End | Toledo University of Toledo The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:... |
| 13 | 153 | Don Herndon Don Herndon Don Herndon is a former professional American football halfback. He played with the New York Titans of the American Football League during the 1960 AFL season.-References:... |
Back | Tampa |
| 14 | 158 | Harry Hauffe | Tackle | South Dakota University of South Dakota The University of South Dakota ', the state’s oldest university, was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States, USD is home to South Dakota's only medical school and law school. USD is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and its current... |
| 15 | 171 | Tom Newell | Back | Drake Drake University Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country.... |
| 16 | 182 | Arley Finley | Tackle | Georgia Tech Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States... |
| 17 | 195 | Joe Reese | End | Arkansas Tech Arkansas Tech University Arkansas Tech University is a comprehensive regional institution located in Russellville, Arkansas, United States. The university offers programs at both baccalaureate and graduate levels in a range of fields. As of 2004, the University also operates a small satellite campus in the town of Ozark... |
| 18 | 206 | Chuck Strid | Guard | Syracuse |
| 20 | 230 | John DuBose | Back | Trinity (TX) Trinity University (Texas) Trinity University is a private, independent, primarily undergraduate, university in San Antonio, Texas. Its campus is located in the Monte Vista Historic District and adjacent to Brackenridge Park.... |
| 21 | 243 | Jerry Kershner | Tackle | Oregon University of Oregon -Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :... |
| 22 | 264 | Franklin Merlino | Back | Florida State Florida State University The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation... |
| 23 | 267 | Jack Ashton | Guard | South Carolina University of South Carolina The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House... |
| 24 | 278 | John Jereck | Tackle | Detroit University of Detroit Mercy University of Detroit Mercy is a private, Roman Catholic co-educational university in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with the Society of Jesus and the Sisters of Mercy. Antoine M. Garibaldi is the president. With origins dating from 1877, it is the largest Roman Catholic university... |
| 25 | 291 | Larry Plenty | Back | Boston College Boston College Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early... |
| 26 | 302 | Esker Harris | Guard | UCLA University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses... |
| 27 | 315 | Neil Habig | Center | Purdue Purdue University Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and... |
| 28 | 326 | Dave Crowell | Guard | Washington State Washington State University Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university... |
| 29 | 339 | Bob Haynes | Tackle | Sam Houston State Sam Houston State University Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first... |
| 30 | 350 | John Peters | Tackle | Houston University of Houston The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of... |
- Yellow indicates a future Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection - Green indicates a future Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
inductee
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 28, 1958 | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 34-20 |
| 2 | October 5, 1958 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
T 13-13 |
| 3 | October 12, 1958 | Baltimore Colts History of the Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls.... |
L 24-17 |
| 4 | October 19, 1958 | at Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
L 37-21 |
| 5 | October 26, 1958 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 38-35 |
| 6 | November 2, 1958 | at Baltimore Colts History of the Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls.... |
L 56-0 |
| 7 | November 9, 1958 | at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 24-10 |
| 8 | November 16, 1958 | Los Angeles Rams | L 20-7 |
| 9 | November 23, 1958 | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
L 33-12 |
| 10 | November 27, 1958 | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 24-14 |
| 11 | December 7, 1958 | at San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
L 48-21 |
| 12 | December 14, 1958 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 34-20 |
Standings
| NFL Western Eastern and Western Divisions (NFL) 1933-69 The Eastern and Western Divisions of the National Football League, renamed the American and National Conferences in 1950 and then the Eastern and Western Conferences in 1953, were organized as a result of the disputed NFL championship of 1932... |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| Baltimore Colts 1958 Baltimore Colts season The 1958 Baltimore Colts season was the 6th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1958 season with a record of 9 wins and 3 losses and finished first in the Western Conference.... |
9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 381 | 203 | L-2 |
| Los Angeles Rams 1958 Los Angeles Rams season The 1958 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 21st year with the National Football League and the 13th season in Los Angeles.-Schedule:-Standings:... |
8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 334 | 278 | W-3 |
| Chicago Bears 1958 Chicago Bears season The 1958 Chicago Bears season was their 39th regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted an 8-4 record under the regins of George Halas who took over for Paddy Driscoll, who was fired after a championship game debacle and a subpar season the following year. Halas's... |
8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 298 | 230 | W-2 |
| San Francisco 49ers 1958 San Francisco 49ers season The 1958 San Francisco 49ers season was the team's ninth in the NFL. They began the season hoping to improve upon their 8-4 output from the previous season. However, a four game road trip in which the 49ers only won one game doomed their playoff chances. Both of the team's quarterbacks, Y.A... |
6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 257 | 324 | W-2 |
| Detroit Lions 1958 Detroit Lions season The 1958 Detroit Lions season was their 29th in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 8-4, winning only four games.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:... |
4 | 7 | 1 | .364 | 261 | 276 | L-2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 1 | 10 | 1 | .091 | 193 | 382 | L-7 |
Roster
| Green Bay Packers roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
|
Offensive Linemen
Hank Bullough Henry Charles "Hank" Bullough is a former American Football player and coach. He played college football at Michigan State and graduated in 1954. Bullough was a starting guard for the Spartans team that won the 1952 Rose Bowl... Forrest Gregg Alvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in... Jerry Kramer Gerald Louis "Jerry" Kramer is a former professional football player, author and sports commentator, best remembered for his 11-year NFL career with the Green Bay Packers as an offensive lineman... Norm Masters Norman Donald Masters was an American football offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the 1956 NFL Draft. He was 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighted 249 pounds... Jim Salsbury Jim Salsbury is a former guard in the National Football League. He was drafted in the second round of the 1955 NFL Draft and played two seasons with the team. Later he played two seasons with the Green Bay Packers.-References:... Ollie Spencer Ollie Spencer is a former Pro Football tackle who played nine professional seasons from 1953-1963. He completed his professional career with the American Football League's Oakland Raiders in 1963. Later he was an assistant coach for the Raiders for seventeen seasons.He died on April 28, 1991 of a... Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Tom Bettis William Thomas "Tom" Bettis is a former American football linebacker and coach. After starring at Purdue, Bettis was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 1955 NFL Draft. He played nine seasons for the Packers, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Chicago Bears... Dan Currie Daniel George Currie is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played nine seasons for the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams . He was an All-American linebacker and center at Michigan State in 1957... Marv Matuszak Marvin H. Matuszak was an American football linebacker in the National Football League and in the American Football League. He went to two NFL Pro Bowls and was once an AFL All-Star during his 12-year pro football career. After retiring he was an assistant coach in the pros for 16 seasons for five... Ray Nitschke Raymond Ernest "Ray" Nitschke was a professional football player who played his entire career as a middle linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. Wearing #66, he played fifteen seasons, from 1958-72.... Defensive Backs
Rookies and first-year players in italics |
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