Lee Remmel
Encyclopedia
Lee Remmel is a retired public relations/historian/spokesman and sportswriter. He is known for working 62 years with the Green Bay Packers
as a sportswriter and later a team employee.
Remmel was born in Shawano, Wisconsin
, a small town about 30 miles (48.3 km) outside of Green Bay, Wisconsin
. He began writing as a freshman
at Shawano high school and went to his first Packers game on September 24, 1944. On October 7, 1945, Remmel started covering the Green Bay Packers as a sportswriter for the Green Bay Press Gazette. He was the only sportswriter who had covered all of the Packers coaches from the team's first coach Curly Lambeau
to Bart Starr
. He was hired to work in the Packers front office in 1974 as the teams public relations director and spokesman. In February 2004, Remmel was named the first historian for the Green Bay Packers, a role he served until his retirement in December 2007 at age 83. He remained on the board of directors for the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
.
Remmel covered the first forty Super Bowl
s. He represented the Press Gazette at the first eight, 22 as NFL auxiliary media relations staff, two years for the Green Bay Packers, and another eight with the NFL. He was one of twelve people honored by the NFL for their association with the first forty Super Bowls. Remmel has served on NFL committees on statistics and NFL Films
, and participated in the NFL public relations directors' Professional Football Writers of America liaison.
Remmel is known for his in-depth knowledge of Packer's history, especially about the team's rivalry with the Chicago Bears
. Former Packers quarterback
Brett Favre
described Remmel, "He’s a Packers icon. There will never be another like him. His knowledge of the team and its history has always been impressive. He is sharp as a tack when it came to those things – truly impressive."
in August 2003, and they named it "The Lee Remmel Press Box". Each April, the "Lee Remmel Sports Awards Banquet" honors high school to professional athletes; the banquet has raised over $150,000 for Green Bay area colleges and high schools.
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...
as a sportswriter and later a team employee.
Remmel was born in Shawano, Wisconsin
Shawano, Wisconsin
Shawano is a city in Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,305 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shawano County...
, a small town about 30 miles (48.3 km) outside of Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
. He began writing as a freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
at Shawano high school and went to his first Packers game on September 24, 1944. On October 7, 1945, Remmel started covering the Green Bay Packers as a sportswriter for the Green Bay Press Gazette. He was the only sportswriter who had covered all of the Packers coaches from the team's first coach Curly Lambeau
Curly Lambeau
Earl Louis "Curly" Lambeau was founder, player, and first coach of the Green Bay Packers professional American football team...
to Bart Starr
Bart Starr
Bryan Bartlett "Bart" Starr is a former professional American football player and coach. Wearing #15, he was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers from 1956 to 1971 and head coach from 1975 to 1983, compiling a record of 52–76–3 ....
. He was hired to work in the Packers front office in 1974 as the teams public relations director and spokesman. In February 2004, Remmel was named the first historian for the Green Bay Packers, a role he served until his retirement in December 2007 at age 83. He remained on the board of directors for the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame was the first hall of fame built to honor a single professional American football team. After receiving approval from coach Vince Lombardi, William L. Brault, a Green Bay restaurateur and Packers fan, founded the Hall of Fame in 1966...
.
Remmel covered the first forty Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s. He represented the Press Gazette at the first eight, 22 as NFL auxiliary media relations staff, two years for the Green Bay Packers, and another eight with the NFL. He was one of twelve people honored by the NFL for their association with the first forty Super Bowls. Remmel has served on NFL committees on statistics and NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
, and participated in the NFL public relations directors' Professional Football Writers of America liaison.
Remmel is known for his in-depth knowledge of Packer's history, especially about the team's rivalry with the 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...
. Former Packers 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...
Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
described Remmel, "He’s a Packers icon. There will never be another like him. His knowledge of the team and its history has always been impressive. He is sharp as a tack when it came to those things – truly impressive."
Awards
Remmel was named Wisconsin's Sports Writer of the year in 1967. Remmel was inducted in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame on March 30, 1996. To honor his induction into the Packers Hall of Fame, the team built a new press boxPress box
The press box is a special section of a sports stadium or arena that is set up for the media to report about a given event. It is typically located in the section of the stadium holding the luxury box. In general, newspaper writers sit in this box and write about the on-field event as it unfolds...
in August 2003, and they named it "The Lee Remmel Press Box". Each April, the "Lee Remmel Sports Awards Banquet" honors high school to professional athletes; the banquet has raised over $150,000 for Green Bay area colleges and high schools.