News - pcgazette.com

News

Will Packers play in Point?

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
The Green Bay Packers could play their "Family Night" intrasquad scrimmage at Goerke Field in Stevens Point in July 2002 since it won't be held at Lambeau Field in Green Bay because of construction.

A story in the Wednesday, Aug. 1, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel indicated that Goerke Field in Stevens Point, which seats about 4,000 could be a possibility for the scrimmage, as well as Titan Stadium in Oshkosh or J.R. Minahan Stadium in De Pere.

Tom Schrader, director of parks and recreation in Stevens Point, said Packer officials haven't contacted him about the possibility but he would be willing to entertain the idea.

Packer officials were unavailable for comment on the story Wednesday.

The "Family Night" scrimmage was instituted in 1999 and has been a big pre-season event for the Packers, drawing 46,420 the first year and 50,240 in 2000.

This year's game is scheduled for Saturday, with tickets at $6 each, and 47,500 had been sold by Tuesday night. The game also includes a number of prizes, including game jerseys worn by players.

Goerke has hosted National Football League scrimmage games in the past.

In fact, the Packers and the New Orleans Saints, which held summer training camp in La Crosse, conducted a joint practice and scrimmage at Goerke in July 1991, attracting more than 5,000 spectators.

Schrader said the city brought in additional bleachers for the end zones to accommodate the crowd then and could do so again. City crews also had to work on the crown in the center of the field, enlarging it to 18 inches above the sidelines to meet NFL standards.

Schroeder said the city has tried to maintain the crown at that height since the scrimmage, so that work wouldn't have to be done again in the event an NFL team scrimmaged here.

That event wasn't the Packers first visit to Stevens Point.

The Packers trained in Stevens Point in the early 1950s and football cards of players from those years featured Goerke Field in the background.

In the 1930s, the Packers also played the Central State Teachers College (now University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point) team, which was coached by Eddie Kotal, a former Packer player.

UW-SP was also the host site for the Jacksonville Jaguars summer training camp in 1995. The Jaguars played an exhibition scrimmage with the New Orleans Saints at Goerke.



	Will Packers play in Point? By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette The Green Bay Packers could play their "Family Night" intrasquad scrimmage at Goerke Field in Stevens Point in July 2002 since it won't be held at Lambeau Field in Green Bay because of construction. A story in the Wednesday, Aug. 1, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel indicated that Goerke Field in Stevens Point, which seats about 4,000 could be a possibility for the scrimmage, as well as Titan Stadium in Oshkosh or J.R. Minahan Stadium in De Pere. Tom Schrader, director of parks and recreation in Stevens Point, said Packer officials haven't contacted him about the possibility but he would be willing to entertain the idea. Packer officials were unavailable for comment on the story Wednesday. The "Family Night" scrimmage was instituted in 1999 and has been a big pre-season event for the Packers, drawing 46,420 the first year and 50,240 in 2000. This year's game is scheduled for Saturday, with tickets at $6 each, and 47,500 had been sold by Tuesday night. The game also includes a number of prizes, including game jerseys worn by players. Goerke has hosted National Football League scrimmage games in the past. In fact, the Packers and the New Orleans Saints, which held summer training camp in La Crosse, conducted a joint practice and scrimmage at Goerke in July 1991, attracting more than 5,000 spectators. Schrader said the city brought in additional bleachers for the end zones to accommodate the crowd then and could do so again. City crews also had to work on the crown in the center of the field, enlarging it to 18 inches above the sidelines to meet NFL standards. Schroeder said the city has tried to maintain the crown at that height since the scrimmage, so that work wouldn't have to be done again in the event an NFL team scrimmaged here. That event wasn't the Packers first visit to Stevens Point. The Packers trained in Stevens Point in the early 1950s and football cards of players from those years featured Goerke Field in the background. In the 1930s, the Packers also played the Central State Teachers College (now University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point) team, which was coached by Eddie Kotal, a former Packer player. UW-SP was also the host site for the Jacksonville Jaguars summer training camp in 1995. The Jaguars played an exhibition scrimmage with the New Orleans Saints at Goerke.