Earl “Curly” Lambeau was born on April 9, 1898, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he was raised. He played football at Green Bay East High School before enrolling at the University of Notre Dame, which he left after one year. In 1919, Lambeau co-founded the Green Bay Packers alongside George Whitney Calhoun. At the time, he was employed by the Indian Packing Company, which financed the team’s uniforms. That year marked the Packers’ inaugural games.
Lambeau served as both a halfback and coach, maintaining these roles for several years. He led the Packers to their first NFL championship in 1929 and coached the team through 1949. During his tenure, the Packers secured six league titles, and Lambeau played a significant role in popularizing the forward pass as a standard part of the game.
After departing from the Packers, Lambeau continued his football career by coaching the Chicago Cardinals and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. Lambeau passed away on June 1, 1965.
His impact on Green Bay remains enduring. In 1965, City Stadium was renamed Lambeau Field in his honor, a name it retains today as the home of the Packers. Lambeau is credited with founding the team and steering its early achievements, efforts that helped ensure the franchise remained in Green Bay. His deep ties to the city—being born there, building the team there, and lending his name to its identity—are a lasting part of its history.
Over a Hall of Fame career spanning 35 seasons, Lambeau compiled a coaching record of 229-134-22 and won six NFL titles while playing as a halfback. A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, he attended Green Bay East High School.
