RUSSEL KRIWANEKGREEN BAY, WI
My nominee for Packer of the year is Russel Kriwanek. Russel attended his first game in 1938. With his brother, they hitchhiked from Denmark to City Stadium and paid 40 cents for a ticket. Until 1943 Russel attended all Packers home games. Sometimes he paid to get in, but often went under the fence or over the fence to avid the ticket taker. While in the Army stationed at Detroit he viewed the Thanksgiving Day game in a special seat provided by the Packers.
After Russel came back from serving his country in 1948, he obtained a job at the Manitowoc Herald Times, and he photographed many games while employed there. In 1960 he joined the Green Bay Press Gazette where for 28 years he missed only one game due to sickness. Many of his photos are displayed in Green Bay and in the Canton NFL Hall of Fame. His photo of Lombardi being carried off the field in the 1961victory over the New York Giants was used on the US Postage stamp.
Russel covered the first two Super Bowls in Los Angeles and Miami. Following the LA Super Bowl he was waiting outside the Packers locker room where an imposing deputy was preventing entry. Wisconsin Governor Knowles was also at the door. Russ said to the deputy "Aren't you going to let the Wisconsin Governor in to congratulate his team?" The guard quickly opened the door and as he was about to close it, Governor Knowles said "Let my photographer in with me" and Russel was admitted to the locker room before any other members of the Press.
Since his retirement in 1988 he had season tickets and attended all home games every year. In 2003 he turned over the season tickets to his son Fred making him a third generation ticket holder. Russel still attends one game every year and has not missed the Packers game on TV. For seventy years he has been through good and bad times with the Packers but never gave up on them. He will be a Packer Backer the rest of his life.
Nominated by Bette Kriwanek
