This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/30/2011
The Green Bay Packers are known as the New York Yankees of pro football. Despite playing in an exponentially smaller market than its competition, Green Bay is the little NFL city that could.
Green Bay is one of the few cities which NFL football originated in still playing to this day. The Packers tasted championship champagne for the very first time in 1929, in the eighth year of the National Football League.
Behind the likes of Johnny "Blood" McNally, Mike Michalske and Cal Hubbard, the Packers finished with a sparkling 12-0-1 record en route to the town's first championship. This all occurred well before championship rings were even thought of.
Team founder and player Curly Lambeau wanted each of his players to revel in the team's accomplishment and summoned a jeweler to make championship watches for each rostered gridder - 28 total. We have checked and the Packers Hall of Fame does not have one of these on display and the Pro Football Hall of Fame is also void of such a treasure.
Carl Lidberg gained nationwide prominence for his gridiron greatness at the University of Minnesota where he helped the Gophers compete with Red Grange and other Big Ten college squads. Lidberg played for the Packers 1926 and reappeared with the team from 1926-29.
Lidberg was given this very watch from Lambeau for his efforts at the fullback position. The Hamilton watch has navy blue hands and some wear on the face. We are pleased to report this beauty is still in working order. A crown type fixture keeps the seconds and the blue hands move freely with each passing minute.
The reverse has the following engraved: "CARL LIDBERG MEMBER GREEN BAY PACKERS FOOTBALL TEAM NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 1929".
The engravings are still decipherable and pay tribute to the Packers first championship. With only 30 or fewer watches produced, there are only a few left in existence. A Boob Darling watch was sold in 2006 and there hasn't been another one offered since. It may be another few decades before another watch surfaces. As far as we know, the Darling watch was not in working order.
Authentication is concrete as a Lidberg family letter will attend. It is signed by our consignor as well. The letter emphatically states: "To who it may concern, This watch was given to my Great Grandfather Carl (Cully) Lidberg for his roll of fullback on the 1929 Green Bay Packers first championship Team. This has been in my family since it was issued in 1929. It belong to my Great Grandfather. This is 100% original and has never been offered until now."
Also included is a 6" x 10" original photo of Lidberg in his Gopher gear, Left Guard napkin from a Packers reunion ("Carl L. Lidberg" and "1920" written on makeshift name tag), obituary notice and funeral card.
The Green Bay Packers have long been considered royalty in the NFL. Own a relic from their first championship team, one of only a few left in existence.
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