Packers team historian Cliff Christl has been awarded with the Wisconsin Historical Society's Board of Curators Book of Merit Award in honor of his recent book, The Greatest Story in Sports.
Christl will be presented with the award on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at Lambeau Field, with remarks from Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy and Christian Overland, the Ruth and Hartley Barker Director & CEO for the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Note to media: The award presentation is open to members of the media and the public at 9:30 a.m. Christl, Murphy and Overland will be available for interviews following the presentation, which will take place in the Lambeau Field Atrium adjacent to the Packers Hall of Fame.
The annual Book of Merit Award is given to the author of a book on Wisconsin history which, in the opinion of the judges, made the most valuable contribution to public understanding of Wisconsin's past during the preceding calendar year.
A committee of judges assess each book's merits according to factual accuracy, documentation, quality of the writing, research methodology, design, impact on the reading public and overall contribution to the printed record of Wisconsin history.
The Greatest Story in Sports, takes readers on a journey beginning in 1919 with the seemingly unremarkable birth of a team that would become one of the most iconic in all professional sports. Christl's extensive research and captivating storytelling dispel the myths and share the truth behind the legends that have persisted throughout the team's history. The story unfolds through all the twists and turns that led to the team's public ownership and survival in the NFL's smallest market, despite being perpetually on its deathbed for its first few decades. Full of rare photographs and untold stories, The Greatest Story in Sports lives up to its name and reminds sports fans and history buffs alike why the legacy of the Green Bay Packers endures.
Christl has spent the bulk of his professional life writing about and researching the Packers. He has served as Packers team historian since 2014, having spent 36 years as a sportswriter covering the team for four different Wisconsin newspapers. A native of Green Bay, he worked for 14 months at the Manitowoc Herald-Times before spending close to 16 years at the Green Bay Press-Gazette and 20 years at The Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Christl served on the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee from 2002 to 2014 and has been a member of the Packers Hall of Fame selection committee since 2007. He has authored or co-authored seven other books, mostly about the Packers and pro football. He also spearheaded the effort to create the Packers Heritage Trail with its 25 historical sites and impressive downtown plaza, which recounts the story of the Packers' rich history from Lambeau to Lombardi.
The book is available at the Packers Pro Shop, both in-store and online by visiting packersproshop.com/the-greatest-story-in-sports
