The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. today announced the donation of two unique, team-autographed 1996 Super Bowl photos by Larry Winsand of Richmond, Va.
The two photos contain 96 autographs of members of the 1996 championship team and include President Bob Harlan, General Manager Ron Wolf, Head Coach Mike Holmgren, the entire coaching staff and 56 members of the team, as well as autographs from the Packers' player personnel, public relations, strength and conditioning, medical and training departments.
Also included are the signatures of radio broadcasters Max McGee, Jim Irwin and Larry McCarren.
It took Winsand, originally from Mondovi, Wis., nearly 16 years to gather all of the autographs during a journey that spanned 30,000 miles across 11 states and 28 cities.
"My original intent for this project was to capture signatures of the starting offense, defense, and coach Holmgren," Winsand said. "So many Packers fans along the way commented on how special it would be to include the entire team, so a simple project evolved into a personal mission to include 96 members of this 1996 championship organization.
"I would like to thank the Green Bay Packers, the Hall of Fame and particularly Tom Murphy for enabling this piece of Packers History to become a permanent part of the incredible destination that is the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame."
The photos will be displayed in the Hall of Fame, along with replicas that contain printed names of the autographs as a reference for viewers. The copies of the photos will be mounted on a wooden plaque and will flank a dedication tile that was written by Winsand.
"Larry has accomplished an incredible objective, and in so doing he has incurred a great amount of personal time and expense," said Packers Hall of Fame director and archivist Tom Murphy. "For him to now donate his completed project to the Hall of Fame for all fans to enjoy is testament to his passion and loyalty to the Green Bay Packers."
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The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. is a non-profit corporation independent of the Green Bay Packers that guides the Hall as a historic national sports venue and educational resource to the Green Bay community and the state of Wisconsin. The Hall raises funds through its annual induction banquet, Golf Classic and other events to develop new exhibits and expand its archives. Historic memorabilia donated by individuals to the Hall may qualify as tax-deductible gifts.
Originally established in 1967 as a temporary display in the concourse of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the Hall moved into its own facility in 1976 near Lambeau Field. In 2003, it was relocated to a spectacular new, 25,000-square foot facility in the Lambeau Field Atrium. The Hall of Fame is open on non-game days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hours may vary on game days and holidays. For more information, contact the Hall of Fame online at www.packershalloffame.com.
