The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. announced today that it will induct former Packers players Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila and Chris Jacke, and contributor Emil Fischer at the 43rd Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, to be held Saturday, July 20, 2013, in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
Gbaja-Biamila, a defensive end who was a fifth-round selection from San Diego State in 2000, is the club's all-time leader in sacks with 74½. The relentless pass rusher led the team in sacks five times, including four straight campaigns with 10 or more QB takedowns (2001-04), a club record. He performed well in big games, including 16½ sacks in 18 Monday Night Football contests, and a four-sack performance at Chicago in 2005. He played in 132 career games, with 78 starts, from 2000-08 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2003.
Jacke, a placekicker who was a sixth-round selection from Texas El-Paso in 1989, ranks third on the club's all-time scoring list with 820 points. He led the team in scoring in seven of his eight seasons, including three campaigns of 100-plus points. Effective from long range, Jacke had 17 field goals of 50-plus yards in his career, tops in team annals, including six in 1993, also a team record. He also holds the team record for most field goals in a game, five, which he accomplished twice. He played in 133 career games from 1989-96, including Super Bowl XXXI, and was an All-Pro selection in 1993.
Fischer had a long association with the Packers that began in 1926 when he joined the board of directors. He became a member of the executive committee in 1935, served as president of the franchise from 1948-52, and was chairman of the board from 1953 until his death in 1958. He was a key contributor to the club's success as he helped lead the team through crucial periods, including the NFL absorption of teams from the All-America Football Conference, Curly Lambeau's resignation in 1950 and the important stock sale that same year. His being named president of the National Conference in 1949 upon the NFL-AAFC agreement assured the Packers' place in the newly aligned league.
Tickets for the banquet, which begins with the doors opening at 4:30 p.m. with a cash bar, and dinner and program to follow at 7 p.m., are $135 each. Tables of 10 also are available for $1,300 and are assigned in the order in which they are purchased. Early reservations are recommended. To purchase tickets, call Gwen Borga at (920) 965-6984, or e-mail her at gwenb@packershalloffame.com. No refunds are available 30 days prior to the event.
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. is a nonprofit 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.
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. Golf Classic is set for Monday, July 8, 2013, at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls, Wis.
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-gamedays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hours may vary on gamedays and holidays. For more information, contact the Hall of Fame at (920) 569-7512, or visit the Hall online at www.packershalloffame.com.
