The Lumberjack Band: Return of the razzle-dazzle

Continued from the February edition of the Press Times

In 1929, 1930 and 1931 the Lumberjack Band continued to back the Green Bay Packers during contentious Chicago games, financed by a community collection.

For many years, the Lumberjack Band was formed with members of the American Legion Band, but a disagreement between the American Legion and the band occurred in the following years and the band severed ties with the organization.

On June 6, 1933, the Legion Band was no more, after the Green Bay City Council adopted a resolution to designate it the “Green Bay City Band.”

Five days later, the group made their first appearance as the Green Bay City Band.

Little mention of the Lumberjack Band is made during the following years, and the razzle-dazzle was limited to the action on the playing field.

In the fall of 1939, with the team aiming for its fifth national title, plans were being made for the Lumberjack Band’s triumphant return for a Sunday Packers-Chicago Cardinals game, with the musicians starting the training at the same time as the team’s players.

“When the Packer corporation decided to seek the formation of a band, largely as a showmanship project to add to the color at games, the services of men qualified by experience and reputation in the musical field were sought. The result was pretty much the same as when Coach Curly Lambeau recruits his gridders — an all-star organization with a specialist at every post in the lineup,” Dick Flatley wrote in the Sept. 13, 1939, Press-Gazette.

“Alex V. Enna, veteran instructor and conductor, was named director. Wilmer Burke was made business manager. Together they laid plans for such a band as the Packer officials seemed to desire.

“All the musicians were selected in Green Bay and De Pere. Many of them are comparatively young — products of the school musical systems in the two cities. Others have been prominent in Green Bay musical circles for several years.”

Enna said that he was “deeply gratified to the Packers for giving Green Bay and De Pere musicians something to work for.”

“Through the efforts of Mr. (Lee) Joannes, Coach Lambeau and the other Packer officials, enough interest has been aroused to see a real band through.
“I believe that this organization will be of real benefit to the community at large as well as the Packers.”

To be continued