Mark Beech

SI alum; bemused parent; author of The People’s Team: An Illustrated History of the Green Bay Packers

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

Finally. THE PEOPLE'S TEAM is out today. For fans of the Green Bay Packers, for fans of the NFL — and especially for my parents — it's a must-have. Available in all the usual places. I might be just a little more excited about it than she is.

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

Novo, like most of Army’s starting 11, played iron-man football in ’58, the last time the Cadets went undefeated or were ranked No. 1. He was a guard on the Lonely End offense, and a linebacker on a defense that allowed just 5.4 points per game. (2/2)

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

RIP to 1958 All-America lineman and Army football great Bob Novogratz, who passed away on Friday night at the age of 89. He was, in the words of coach Red Blaik, “the sword and flame of a remarkable defensive team.” (1/2)

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

On Dec. 8, Murphy (standing on the far right in this photo) visited Dwyer in his room at St. Vincent’s Hospital and presented him with a check for $4,053.02—about $65,000 today. Underwood transferred Murphy to Milwaukee not long after. (9/9)

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

What a great post. Cornelius Mathew Murphy was one of the most important figures in the early days of the Packers. An Underwood typewriter salesman, he was the son of Irish immigrants from Chicago. (1/9)

[UK and Irish Packers @ukpackers]

🇮🇪 The @packers wouldn’t exist without one cheeky Irishman! 🇮🇪

In 1920, the #Packers going broke, Neil Murphy called on fans to build a fence around their field at Hagemeister Park…

…then charged them admission that very Sunday to walk through it, saving the franchise! ☘️🧀

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

The Packers split into two teams for the game—the Bellevue Ice Creams and the Northern Paper Mills—both named for local businesses that had chipped in $100 apiece. All money donated at the game went to Dwyer. (8/9)

[Dan Pompei @danpompei]

He was a Hall of Fame caliber team president and Hall of Fame caliber human. He never failed to lift me when I was in his presence. From Cliff Christl. https://t.co/La19sfQqWp

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

Football. Man.

[Cameron Ezeir @EzeirCameron]

An emotional day for the #Packers organization after the announcement of Bob Harlan's passing.

For someone who meant so much in Green Bay, this moment sticks out.

Back in 2006, Harlan was given the game ball by head coach Mike McCarthy to symbolize his final regular season win at Lambeau Field as Green Bay's President/CEO.

@WFRVSports

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

He was friendly, garrulous and open. He insisted that he wasn’t a football man and that he knew he had to hire one. He was certainly right, but I’m not so sure he wasn’t a football man after all. In fact, he I’m not so sure he wasn’t one of the best ones there ever was. (16/x)

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

RIP to Bob Harlan, the man who saved the Packers and, in a way, Green Bay—the city and the team are so closely bound that one of the cofounders of the club is the great grandson of the man who founded the town. There’s no place in U.S. sports like it. Harlan got that. (1/x)

[Mark Beech @MarkBeech2pt0]

On a reporting visit to Green Bay in ’16 when I was writing my Packers history, I spoke separately to Wolf and Harlan. Wolf was gruff and professional; I had everything I needed in less than 60 minutes. Harlan spoke to me for two hours, and could have gone on much longer. (15/x)