Circa 1959 Mary Jane Sorgel "The Packer Golden Girl" Lumberjack Band Outfit (Green Bay Packers Famed Coach)....

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Circa 1959 Mary Jane Sorgel "The Packer Golden Girl" Lumberjack Band Outfit (Green Bay Packers Famed Coach). "He was the best boss anyone could have" - Mary Jane Sorgel, referring to Vince Lombardi

A woman who will forever hold a place in the Green Bay Packers history books, Mary Jane Sorgel was presented the task of organizing a professional cheerleading squad in 1959 by the team's new head coach Vince Lombardi.

"We weren't the Dallas Cowgirls," said Sorgel. We were wholesome Midwest girls, because Vince Lombardi did not like real short skirts.

Offered here is Sorgel's Packer Lumberjack Band outfit she began wearing around 1959 and into the early 1960's. Pictured in our listing to the right of the legendary Packers coach, the notable majorette uniform exhibits superb condition with no major flaws. Consisting of a shimmering gold polyester, the button-up blouse has a "[size] L" "Villager" tag in the collar, and it is accompanied by a green felt skirt that was made with care by Sorgel's grandmother. In addition, it includes the Golden Girl's football-shaped "Packer Band Majorette" chainlink embroidered patch pin. An immaculate piece originating from a memorable time of Sorgel's career in Green Bay, and hailing from the beginning of the Lombardi era. Letter of provenance from Mary Jane Sorgel.

The Mary Jane Sorgel Collection of Curly Lambeau Correspondence

They called her the "Golden Girl." In fact, she was famous before she ever met him, as she joined the Green Bay Packers after high school as a majorette. But in 1960, when Mary Jane Sorgel met team founder, former player and head coach Curly Lambeau one night at the Nautical Inn, a popular restaurant and bar in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, their lives were changed forever.

Lambeau had known of Sorgel due to her work with the Packers. She was a dancer and baton twirler, and was invited to perform during the Packers' 1949 game versus the New York Giants, which was also Lambeau's last home game as Packers head coach.

After their initial meeting at the Nautical Inn, Curly and Mary Jane became an item. The charismatic and good looking Lambeau was impressed with her athletic skills and enjoyed the fact that she liked sports, so much that he nicknamed her "Champ."

Curly fell hard for Sorgel throughout the years, and eventually asked her to marry him, but she told him she couldn't. Lambeau had been divorced multiple times, and Sorgel, who was deeply religious couldn't marry a divorced man. Nevertheless, the relationship continued.

On June 1, 1965, Lambeau picked up Sorgel at her parents' house for dinner. He saw Sorgel's father preparing to cut the grass with a new mower, so Lambeau volunteered to help. That's when Lambeau started feeling ill. He suddenly collapsed on the lawn from a heart attack. Sorgel heard the commotion from inside the house and ran to Lambeau's aid. She called out his name twice, but it was too late. He died at sixty-seven.

The following handwritten letters have been in Sorgel's possession since she originally received them in 1965, the last year of Lambeau's life. Each is presented on 7.25x10.5" "E.L. 'CURLY' LAMBEAU" stationery, and is accompanied by its original 4x7.5" mailing envelope, while presenting Mint blue ball-point ink handwriting. In addition, Sorgel has consigned two greeting cards, which were sent to her by Lambeau during the same time period as the letters, and two of her original Packers cheerleading outfits are also featured in our November catalog auction.

An absolutely amazing collection of Titletown treasures representing arguably the most important figure in Wisconsin sports history and the woman he loved most.