This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/2/2012
On June 8. 1966 a merger agreement was announced between the NFL and upstart AFL ending a six-year bidding war between the two rival leagues. There would be a common draft starting in 1967, inter-league preseason games and regular-season play combining the leagues in 1970. Most significantly, the AFL-NFL World Championship Game, later dubbed the Super Bowl, was established. SuperBowl featured the NFL powerhouse Green Bay Packers who went 12-2 during the 1966 regular season under Hall of Fame Coach Vince Lombardi. Led by eight Pro Bowl players, including quarterback Bart Starr and defensive back Willie Wood the Packers defeated the Cowboys 43-27 to capture their second straight NFL championship and became the league's representative against the AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The game was evenly matched until a key interception by Wood early in the second half. The Packers scored the first of their three second half touchdowns and went on to dominate the Chiefs winning Super Bowl I by a score of 35-10. Starr was awarded game MVP honors. Nine members of this historic team (Starr, Wood, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg, Henry Jordan. Ray Nitschke. Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor) along with coach Lombardi would later be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Commemorating that historic Packers team, this tan leather football has "Green Bay Packers World Champions 1966" imprinted in black ink on one panel below the laces. The ball features a full 46 signatures, including the nine Hall of Fame players and Coach Lombardi in black ink, The quality of the autographs (8-9/1 0) and the extraordinary condition of the ball make this what has to be one of the finest vintage 1966 Packers balls extant.
Includes a full LOA from JSA. Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.