Many of us remember when the Packers were regular guests at County Stadium, but Milwaukee’s own NFL team, the Badgers, have fallen beyond living memory. In researching this little-remembered chapter in local sports, Milwaukee writer Michael Benter uncovered some fascinating details: The Badgers were racially integrated in an era of segregation and provided the starting ground for several highly regarded players in the 1920s, including four Hall of Famers. Maybe the Badgers’ failure to beat the Packers even once was an ill omen. Benter places the Badgers in context—a time when the NFL struggled to find an audience and pro football was still a novelty.
Michael Benter will discuss The Badgers at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Avrum Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear, 839 N. 11th St.
