Former Packers back Eddie Kotal deserves Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration

Here again, 1928 was really the only season where Kotal started more than half the games and that was at a time when Curly Lambeau normally started his best 11 players, presumably because of more restrictive substitution rules than in the 1930s and ’40s. Overall, Kotal played in 46 games for the Packers and started 28 (22 at right halfback and six at left halfback).

Here’s something else to consider: In 1946, the Press-Gazette conducted a poll to pick the first all-time Packers team. Roughly 2,500 people voted, mostly fans, but also Lambeau, George Calhoun and a number of players. The two halfbacks selected were Verne Lewellen and Johnny Blood, both with more than 1,400 votes. Kotal received four votes and tied for 19th among halfbacks. He’s not in the Packers Hall of Fame, either, nor is he on the short list of old-timers who still warrant consideration.

As far as your article, the only question or objection I had was your reference to Kotal playing tailback. As I’ve written before, there was no tailback in Lambeau’s offense. Plus, even if one were to use the single-wing terms of tailback and wingback, Kotal was used more like a wingback, although other right halfbacks in Lambeau’s offense, including Curly himself and Arnie Herber, were the team’s primary passers.

I was wondering if you have any anecdotes about my grandfather, Buckets Goldenberg.

Two things come to mind. One, if Goldenberg had played with any other team besides possibly the Bears, his resume probably would have landed him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame by now. It’s just that the Packers – and the Bears – were so dominant during the 1930s and ’40s that some of their great players were going to be the victims of fate. The other is that your grandfather might have been the only player in NFL history to switch from playing in the backfield to playing in the line and standing out at both positions.

Don of Portland, who I assume is a close relative, also contacted me about a book he self-published, “Buckets and His Buddies.” So my answer here is for both of you.

For starters, Buckets played for the Packers from 1933-45. That’s 13 seasons, which was the Packers’ record for years of service for 20 years or until Dave Hanner tied it in 1964. It wasn’t broken until Bart Starr played his 14th season in 1969. Buckets also was one of four guards on the NFL’s 1930s All-Decade team. Interestingly, there were 11 linemen – tackles, guards and centers – named to that team and four are in the Pro…