There was a quick internet search last week to confirm a detail about Curly Lambeau, the player, coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer with his name on the Green Bay stadium. Imagine my surprise when this headline appeared:
"Ward Cuff on Curly Lambeau: 'A miserable guy.' "
The fabulous part is the piece was offered by Cliff Christl, the Packers' current team historian, and posted on Packers.com on June 21, 2018. Christl was a longtime reporter for Milwaukee and Green Bay newspapers and this Q-and-A came from two interviews Christl conducted with Cuff in 2001.
Cuff was a native of Redwood Falls, Minn. He died in 2002 in Vallejo, Calif., at age 89.
Cuff was a star on the Marquette Warriors' 1937 Cotton Bowl team. He was a running back and kicker for the New York Giants, and shares the jersey retirement of No. 14 with quarterback Y.A. Title.
Cuff's final season was with Lambeau and the Packers in 1947. The Packers started 4-1, then hit the skids, including a 21-20 loss to the Chicago Cardinals when Cuff missed a late 23-yard kick.
Cuff said Lambeau accused him of missing it on purpose and refused to give him a game check. Cuff had bills to play as a Milwaukee family man and had to threaten Lambeau to get his money.
Asked for "overall impressions'' of Lambeau, Cuff said he was a bad guy in "every way you can think of … A lot of the players didn't like Curly, and there was pretty good reason for it. He was taking their money, trying to date their wives.
