MADISON (WLUK) — Wisconsin lawmakers want a revolutionary Green Bay Packers scout to take his rightful place in Canton.
On Wednesday, the State Senate passed a resolution calling for the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement of Jack Vainisi. He was a scout and strategist who joined the team in 1950, and to this day, he is widely considered the architect of the Lombardi-era Packers.
Vainisi scouted and drafted 12 future Hall of Famers, including Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Forrest Gregg, Paul Hornung and Willie Davis. And when it was time for a new leader in Green Bay, it was Vainisi who urged the Packers to pursue the little-known Giants coach named Vince Lombardi.
“Together, these players and coaches formed the foundation of a dynasty, delivering five NFL championships and victories in Super Bowls I and II,” State Sen. Andre Jacque, R-New Franken, said in a news release.
Though not a household name, Jack Vainisi may have had more influence on the Packers dynasty than any player or coach. Simply put, without Jack Vainisi, there is no Titletown.
Sadly, Vainisi would not live to see the Packers’ golden era he helped build. He died from a rheumatic heart condition in 1960, at the age of 33.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature, it is a “glaring omission” that Vainisi is not a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Lawmakers are now calling for his “long-overdue” induction.
“If not for Jack Vainisi, there may not be a Green Bay Packers team in the NFL today,” Jacque said. “He belongs in the room with all the other immortals who have left an indelible imprint on the game of professional football.”