'Mugs' Bachhuber, new member of Packers FAN Hall of Fame, got a push from niece Gillian Anderson
Richard Ryman
GREEN BAY – If Mark Murphy wants to give up his time on the podium, Marguerite "Mugs" Bachhuber could do the job.
Bachhuber, 87, of Green Bay, on Tuesday was named the 20th member of the Green Bay Packers FAN Hall of Fame. Bachhuber, after being announced by Packers President and CEO Murphy, held court at the podium. Her answers were quick, sharp and funny.
• On attending Packers games, especially when she was younger: "I had eight kids in 10 years. I was a little busy."
• On how she kept up with the Packers while living in Mayville: "At the start, there was no TV. Can you imagine?" she said.
• On evidence she is a committed Packers fan: "I was in charge of the (football) pool for 10 years at Woodside" Senior Communities in Ashwaubenon.
• On her daughter nominating her for the Hall of Fame: "I looked at her and I said, 'look what you got me into.'"
• On her favorite Packers moment: "This."
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Bachhuber was selected from among 10 nominees. More than 40,000 total votes were cast from throughout the world.
Her candidacy was supported by a social media campaign by her niece, Gillian Anderson of "The X-Files."
"I've got a relative that is just a little bit well known in the TV world and she got involved in this whole thing and from what I understand, there was a lot of voting going on," Bachhuber said.
Murphy said no other NFL team has a fan hall of fame.
"This is one of my favorite days of the year," he said. "Just the enthusiasm you all bring to the organization. This program captures the spirit of the special bond the fans have with the team."
Bachhuber said the Packers give families something to cheer together and to cry about together.
Then she led her friends and family in a song they wrote and sing at Woodside, likely the first time in 20 years of fan selection that happened, and no doubt the first time it happened from the podium most often occupied by Murphy, coach Mike McCarthy and former general manager Ted Thompson.
Fans can nominate themselves or be nominated by others with an essay of up to 500 words explaining why the nominee should be considered. Voting on 10 finalists, chosen by the Packers FAN Hall of Fame selection committee, is in January.
The other nominees were Felicia Reed of Milwaukee, Lloyd Wettstein of Appleton, Sue "Stolty" Stoltenberg of Wausaukee, Michael Sledz of Grayslake, Ill., Mike Seavert of Greenfield, John Kuziej of Burnsville, Minn., Robert Retzlaff of Necedah, Dave Lucero of Green Bay and Allie Healy of Franklin.
In addition to having her name permanently displayed in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in the Lambeau Field Atrium, Bachhuber will receive four club seats to a 2018 Packers home game; a $500 Packers Pro Shop gift certificate; a road trip for two to a 2018 Packers away game, including tickets, air fare and hotel accommodations, and a one-year subscription to "Packers Plus."
PACKERS FAN HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
2018: Marguerite "Mugs" Bachhuber, Green Bay
2017: Frank Lamping, Union Grove
2016: Patricia Nevala, Menomonie
2015: Steve Schumer, Gillette, New Jersey
2014: Vivian Scherf-Laabs, Cedarburg
2013: Edward Fritsch, Sheboygan
2012: Rick Steele, Greensburg, Pennsylvania
2011: Tom Little, Mount Sterling, Illinois
2010: Jim Becker, Racine
2009: Allan Hale, Green Bay
2008: Richard "Ike" Eisenhauer, Wauwatosa
2007: Rich Barbera, River Vale, New Jersey
2006: Kathy Lazzaro, Milwaukee
2005: Dorothy Hanke, Milwaukee
2004: Sister Isaac Jogues Rousseau, Milwaukee
2003: Wanda Boggs, Brookfield
2002: Paul Mazzoleni, Green Bay
2001: Ed Jablonski, Wausau
2000: Louis Gardipee, Black River Falls
1999: Mel Knoke, Appleton