Tom McNeely (Canadian, B. 1935) "Vince Lombardi" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the 32c Vince Lombardi stamp issued July 25, 1997. Born in Brooklyn in 1913, Vince Lombardi planned to be a Catholic priest. He showed a talent for football in high school and at Fordham University, from 1934 through 1936, Lombardi played guard on the most fearsome line in college football -- the "Seven Blocks of Granite." Lombardi was also an excellent student, graduating from Fordham with a B.S., then studying law. But he continued to play football on weekends and, in 1939, took his first coaching job at St. Cecelia High School in Englewood, New Jersey, where his teams won six state championships. By 1947, Lombardi was freshman coach at Fordham. His big chance came in 1949 when he was hired as assistant coach under Colonel Earl "Red" Blaik at Army. Five years later, Lombardi was named offense coach for the New York Giants. In 1959, when Lombardi became head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers, the Packers were a bottom-of-the-ladder team located in a small town in Wisconsin known as the "Siberia of the National Football League." But it didn't take long for Lombardi to change that image. The Packers won Western Conference titles in 1960, 1961 and 1962, captured the NFL championship in 1961 and 1962, and were victorious in the first two Super Bowls -- in 1967 and 1968. In 1969, he became head coach, general manager and part owner of the Washington Redskins, coaching them to their first winning season in 14 years. Lombardi died unexpectedly in 1970 and the following year he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Image Size: 22 x 16.25 in. Overall Size: 26.5 x 22.25 in. Unframed. (B15757)