John Breske (left) of Elderon was inducted as the 25th member of the Packers FAN Hall of Fame at Lambeau Field, February 16, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The newest member of the Green Bay Packers FAN Hall of Fame has been cheering on the green and gold in the stands for 70 years.
John Breske of Elderon was selected from a list of 10 finalists from around the U.S. to be the 25th member.
He was nominated by a family member who describes him as a “long-time, diehard, dyed-in-the-wool, fire-breathing Packer fan like no other.”
According to his biography, Breske is a decorated Korean War veteran and a cancer survivor who has paid it forward in many ways, including donating his tickets to causes and events that support a cure.
During Thursday’s induction ceremony, Breske told the story of his very first Packers game in 1953.
“I came home from Korea, I was wounded and I was in the hospital in San Francisco and I went to church Sunday morning. After church, I went to a Wisconsin tavern and about 11 o’clock somebody came through there and said, ‘the Packers are playing in town today.’ So about 10 of us went the game and that was at Kezar Stadium and we got in free, we all had our uniforms on and I would say there’s about 10,000 people there at that game.”
As the chosen inductee, Breske will receive four club seats to a 2023 Packers home game; a $500 Packers Pro Shop gift certificate; a road trip for two to a 2023 Packers away game, including game tickets, air fare and hotel accommodations; and a one-year subscription to PackersNews.com.
In addition, Breske will have his name permanently displayed in a place of honor in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.
“I’m not proud of myself for being a fan but for all the people who backed me and I didn’t even know they were helping me,” Breske said.
The Packers FAN Hall of Fame, established in 1998, annually recognizes the team’s devout and longtime fans.
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