How Reggie White helped Jeff Yasick of Mazomanie get into the Green Bay Packers FAN Hall of Fame
Richard Ryman
GREEN BAY – From now on, he's Hall of Famer Jeff Yasick.
Yasick, who lives in Mazomanie, is the 24th and newest member of the Green Bay Packers FAN Hall of Fame. He was selected from among 10 finalists, eight of whom, accompanied by family and friends, were at Lambeau Field Wednesday for the announcement.
"I'm so happy to be in the hall of fame with the Packers," said Yasick, who was nominated by his cousin, Josh Hames.
In his nomination, Hames recounted how Yasick met Packers great Reggie White during training camp in 1994 and became a devoted fan for life. Yasick, who has cerebral palsy, was among a group of fans trailing after White as he went from locker room to practice field. As he had to do, White determined to make the trip without stopping to sign autographs, otherwise he'd never make it to practice. Yasick, who was 9, trailed the mob using a walker. White, doing a very Reggie White thing, turned around and went back to meet him, sign an autograph and have a picture taken.
"Instead of surrendering to or feeling defeated by a life with cerebral palsy, Jeff persevered that day," Hames wrote. "He didn't groan at his inability to progress towards Reggie as quickly as everyone else, but decided to push forward as fast as he could. That day is the perfect example of who Jeff is as a Packers fan, and as a person in general: relentless and loyal."
When he's not at Lambeau Field – Yasick is a Gold package season ticket holder – he often watches games surrounded by family. His father, Mel, said people sitting near Jeff during Packers games normally switch sides at halftime because they are deaf in whichever ear is nearest him.
"He uses his outside voice inside" during Packers games, said mom Cathy.
Yasick immediately displayed an ability to navigate his new celebrity. Among the perks for hall of fame selection, he gets two tickets and accommodations to a Packers road game this season. When asked whether he'd take his mom or his dad, he responded with "I'll have to think about that" in a tone of voice that said I'm not walking into that trap.
"We might be able to get him an extra ticket," Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy quickly interjected.
Upon his return home, Hall of Famer Jeff Yasick will get a fire truck ride through the village, which was planned, win or lose, but now will be considerably more fun.
The Packers remain the only team in the NFL with a fan hall of fame, which the team created in 1998.
"Every team in the league says 'we have great fans,'" Murphy said. "But the connection our fans have with the team is unique."
Yasick was selected from among 10 nominees to be added to the hall.
Nominations included an essay of 500 words or less describing the merits of the nominee. The Packers FAN Hall of Fame selection committee chose 10 finalists in December, with the winner chosen by fan vote, previous winners and the selection committee. Six of 10 nominees this year are from Wisconsin.
More than 79,000 votes were cast, including from Germany, Finland, Denmark, Egypt, Poland and more, highlighting the international nature of Packers fandom. No international fans have been among finalists for the Hall of Fame, but it's likely only a matter of time.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, last year's announcement was done virtually, but George Oudhuis of Rolling Prairie, Indiana, the 23rd member of the hall, attended Wednesday's announcement and received applause in the full auditorium.
RELATED:George Oudhuis (finally) joins the Packers FAN Hall of Fame
In addition to having their name added to the list of FAN Hall of Fame members in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame museum, the winner will receive four club seats to a 2022 Packers home game, a $500 Packers Pro Shop gift certificate, a road trip for two to a 2022 Packers road game, including game tickets, air fare and hotel accommodations, and a one-year subscription to Packers Plus.
The nominees this year were:
- William Bartlow of Charlottesville, Va.
- Wayne Sargent of Kewaskum
- Tom Malchow of Hudson
- Rick Burgard of Sheboygan
- John Kuziej of Burnsville, Minn.
- Joanne Heney Swietlik of Green Bay
- Jeff Yasick of Mazomanie
- David Guld of Wausau
- Carri Emmerich of Sturgeon Bay
- Alyssa Scoda of Washington, Pa.
Packers FAN Hall of Fame members include:
- 2022 – Jeff Yasick, Mazomanie
- 2021 – George Oudhuis, Rolling Prairie, Indiana
- 2020 - Kari Bernier, Dyersburg, Tennessee
- 2019 - Amy Nelson, Fence
- 2018 - Marguerite "Mugs" Bachhuber, Green Bay
- 2017 - Frank Lamping, Union Grove
- 2016 - Patricia Nevala, Menomonie
- 2015 - Steve Schumer, Gillette, N.J.
- 2014 - Vivian Scherf-Laabs, Cedarburg
- 2013 - Edward Fritsch, Sheboygan
- 2012 - Rick Steele, Greensburg, Pa.
- 2011 - Tom Little, Mount Sterling, Ill.
- 2010 - Jim Becker, Racine
- 2009 - Allan Hale, Green Bay
- 2008 - Richard "Ike" Eisenhauer, Wauwatosa
- 2007 - Rich Barbera, River Vale, N.J.
- 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
Contact Richard Ryman at (920) 431-8342 or rryman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG/.