The Third Branch
Zuidmulder ring shines with family history
By Tom Sheehan, Court Information Officer
 |
Judge Donald R. Zuidmulder displays his Green Bay Packer Super Bowl ring. Zuidmulder serves on the football club's board of directors, and his father, the late David Zuidmulder, played for the Packers during the 1929, 1930 and 1931 seasons. |
Chief Judge Donald R. Zuidmulder isn't the kind of guy you'd expect to be flashing some "bling-bling," but he's now got a piece of jewelry so impressive it would put most hip-hop stars to shame.
The Brown County Circuit Court judge is the proud owner – make that very proud owner – of a Green Bay Packers Super Bowl championship ring. He received it not because he caught several of Aaron Rodgers' passes for touchdowns in Super Bowl XLV, but because he serves on the Packers' board of directors.
Such a ring would be prized by any proud Packer fan, but it has special meaning for Zuidmulder. His father, the late David Zuidmulder, played for the Packers during 1929 through 1931 seasons – the team's first three championship seasons, which were coached by legend Curly Lambeau.
While humbled by the experience of being on the board, Zuidmulder doesn't miss a chance to show off his ring when asked. He brought the prized possession to a recent Chief Judges Committee meeting, where just about everyone had a chance to try it on. And, he brought it to the Wisconsin Judicial Conference, where it quickly became a conversation piece.
His father's playing days were over before Donald was born in 1942, but the stories and the experience of being the son of a Packer player had a strong and lasting influence on Zuidmulder, 69.
"I was always in awe of him," Zuidmulder said.
He recalled his father recounting the now famous 1929 victory over the New York Giants at the New York Polo Grounds. The Packers' 20-6 victory there created a perfect record for the season, and left the Giants stunned with the only loss of their season. When the Packers returned to Green Bay by train after the game, his father recounted that fans holding torches lined the route all the way from DePere to the city limits of Green Bay.
The game of football was much different then, and players lacked nearly all of the safety gear they have today. By the time his father graduated from Green Bay East High School, he had already lost most of his teeth to the sport. By the time he was done playing football, his nose had been broken eight times. Fortunately, the last fracture set the nose back into a more natural-looking position than the previous break, Zuidmulder said.
 |
David Zuidmulder (third from left) joined the Green Bay Fire Department in 1934 and served as chief from 1955 until he retired in 1972. (Photo provided, courtesy of the Nicolet Federated Library System). |
During his teen years, Zuidmulder said his father was involved in the Packers' alumni activities, and he had regular contact with many Packer players.
After his football career, David Zuidmulder joined the Green Bay Fire Department in 1934 and became its chief in 1955. He retired in 1972, and Green Bay Fire Station No. 6 is named in his honor.
David Zuidmulder encouraged his son to become a lawyer, and after his father's death, he discovered a letter from a priest that indicated his father, too, had aspirations of being a lawyer.
Although he admired his father and many Packer players, the younger Zuidmulder did not play football.
"My father had to just wonder – he threw me a football, and it hit me in the head," Zuidmulder joked.
Zuidmulder said he quickly accepted the opportunity to join the board when he received a phone call making the offer in the fall of 2000.
"It was a short conversation," Zuidmulder recalled.
Many of the club's 44 board members are from the business community, and Zuidmulder is the only direct descendant of a player from his father's era. Zuidmulder views his role as representing "the public interest" in the club. Other judges and public officials have served in the past. In fact, Judge Robert Parins served as president of the Packer Corp. from 1982 until 1989, when Parins was elected honorary chairman of the Packers' board.
The main role of the 44-member board of directors is to act as a liaison between the public and the club's seven-member executive committee, headed by board president Mark Murphy, Zuidmulder said.
Zuidmulder said he is likely in his last year as a director. When board members reach the age of 70, they are switched to emeritus status.
That's OK with Zuidmulder. He'll still be involved with the club, he'll still have his Super Bowl ring, and on top of that, he'll have one other recently acquired item to honor his father's legacy – a 1929 "throwback" jersey like those worn by the Packers in week six this year against the St. Louis Rams.
Better yet, he found one that just happens to match the number of his father, now worn by another player who happens to be working his way into Zuidmulder's heart – No. 12.
 |
David Zuidmulder is shown front row center of this 1930 roster photo of the Green Bay Packers. (Photo provided, courtesy of the Nicolet Federated Library System) |