Pack93z
  • Pack93z
  • Select Member Topic Starter
15 years ago
I had the pleasure of meeting Jim when in college as part of a statistics class and borrowed ideas and data from the department of the Packers.

Heck of a nice and well spoken man.. condolences to his family and friends.

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20100730/WDH0101/7300618/Stats-man-remembered-for-charisma 


Radio broadcaster Jim Irwin stepped out of the car at San Francisco International airport after the Green Bay Packers' 1998 football season came to an abrupt end. A feeling of loneliness engulfed him.

He watched as his longtime broadcast team of Max McGee and statistician Jim Palm of Wausau pulled away. The trio responsible for covering games since the late 1970s had decided to retire -- together -- at the end of that season.

"Walking through the doors of the airport, it was hard to comprehend the end," Irwin, 76, said Wednesday during a phone interview from his home in Irvine, Calif.

This week, Irwin stood alone again, 12 years after that playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Palm died Sunday after a struggle with Alzheimer's disease, three years after McGee died. Palm was 81.

"It reminded me how much I think about those times and how I remember Max and Jim," Irwin said. "You don't think about these two guys being dead. You think about them being at home, and I'll see them when football starts."

Palm began working with the Packers in 1959 when new coach Vince Lombardi asked him to coordinate travel plans for the team on a part-time basis.

That connection led Palm into a spotter position during Packers games. Soon after, he joined Irwin and McGee in the booth, where he handled game stats for the broadcast.

"I just think he liked doing it. He liked being in the limelight," said his wife, Glorianne Palm. "Even in the nursing home, he was called the social butterfly. He was charismatic."

When they could, Glorianne and the couple's three sons, Peter, Bill and Patrick, would go to the games but often sat in the stands.

Patrick Palm, now living in Colorado, remembered one time getting to sit in the booth and watch his dad in action. There was no talking.

"You just sat in the back, and the amount of stats -- the way they did it back in the day -- was incredible," Patrick Palm said. "They had books and grease boards and would call down to coaches and get background information."

Jim Palm might not have made it on the air, but Irwin said he was integral to the production, largely because of the bond they forged.

"I want to emphasize that Jim was an important part of the broadcast," Irwin said. "It's not so much that he kept the stats, but we were a group. We were comfortable."


"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
Nonstopdrivel
15 years ago
Excellent article. Thank you for posting this. I love it when men are courageous enough to express less popular emotions like loneliness.
UserPostedImage
Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (31m) : nope
Zero2Cool (34m) : Golden changing to 0?
packerfanoutwest (3h) : Micah Parsons will be first Packer to wear No. 1 since Curly Lambeau
dfosterf (3h) : Probably win the league auto drafting from the 2 hole
Zero2Cool (4h) : I tried few ways to reach Matt. He'll get auto drafted lol
dfosterf (4h) : Don't know the significance of that, but do know porky better respond to the email you were able to send wtf Porky? Sign ze papers!
Zero2Cool (4h) : burned up my emails with test account son new site, don't have one for test register now haha
dfosterf (4h) : My boy Dant'e Thornton is looking like the WR1 for the raiders. Told ya Martha 🤪
dfosterf (8h) : Lets offer a 4th for Kenny Clark. Jerry seems to be geezin' pretty badly
wpr (14h) : yooper
Zero2Cool (14h) : next is create topic from headline
Zero2Cool (14h) : new site has recent topics and headlines now
buckeyepackfan (15h) : Micah wearing #1, Packers offered it to him. Curly only one to wear #1
Zero2Cool (16h) : Micah said he told Rasheed he's gonna get some practice. LT1 yeah?
Zero2Cool (16h) : Patriots release Jabrill Peppers Before 2025 Season
Mucky Tundra (17h) : yooper!
Zero2Cool (18h) : Never. But gonna be looking different in few days :D
yooperfan (18h) : Whew, I got it back. I was afraid that I lost this site for good.
Zero2Cool (19h) : Harrisburg Packers
Mucky Tundra (19h) : Yes
Zero2Cool (20h) : No.
dfosterf (20h) : The man carried us a lot of the time
dfosterf (20h) : I think a Kenny Clark tribute is in order
Zero2Cool (29-Aug) : new site, text editor gooder even on phone
beast (29-Aug) : Oh yes, sometimes they make using a cellphone tough. I just wanted to make sure it was the correct article, & thank you for pointing it out.
jdlax (29-Aug) : I can't believe one of my teams went out and wablammo just up and acquired one of the best players in the world overnight
dfosterf (29-Aug) : I do very much appreciate when Beast and others pick up my slack 😊
dfosterf (29-Aug) : I accept Beast's admonishment regarding my failure to link stuff I reference. I simply never learned to link from my cell phone.
beast (29-Aug) : That's not what your she said 😌, she said keep going 😏
Mucky Tundra (29-Aug) : Anything over 4 hours means he needs to get to the hospital
Mucky Tundra (29-Aug) : Someone might want to check on Hafley and make sure his erection has gone down
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : LaFleur texts "bleep me I cannot sit down"
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : YouTube has had me last hour or two lol
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : Ugh this trade happened right as my shift started and it's killing me
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Parsons wore 23 in high school.
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Packers just cost Lions more money with Hutchinson too huh
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : That is fair by me.
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : Kenny Clark is the player, 2 1st rnd picks
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : umm... what?
wpr (28-Aug) : I am stunned
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : RICKEY SCOOPS WAS RIGHT AGAIN!!!
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : ITS HAPPENING
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : DEAL IS DONE
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : MICAH IS COMING TO GREEN BAY!!!!!!!!!
wpr (28-Aug) : Me do-ed it gooderly,
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Bahah, I was like WTF why isn't anyone posting on PP.com ... oops no one has permissions
dfosterf (27-Aug) : tell her I reckon
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Micah Robinson cut. Probable PS player tomorrow. Has to call mom back and t
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : New site so much better. Might make switch and deal with it.
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Mecole Hardman to our practice squad
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
43m / Random Babble / beast

13h / Green Bay Packers Talk / dhazer

14h / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

23h / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

29-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

29-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

29-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

28-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

28-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

28-Aug / Feedback, Suggestions and Issues / Zero2Cool

27-Aug / Fantasy Sports Talk / Zero2Cool

27-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

27-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Cheesey

26-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

26-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.