Jack Vainisi

Jack Vainisi
Portrait photo of Jack Vainisi
Born(1927-08-27)August 27, 1927
DiedNovember 27, 1960(1960-11-27) (aged 33)
Occupation(s)Scout and personnel director
Known forScout for the Green Bay Packers
Children3
RelativesJerry Vainisi (Brother)

Jack Vainisi (August 27, 1927 – November 27, 1960) was an American scout and personnel director for the Green Bay Packers from 1950 to 1960. At the age of 23, he was hired by Packers head coach Gene Ronzani to lead the team's player personnel department. In a time when most professional football teams relied on the media for information on college players, Vainisi enlisted college coaches to provide scouting reports on not only their own players, but also opposition players. During his time in charge of player personnel, the Packers drafted or acquired eight future Pro Football Hall of Fame players. Vainisi also was instrumental in attracting Vince Lombardi to the vacant head coaching job in Green Bay in 1959. Vainisi did not live to see the success of the teams he helped assemble though, as he died from a heart attack in 1960 at the age of 33.