;var locations = [{"title": "Lombardi's Childhood Home", "addressLine1": "2542 E.14th St.", "addressLine2": "Brooklyn, N.Y.", "locationLat": "40.588925", "locationLng": "-73.95574899999997", "omniTrackingName": "lombardi's+childhood+home", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "Lombardi's Childhood Home", "story": "Vince Lombardi became a legend in Green Bay, Wis., but he was born and raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Walking by 2542 E. 14th St. now, you'd never guess that this was where the most famous coach in the history of American sports grew up. The only clue is a small plaque a few blocks away, planted in the ground on the island of a traffic circle. The ethnically diverse neighborhood, once home to many Irish and Italian immigrant families, now has a greater Russian-speaking population. Lombardi was born there on June 11, 1913.", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_home_576x324.jpg", "credit": "Rob Tringali for ESPN"}, "stories": {}, "null": []}, {"title": "St. Mark Church", "addressLine1": "2609 E. 19th St.", "addressLine2": "Brooklyn, N.Y.", "locationLat": "40.587938", "locationLng": "-73.9501669", "omniTrackingName": "st.+mark+church", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "St. Mark Church", "story": "Lombardi's Catholic faith was an important part of his life from an early age, thanks especially to his mother, Matilda. St. Mark in Sheepshead Bay, first established in 1861, was the family parish during his childhood. The current church on E. 19th St. opened in May 1931, when Lombardi was 17 years old; the previous structure, on E. 14th St., had been destroyed by fire two years earlier. Lombardi served as an altar boy at St. Mark and began attending Mass daily, which became a lifelong habit.", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_stmarks_576x324.jpg", "credit": "Rob Tringali for ESPN"}, "stories": {}, "null": []}, {"title": "Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception", "addressLine1": "555 Washington Ave.", "addressLine2": "Brooklyn, N.Y.", "locationLat": "40.6812942", "locationLng": "-73.96464659999998", "omniTrackingName": "cathedral+college+of+the+immaculate+conception", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception", "story": "

After completing eighth grade at Public School 206 in Sheepshead Bay, Lombardi moved on to Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in 1928, enrolling in a six-year program which would prepare him for the priesthood. That's right, Vince Lombardi planned to become a Catholic priest. He spent four years there before discerning that he didn't have a vocation to the priesthood after all. At that point, he went looking for another school, one where he could play football; Cathedral did not have a team. Cathedral is now located in Queens; the original building in Brooklyn is now an apartment complex.

", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_cathedralcollege_576x324.jpg", "credit": "Courtesy of Cathedral Preparatory Seminary "}, "stories": {}, "null": []}, {"title": "St. Francis Prep", "addressLine1": "300 Baltic St.", "addressLine2": "Brooklyn, N.Y.", "locationLat": "40.6852634", "locationLng": "-73.99296549999997", "omniTrackingName": "st.+francis+prep", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "St. Francis Prep", "story": "

In 1932, Lombardi moved on to St. Francis Prep, the oldest Catholic school in Brooklyn at the time. He spent only one year there, but it was a happy one. He received all-city recognition as a football player, and the team was very successful. St. Francis Prep has since relocated to Queens, but a plaque in Lombardi's honor was unveiled at the school this past fall. And at Camp Alvernia on Long Island, where the St. Francis Prep football team practiced at the time, a sign informs visitors that Lombardi played there.

", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_stfrancis_576x324.jpg", "credit": "Courtesy of St. Francis Preparatory School"}, "stories": {}, "null": []}, {"title": "Fordham University", "addressLine2": "The Bronx, N.Y.", "locationLat": "40.8607084", "locationLng": "-73.8899343", "omniTrackingName": "fordham+university", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "Fordham University", "story": "

Lombardi attended Fordham University in the Bronx on a football scholarship (1933-37). Fordham was a national power at the time, and Lombardi was a member of one of the Rams' famed Seven Blocks of Granite lines, although hardly the best of the bunch. Later on, starting in 1947, Lombardi would spend two years working at the school, as the freshman football coach and an assistant varsity coach. The athletic complex at Fordham's Rose Hill campus now bears Lombardi's name, and there is an honorary Lombardi locker in the football team's locker room.

", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_sevenblocks_576x324.jpg", "credit": "AP Photo/Ralph Russo"}, "stories": {}, "null": []}, {"title": "St. Cecilia High School", "addressLine1": "55 W. Demarest Ave.", "addressLine2": "Englewood, N.J.", "locationLat": "40.899744", "locationLng": "-73.975392", "omniTrackingName": "st.+cecilia+high+school", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "St. Cecilia High School", "story": "After an aborted stint in law school, Lombardi began his coaching career on the opposite side of the Hudson in New Jersey, at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood. He spent eight years there, beginning in 1939. Lombardi started off as an assistant football coach under former Fordham teammate Andy Palau while also serving as the head basketball coach. He was elevated to head football coach in 1942 after Palau left and was extremely successful, with his team going unbeaten over a 32-game stretch at one point. Lombardi returned to his alma mater, Fordham, in 1947. St. Cecilia High School closed in 1986, but the grand church on W. Demarest Ave. remains.", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_stcecelia_576x324.jpg", "credit": "Englewood Public Library "}, "stories": {}, "null": []}, {"title": "Our Lady of Refuge Church", "addressLine1": "290 E. 196th St.", "addressLine2": "The Bronx, N.Y.", "locationLat": "40.8667504", "locationLng": "-73.89052629999998", "omniTrackingName": "our+lady+of+refuge+church", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "Our Lady of Refuge Church", "story": "Lombardi met Marie Planitz while in college, introduced by his roommate and teammate Jim Lawlor. They quickly became an item and were married on Aug. 31, 1940, at the Our Lady of Refuge Church in the Bronx, which was formally dedicated in 1926 and still stands today. Vince and Marie had two children -- Vince Jr. in 1942 and Susan five years later. Vince Jr. is a retired motivational speaker. Susan moved back to Green Bay in 2011 after living in Florida for more than 30 years. Vince's grandson, Joe, is the new offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions.", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_ladyofrefuge_576x324.jpg", "credit": "Rob Tringali for ESPN"}, "stories": {}, "null": []}, {"title": "United States Military Academy at West Point", "addressLine2": "West Point, N.Y.", "locationLat": "41.3916553", "locationLng": "-73.95622049999997", "omniTrackingName": "united+states+military+academy+at+west+point", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "United States Military Academy at West Point", "story": "

After two years coaching at Fordham, Lombardi took a new job in 1949 as an assistant under legendary Army coach Earl \"Red\" Blaik. Lombardi spent five years at West Point, about 50 miles north of New York City. He was hired to work with the offensive line, and Lombardi credited his time working under Blaik at West Point as extremely influential on his later coaching career. Army won or shared three straight national championships under Blaik from 1944 to 1946, shortly before Lombardi's arrival. The Black Knights finished in the top five in the AP poll in Lombardi's first two years on the staff before a cheating scandal derailed the program for a couple of seasons.

", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_westpoint_576x324.jpg", "credit": "AP Photo"}, "stories": {}, "null": []}, {"title": "Yankee Stadium", "addressLine2": "The Bronx, N.Y.", "locationLat": "40.8278293", "locationLng": "-73.92592009999998", "omniTrackingName": "yankee+stadium", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "Yankee Stadium", "story": "Lombardi's first NFL job wasn't with the Green Bay Packers -- it was with the New York Giants, where he was hired to run the offense under new head coach Jim Lee Howell in 1954. The Giants played at the Polo Grounds when Lombardi arrived and moved across the Harlem River to Yankee Stadium in 1956. Another future legend, Tom Landry, coached the Giants' defense. The team was 3-9 the season before Howell, Lombardi and Landry arrived. Three years later, the Giants won the NFL championship. The team posted a winning record in each of the five years Lombardi was on staff. Following the 1958 season, Lombardi was hired as head coach of the Packers.", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_yankeestadium_576x324.jpg", "credit": "AP Photo"}, "stories": {}, "null": []}, {"title": "Mount Olivet Cemetery", "addressLine1": "100 Chapel Hill Rd.", "addressLine2": "Middletown, N.J.", "locationLat": "40.3752832", "locationLng": "-74.08241809999998", "omniTrackingName": "mount+olivet+cemetery", "sport": "nfl", "overlay": {"headline": "Mount Olivet Cemetery", "story": "Lombardi's final resting place, like his place of birth, is unremarkable. He is buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Middletown, N.J., not far from where he and his family lived when he worked for the Giants. Lombardi died young, at the age of 57, succumbing to colon cancer on Sept. 3, 1970. His parents, who both outlived him, are in an adjoining gravesite. Marie, who died 12 years later, is buried beside him. You have to search for the headstone; there are no signs pointing you in its direction. Fans have been known to leave football memorabilia at the site, but on a visit in early December, the only things left behind were some flowers, a statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, and a wooden crucifix.", "image": "https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0119/nfl_grave_576x324.jpg", "credit": "Rob Tringali for ESPN"}, "stories": {}, "null": []}];