Coincidences freak me out. Case in point: Reader Ryan Meyer recently got in touch to say that he was watching an old Cowboys/Redskins game and noticed that the football had white stripes, just like in the NCAA. Okay, good observation, something worth investigating.
Then, a day or two later, Kenn Tomasch told me he’d blogged about his visit to the NFL Experience exhibit at this year’s Super Bowl. And the exhibit apparently included this football, which Kenn described thusly: “Notice anything different about this ball? It has the white stripes often used in the 1940s and 1950s for improved visibility under less-than-optimal lighting conditions. This one was from Super Bowl VIII, but by SB IX the stripes were gone.”
A bit of research reveals that ball in Super Bowl VIII was indeed striped — something I’d never noticed before. But it wasn’t striped in Super Bowls I, II, III, IV, V, VI, or VII, or for any subsequent Super Bowls (trust me, I checked), so why did they use a striped ball for that one game?
All this reminded me of one of my most prized possessions: this “NFL Playbook,” which my father got as a promotional giveaway from American Express back around 1972. It’s filled with gorgeous illustrations, and I seemed to recall that at least one of them included a striped ball. Sure enough — look.
I now realize that I’ve never given much thought to the striped ball. I’ve just kinda instinctively thought of it as “one of those college football things,” like only needing one foot in bounds for an official catch, or stopping the clock to move the chains after a first down. But now that I’ve started to think about it, I have a lot of questions regarding this topic. To wit:
• Early college footballs were stripe-free. So when were the stripes added to the ball, and why? When did they become a permanent fixture on the college gridiron?
• Why was a striped ball used in Super Bowl VIII?
• To what extent have striped balls been used at the pro level aside from SB VIII? That Cowboys/Redskins game is one example, and the “NFL Playbook” illustration was presumably based on a photo of a Chargers game with a striped ball — are there other examples? Tomasch’s photo caption indicates that striped balls were “often used in the 1940s and 1950s,” but I haven’t yet found any evidence of that. All the old images I’ve looked at in the past few days (admittedly not a huge number) show a stripeless ball.
• Well, almost all of them. In the course of researching, I came across two photos of Bob Waterfield holding a black-striped ball. It also looks like the ball itself may be paler, almost white, but that may be an illusion caused by the contrast of the black stripes. In any case, I’d never seen a black-striped ball before. What’s the story there? Were black-striped balls ever used in games?
• What’s the point of the white stripes anyway? Tomasch’s blog states that the stripes were designed to create “improved visibility under less-than-optimal lighting conditions. But if that’s the case, why would Waterfield be using that black-striped model? Also: I recall reading or hearing at some point that the two white stripes represented the offensive and defensive lines of scrimmage, and that the space in between them was the neutral zone. Where did I hear this? I can’t remember, but it was when I was pretty young. Any truth to it?
I have a feeling several of you out there know the answers to these questions. Let’s have ’em.
Uni Watch News Ticker: “On Sunday Ohio State gave the three seniors on the team commemorative jerseys hung in a frame,” writes Cody Poppaw. “The odd thing is that they gave them the only jerseys that they never wore for a whole season. They were home jerseys that the team wore for the first half of last season before they switched to the Nike SOD unis.” … Fun piece here about sports-themed lingerie (with thanks to Anthony Atencio). … Reprinted from yesterday’s comments: Last graf of this story has some interesting info regarding UNC’s number-retirement protocols. … Also from yesterday: The little patch under the “V” in this photo is dot dot dot dash, which is morse code for V. … Awesome find by Erkki W. Corpuz, who passed along this photo of Sammy Baugh. Didn’t realize the Redskins had ever worn a Blackhawks-ish jersey design. … Erkki also sent along this classic UNC photo — uni-numbered stirrups!. … Authors sometimes buy large quantities of their own books on Amazon, to increase their position on the best-seller lists. Here’s the sports equivalent of that. … Jake Shaw reports that the Brewers have a minor league shortstop in their system named — wait for it — Brent Brewer. The mind fairly boggles.
#1 by Paul Lukas on 03.12.08 7:27 am |
Bad link now fixed.
#2 by Greg V. on 03.12.08 7:28 am |
Are those players in the 1940s and 1950s football pictures wearing Chuck Taylor’s? Certainly looks like it.
#3 by Steve on 03.12.08 7:31 am |
Okay, this is a question that probably has an easy answer, but I’ll ask it anyway: The Hansbrough article says that he’ll be the 8th retired number. The photo with the article has 19 jerseys in it and it doesn’t have a few of the jerseys include like Jordan’s. So, what gives? Why are there 20+ jerseys up there but only 7 (going on 8) retired?
#4 by Peter Wunsch on 03.12.08 7:39 am |
Re: lingerie (related): Back in the early ’90’s the NY rangers ran a promotion for fans who showed up at games wearing Rangers attire. They refused to allow my entry claiming that my boxer shorts were not attire. They did allow my wrist bands, however.
#5 by dgc on 03.12.08 7:53 am |
Steve said:
There are several UNC honored but not retired jerseys. I thought the actual retired numbers had a special banner, but I may be wrong. Someone who actually goes/went to Carolina probably knows.
#6 by Kevin G. on 03.12.08 7:58 am |
I remember seeing old NFL Films footage of Bob Waterfield using a white ball (I don’t remember if there were black stripes on it or not). It appeared that these games were either being played at dusk or in the evening.
#7 by Chris Sk on 03.12.08 8:04 am |
How come this stripes on the football in the “NFL Playbook” are on opposite sides of the ball. Was this another pattern used or just artistic licence?
Chargers Photo
#8 by Brandon on 03.12.08 8:04 am |
The football was indeed white. It was a night football.
#9 by Joe H on 03.12.08 8:08 am |
“On Sunday Ohio State gave the three seniors on the team commemorative jerseys hung in a frame,” writes Cody Poppaw. “The odd thing is that they gave them the only jerseys that they never wore for a whole season. They were home jerseys that the team wore for the first half of last season before they switched to the Nike SOD unis.”
Same thing happened at Maryland…they gave the seniors last year’s jersey…sooooooooo much better.
#10 by Steven on 03.12.08 8:08 am |
The CFL still uses a ball with white stripes :
http://www.everyfoot...
#11 by Brandon on 03.12.08 8:10 am |
To pull a quote from the night football link above:
“The first known official documentation of the use of a white football was recorded in the Providence (R.I.) Journal on November 7, 1929, roughly five years after Msgr. McDermott’s account. Oddly, the game on November 6 at Kinsley Park in Providence gained historical notoriety for another reason at the time — it is credited as the first night game ever in NFL history. Ironically, the Chicago Cardinals were one of the participants that night. Behind the running, passing and kicking of Ernie Nevers, the Cardinals upended the Providence Steam Roller, 16–0. In that game, a white ball was used to help offset bad lighting.”
#12 by Greg on 03.12.08 8:11 am |
In the Detroit picture with the V on the sleeve. How come the player being assisted has the V on his right sleeve and everyone else visible has it on the left?
#13 by Jon Stone on 03.12.08 8:27 am |
I don’t know if this has been mentioned, but CNBC is having a minor league basball logo tournament.
http://www.cnbc.com/...
#14 by =bg= on 03.12.08 8:31 am |
anyone else have trouble reaching the ‘comments section’ yesterday? I could barely reach the site..and comments, not at all. slow today, too.
#15 by Steve on 03.12.08 8:36 am |
Jon Stone said:
Yes. 2-3 times…..
#16 by murray on 03.12.08 8:37 am |
From UNC’s athletic site
Honored Jerseys
Rising high above the Smith Center floor are the names and uniform numbers of 40 Tar Heel players who performed with great distinction. Seven of the jersey numbers are retired and 33 of them are honored and may be worn by future Tar Heels. A player qualifies to have his number honored if he meets any of the following criteria: ACC Player of the Year; selected by the coaches as MVP of a NCAA championship team; member of a gold medal Olympic team; or a first- or second-team All-America selection.
#17 by john in DC on 03.12.08 8:38 am |
The Hockey News has an article about Oxford (England) University being the second-oldest organized hockey team and their rivalry with Cambridge University. There’s a great shot of the team’s uniform with Toronto Maple Leafs socks.
#18 by Fred on 03.12.08 8:40 am |
Stripes make the ball easier to see, especially when it is in the air. This probably came about with the advent of the passing game and is prevalent in college and high school. Not sure why it isn’t the same as in the pros, probably b/c they play in better, more well lit stadiums.
#19 by Mike on 03.12.08 8:42 am |
According to the Arena Football League website regarding their striped ball: The Spalding AFL Game Ball is specifically designed for higher visibility in the passing game and is made from the finest materials for superior pro-level feel and grip. Recommended for competitive indoor and outdoor play. Horween “Tanned-in-Tack” Leather provides exceptional grip. AFL
Now, when the league started, they used a regular NFL type ball: Early AFL
Now in contrast, I thought the National Indoor Football League had been using white footballs, but on their website, they show this blue one instead. Not sure if that is a promo thing or not. I also see their jerseys are rather…interesting
#20 by Sage Confucius on 03.12.08 8:47 am |
Meet Mr Brewer. Why do some athletes look like they’re having mug shots taken? Practice?
#21 by War Damn Eagle on 03.12.08 8:47 am |
Duke has a similar policy on retiring the number of a player who wins a national player of the year award – but there’s a catch, you must have graduated. That’s why Elton Brand’s #42 isn’t retired, yet. Maybe he’ll finish his degree when his NBA career is over.
#22 by David on 03.12.08 8:47 am |
When the AFL and NFL merged in 1970, the NFL ruled striped balls were legal for night games, and most games in the early MNF days used striped balls. What may have happened was the Oilers supplied the NFL with striped balls for the Super Bowl, since in those days, a special commemorative football was not produced specifically for the Super Bowl.
The rules changed in the late 1970s to outlaw the use of striped balls, and since then, all games have used the stripeless NFL ball.
#23 by BuckeyeMark on 03.12.08 8:51 am |
I seem to recall the stripes being taken off the ball because receivers complained about glare on them – especially in night games. yes, that seems crazy but I recall something about that when the stripes disappeared.
#24 by Mike on 03.12.08 8:51 am |
When researching out that Arena stuff I found out the Iowa Barnstormers are playing again, this time at the Arena 2 level…..as much as I hate to say it…I like their helmets…not the jerseys though.
#25 by BCrisp on 03.12.08 8:57 am |
Brent Brewer should change his name to Bernie Brewer.
#26 by Allan Chandler on 03.12.08 8:59 am |
I’m sorry, but those UNC basketball uniforms are about a million times better than the crap they are wearing these days. Ditch the argyle and get back to the stirrups!
#27 by Jeffrey on 03.12.08 8:59 am |
=bg= said:
this site is consistently the slowest site i visit…and i visit daily. and i just got a new computer…still the site is slow as molasses in january.
#28 by Jeffrey on 03.12.08 9:06 am |
btw meg white is hot.
#29 by todd krevanchi on 03.12.08 9:07 am |
dgc said:
i posted this yesterday which is basically verbatim from the carolina website:
todd krevanchi said:
the photo listed was an old photo. back then, there was no discrimination between retired and honored jerseys other than that the retired jerseys were on the top row.
http://farm1.static....
last season, its 21st season, the smith center had a facelift replacing all of the seats and having all of the banners re-done.
this included the jerseys. only this time, the retired jerseys, although still on the top row, are distinguished as such.
http://farm4.static....
#30 by todd krevanchi on 03.12.08 9:19 am |
Jeffrey said:
on the left, catasauqua pa.’s larry miller.
dean smith’s first major recruit, and one of carolina’s all time greats.
#31 by Poisso3 on 03.12.08 9:21 am |
Now, if only the Astros could have Houston pitch to Brewer in Milwaukie…you would have the Houston/Houston jersey vs. Brewers/Brewer jersey!
#32 by ELI on 03.12.08 9:21 am |
Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers
personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo
#33 by Rich on 03.12.08 9:25 am |
The Australian Football League uses two different colored balls. A Red one for day games and a Yellow ball for night games.
#34 by Graf Zeppelin on 03.12.08 9:29 am |
When I first played high school football, in 1984, we used footballs (mostly Wilson TD) with white stripes that went all the way around the ball, similar to those pics of the NFL’s white “night ball.” By my soph or junior year, though, the stripes went only halfway round; the top half, specifically (both Wilson TD and Spalding J5-V models), as the NCAA still uses today.
My initial thought at the time was that the full-circle stripe was standard for high school, half-circle stripe for college, no stripe for pro. I doubt this was ever truly the case, but the half-circle stripe seems to have been used almost universally in high school and college since then.
#35 by Jon on 03.12.08 9:30 am |
Brandon said:
My dad gave me a white football with black stripes on it that he had when he was a kid in the early 50s. I lost it in the woods behind my house – that might have been pretty valuable.
#36 by derek on 03.12.08 9:31 am |
Jeffrey said:
This site is always disgustingly slow for me, i have a brand new dell computer too, running on Time Warner high speed internet.
#37 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 9:32 am |
David said:
I agree about the Oilers angle to the story. Remember, the Oilers played home games indoors, thus they may(?) have used the striped ball all the time due to the each game being played indoors and under the lights.
I looked at the striped ball issue some time ago and found no evidence (game footage/photo) after 1975.
#38 by The Ol Goaler on 03.12.08 9:34 am |
For what it’s worth, those Cleveland Browns pictures are from their All-America Football Conference days… the AAFC didn’t follow the NFL’s rules about numbering, so Otto Graham wore #60 and Marion Motley #76. The NFL used the numbers 50-79 to designate interior offensive linemen, so Graham switched to #14 and Motley wore #36 to accommodate the NFL when the Browns switched leagues.
#39 by DUCKstyle on 03.12.08 9:34 am |
I know we go back and forth a lot about sock/stirrup styles in baseball, and the high/low whites and striped socks in football. But are any other soccer fans here annoyed by the terrible high sock look some guys are wearing? Here’s Jozy Altidore last night, looking terrible. Henry sporting the high socks during his Arsenal days. Admittedly, the low sock look is starting to grow on me. Why not just stick with the classic look? Wondering if anyone cares.
#40 by Steve Billings on 03.12.08 9:38 am |
Paul Ranger unfortunately plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Miro Satan plays for the Isles and not the Devils. Mike Eagles once played for the Capitals when they had an eagle on their chest.
#41 by Bryan on 03.12.08 9:40 am |
DUCKstyle said:
I care….I still roll the socks down and tape them right above the shin guard.
#42 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 9:44 am |
todd krevanchi said:
todd–you’re not from catasauqua by any chance, are you?
#43 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 9:46 am |
Steve Billings said:
Jeff F-eagles played in Philadelphia.
#44 by MPowers1634 on 03.12.08 9:47 am |
dgc said:
Joe H said:
1. I disagree…I LOVE their new SOD gear.
2. How on Earth did you link to that pic? I can never sucessfully do that?
Your posted address was: http://umterps.cstv....
However, the properties states this as the URL:
http://grfx.cstv.com...;
Please Help!
#45 by interlockingtc on 03.12.08 9:48 am |
How gorgeous are the Vikings and Dolphins uniforms in that Super Bowl picture?
#46 by War Damn Eagle on 03.12.08 9:55 am |
Korea is still rocking the wide, but abbreviated, pants stripe (and they really look like pants on this guy):
http://sports.yahoo....
Germany looking very bush-league:
http://sports.yahoo....
Mexico’s numbers look a little low with NNOB:
http://sports.yahoo....
#47 by War Damn Eagle on 03.12.08 9:56 am |
Is Ichiro the ONLY player in the bigs who wears Asics cleats?
http://sports.yahoo....
#48 by John T on 03.12.08 9:56 am |
Slight mixup in the Eircom League (Irish Soccer) last week, the unis for the teams clashed, so the opposing team had to wear the Home teams road unis
read here for details, sorry, couldn’t find any pics, but the league is not that popular here and does not have a load of media coverage. The funny thing is, this is the 2nd time in a week this has happened (different teams), you think that they would have a schedule available for all.
#49 by Graf Zeppelin on 03.12.08 9:57 am |
ELI said:
I’m sure the Cleveland Browns have had a number of players named Brown; Jim and Courtney being the most obvious.
I always thought Jeff Feagles when he played for Philadelphia Eagles was a good one.
And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…
#50 by Mike on 03.12.08 10:07 am |
DUCKstyle said:
The absolute worst offender of the awful high socks is that wanker John Terry! The short socks look always reminds me of the Dutch National Teams in the 70’s, or maybe just the 70’s in general. I am def a fan of the classic look
#51 by Matt on 03.12.08 10:15 am |
And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…
Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD
#52 by Kevin G. on 03.12.08 10:16 am |
lwiedy said:
Maybe the striped ball was a Texas thing. They were obviously used by the Cowboys in Texas Stadium too. That stadium is almost totally enclosed, so maybe it did have something to do with domes and lighting.
#53 by DrBear on 03.12.08 10:16 am |
1. A href=”http://www.mmbolding.com/BSR/AAFC1950.jpg”>A photo of the white ball in use in the 1950 Eagles-Browns season opener
2. The reason some of the NFL balls had only partial striping was that quarterbacks complained that their thumb would have been on the stripe and slipped slightly when the ball got wet, so the NFL went to partially-striped balls – even had right- and left- handed models. I think the NFL went to the stripes because of Monday Night Football, and then dropped them because of complaints and “because all stadiums now have enough lighting that the stripes aren’t needed.” Quite a few stadiums (stadia?) had fairly bad lighting or lighting designed for baseball; Monday Night Football didn’t play in Lambeau Field until better lights were installed in 1979.
#54 by Gazzoo on 03.12.08 10:17 am |
My guess for the reason striped balls were used in Super Bowl VIII is simply that it was a dingy overcast day and the lights were on for the entire game…perhaps the policy at that time dictated that anytime stadium lights were needed, a striped football was to be used.
#55 by MPowers1634 on 03.12.08 10:19 am |
todd krevanchi said:
My sister worked in the Duke Athletic Department last year, on the third floor of Cameron, and she went over to a few games at the “Dean Dome”. She is no Heel-Hater but has mentioned on numerous occasions that there is virtually no surface left uncovered by Carolina Blue paint including speakers and the like!
#56 by DrBear on 03.12.08 10:20 am |
Fried link on the Eagles Browns photo, try this.
#57 by KT on 03.12.08 10:21 am |
Wow, lots of love for me.
I remembered that when the Eagles and Browns played in the first game of the 1950 season after the merger with the AAFC (on a Saturday night), they used a white ball with black stripes, and here it is.
Stadium lighting wasn’t as good then as it is now, and the white ball (or light, if it wasn’t white) had higher visibility.
Here’s another one, of Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch, again with the white football.
It’s very possible that I was mistaken (God knows I was mistaken about enough stuff in that NFL Experience post, as many of you were kind enough to point out) and the NFL didn’t use a brown ball with white stripes as often as I thought. I know that some college teams and many high school teams, with even less-optimal lighting (even today) have used the ball with white stripes. Whether it’s now traditional, and it’s used even in the daytime despite it having no real function in terms of visibility, I don’t know.
Sports Illustrated didn’t start until 1953, but checking some covers from that era, I can’t find any shots of guys toting a striped football (though it is a treasure trove of uni-type stuff that would be a great resource for someone who, say, did a blog about sports uniforms.
#58 by KT on 03.12.08 10:28 am |
Ah….but Dr. Bear’s comment above led me to this:
Joe Namath in the first MNF game in 1970. Brown ball. White stripes.
However, good Doctor, I have found a Monday Night game played at Green Bay prior to 1979:
November 9, 1970: Baltimore 13, Green Bay 10
(Perhaps the lighting was an issue, because the next two times the Pack was on Monday night at home, the games were in Milwaukee, and they didn’t go back to Lambeau on a Monday night until 1979).
#59 by Al Gruwell on 03.12.08 10:29 am |
Damn, beat me to it. The NFL used a 3/4-striped ball, then went to half stripe for left-handed qbs. Correctly grip a football that is striped and notice, the thumb is on the stripe. Slick in rain, and my guess is that the striped ball was used for that particular Super Bowl b/c it was raining and very overcast. Why college and high school don’t use a non-striped ball has to be b/c of poor lighting.
#60 by C-Dublin on 03.12.08 10:30 am |
Hey am I the only one that thinks the Nationals’ mascot Screech needs a DC hat to go with the DC jersey? Or am I the only loser who notices that?
Here
And BTW how dope are those hard hats?
#61 by KT on 03.12.08 10:34 am |
Meanwhile, Daryle Lamonica, in the Raiders’ first MNF game in 1970 – no striped football. Which makes sense, because the game would have kicked off at 6pm on the West Coast, and I think they would have still been in Daylight time at the time. A shot that appears to be from later in that same game features Hewritt Dixon, and I can’t tell if there are stripes on that ball or not – the image is too small.
So it’s obvious that the NFL did use a brown ball with white stripes as late as 1970 (and the Super Bowl in Houston). I think it’s a safe bet that they did use a similar ball back in the day (in addition to the white ball with black stripes) and we just haven’t found more photographic evidence of it being used in the 1940s and 1950s. My guess is that there weren’t a lot of night games back then, but I’d have to check that out.
#62 by C-Dublin on 03.12.08 10:36 am |
And another thing, he doesn’t even have the DC jersey that the teams wears. The DC is supposed to be white
This is all beyond mindblowing to me. I think we can all agree this is lead story worthy tomorrow. Screech wears a fake me out Nats jersey and a Curly W hat with a DC jersey… what has the world come to?
#63 by Hama on 03.12.08 10:36 am |
One of the explanations I had heard for stripes on the football was for measurements. When the measurement was made – the ball would be marked and the stripe would line up with the link on the chain when it was placed on the hashmark.
#64 by JN on 03.12.08 10:37 am |
just a couple of random notes that aren’t related to one another…
(1) i’m surprised that the xfl ball hasn’t been mentioned
(2) the first thing i thought of when i saw the unc pic was, “so unc was an adidas school back in the day huh?” (in reference to the three blue stripes along the side of the jersey)
#65 by craig g on 03.12.08 10:44 am |
interlockingtc said:
The picture has the Dolphins aqua looking too much like blue and the Vikings purple looks too much like blue also.
#66 by Steve on 03.12.08 10:46 am |
C-Dublin said:
The 1st and 3rd base coaches should wear those!
#67 by Al Gruwell on 03.12.08 10:47 am |
Tad Iguchi rocks Asics spikes or at least last year he did.
#68 by KT on 03.12.08 10:47 am |
Hama said:
I’m a football official, and have been a linesman, responsible for measurements. We’ve never ever, to my knowledge, used a stripe on a football for any point of reference.
In other news, here’s a football player from 1964 toting a striped ball, and here’s one from 1965. The first one wasn’t much of a player, but her brother could really score, I’m told. Here’s Namath from 1966 (note there’s no helmet logo) with a striped ball.
(Completely unrelated to the football itself, check out the Dolphins’ first uniform and the Swingin’ A’s and their multicolored combos.)
#69 by JoeS on 03.12.08 10:48 am |
Continued from yesterday:
Duckstyle said:
I posted the original link yesterday and I have no idea what you are talking about. Why will none of you say, “hey not only are the stripes awesome, but check out the *blanks*!”? What’s up with the mystery? Am I missing something obvious?
#70 by War Damn Eagle on 03.12.08 10:54 am |
arena football uses a striped football, too:
http://www.arenafoot...
#71 by JoeS on 03.12.08 10:56 am |
Check out this number placement on the 1897 Carleton College football team.
#72 by KT on 03.12.08 10:57 am |
OJ Simpson, 1969, with striped football.
Mike Garrett, 1970, with striped football.
Zonk in SB VIII.
I gotta tell ya – I know SI.com has all of their covers, but this site is better and easier to navigate. It’s amazing. You could use it for so much source material, it’s unreal.
#73 by JoeS on 03.12.08 11:01 am |
Striped football in 1903.
#74 by MikeR on 03.12.08 11:06 am |
This blog post has a “needless analysis” of the distribution of Red Sox uniform numbers over time, in graphical form.
soxlinks.wordpress.com
#75 by JoeS on 03.12.08 11:06 am |
I’ve heard before that the term “gridiron” comes from back in the day when the field was actually painted as a grid (see wikipedia entry), but had never seen a picture of it until now.
#76 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 11:07 am |
Gazzoo said:
Valid theory, except Super Bowl IX was played in equally if not worse visibility and no stripes were used.
#77 by Kevin G. on 03.12.08 11:07 am |
KT said:
I never knew OJ wore number 36 in the preseason with the Bills. Good find!
#78 by Walaitis on 03.12.08 11:08 am |
JoeS said:
Is that striped, or written on?
#79 by DUCKstyle on 03.12.08 11:10 am |
JoeS said:
Black and White guys on the team in 1901. Granted it’s not a Major League team, but this was during the days when guys like Cap Anson said they’d rather quit then play with blacks. So to see that picture was pretty cool.
#80 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 11:10 am |
Hama said:
Perhaps at one time, but in the last day of its use in the NFL it was only used presumably for visibility.
#81 by Mets Fan AZ on 03.12.08 11:12 am |
JoeS said:
I think it was the racially integrated team in 1901. But I’m not sure. That’s why it’s cool that you haven’t noticed it yet.
#82 by KT on 03.12.08 11:14 am |
lwiedy said:
It was, but since Super Bowl IX was played after Super Bowl VIII, and since I haven’t found any evidence of an NFL player toting a striped football after Super Bowl VIII (yet), it may be that they never used them again, regardless of conditions.
#83 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 11:18 am |
Mets Fan AZ said:
here’s an easy one…who was the first black player to play in the major leagues?
#84 by KT on 03.12.08 11:23 am |
Moses “Fleetwood” Walker, wasn’t it?
#85 by Walaitis on 03.12.08 11:24 am |
LI Phil said:
Moses Fleetwood Walker, of course!
http://www.answers.c...
#86 by todd krevanchi on 03.12.08 11:26 am |
MPowers1634 said:
she’s right. the smith center is one of the most beautiful places in the country.
#87 by DUCKstyle on 03.12.08 11:28 am |
LI Phil said:
Nice Little Big League reference. But, I believe it’s actually William Edward White, 1879.
#88 by Graf Zeppelin on 03.12.08 11:31 am |
Matt said:
Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.
(No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)
#89 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 11:32 am |
KT said:
Super Bowl IX was the 1974 season. I have seen numerous usages in ’74 and ’75 as well. All of the visuals I’ve seen are from the NFL Films box set “Super Bowl I-XL”. This is a tremendous resource as in addition to the highlight film from each Super Bowl, the accompanying regular season recap highlight film is included, many shots from obscure contests appear. Highly recommended.
#90 by Brick on 03.12.08 11:32 am |
#91 by Graf Zeppelin on 03.12.08 11:33 am |
Check out the angle of the helmet decal in that Mike Garrett photo. Think the equipment guy was a little sloppy for the meaningless College All-Star Game?
#92 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 11:49 am |
Graf Zeppelin said:
none taken…it’s a shithole
#93 by Breezy on 03.12.08 11:52 am |
War Damn Eagle said:
So I noticed in comment #19. Dude, read a little before posting.
#94 by KT on 03.12.08 11:58 am |
Paul said:
KT said:
Football official here again: the two lines of scrimmage (you are correct, there’s one for offense, one for defense) are demarcated by the forward and rear points of the football, not the stripes. The Neutral Zone is the space between (i.e., the length of the football).
#95 by Dave on 03.12.08 12:01 pm |
The Kansas City T-Bones (from the minor league poll) got me thinking about something I never understood.
Is Kansas City one physical city overlapping two states? Is it actually one city/municipality? Or is it like two half-circles governed separately that just happen to match up on the state line?
It reminds me a little of Washington DC. DC+Arlington(VA) form a perfect diamond together. The reason is that DC was originally carved out of MD and VA as a diamond. But the VA part ended up going back to VA.
#96 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 12:09 pm |
Graf Zeppelin said:
Never been to Naperville, IL, I take it? Now THAT’S narcissism.
FYI, I live there :-|
#97 by Kevin G. on 03.12.08 12:13 pm |
I think it’s fair to say that striped footballs were used for night games and games in domes or nearly enclosed stadiums (e.g. Dallas). Then it was done away with in the mid-70’s when stadium lighting improved.
#98 by JoeS on 03.12.08 12:13 pm |
Mets Fan AZ said:
Oh right. That is pretty cool and its cool that I didn’t even notice.
#99 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 12:16 pm |
DUCKstyle said:
you want me to say jackie robinson, but I won’t…fleet walker for toledo…i believe the year was 1884
#100 by JoeS on 03.12.08 12:21 pm |
KT said:
Hey KT, I have been interested in becoming a football official. Can you tell me a little bit about how to get into it and/or any tips? You can get my email address from Paul. Thanks.
#101 by Carl G on 03.12.08 12:23 pm |
derek said:
I am not really sure what the problem is. This site is basically all small photos and text. I can’t imagine it takes so long to load these things and I have never had a problem. Its not like you are trying to watch a streaming 2-hour movie through the site
#102 by Frank Mercogliano on 03.12.08 12:25 pm |
Usually for senior day you frame up a jersey you are not going to use again….that’s what we’ve always done here at Idaho State.
Frank
#103 by Marty Met on 03.12.08 12:28 pm |
LI Phil said:
Damn lighten up. You guys are cruel. I’ve never lived on the island, nor am a big fan of it. Ocassionally I will make the trip up to see my beloved Devils beat the Icelanders at the Nassau Mausoleum but other than that I try to avoid it all costs.
#104 by ryan c #40 on 03.12.08 12:33 pm |
Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers
personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo
my favorite was when Randall Gay played for the Patriots…
#105 by KT on 03.12.08 12:42 pm |
Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland said:
I did (well, Lisle), until last year. You’re right. I would add “pretentiousness.”
#106 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 12:52 pm |
KT said:
Indeed
#107 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 12:52 pm |
KT said:
Indeed
#108 by KW on 03.12.08 1:02 pm |
War Damn Eagle said:
Piazza does/did
#109 by Hama on 03.12.08 1:02 pm |
KT said:
Maybe it’s a Canadian thing – IIRC, that comment was coming from a CFL broadcast
#110 by Jason on 03.12.08 1:03 pm |
C-Dublin said:
Maybe Screech is wearing his home hat with an old bp jersey?
#111 by Jerico on 03.12.08 1:05 pm |
Images from the new NFL/Super Bowl XLIII marketing campaign, with new logos for each (that have been beaten to a pulp in past discussions).
#112 by John T on 03.12.08 1:08 pm |
Marty Met said:
Is Steve Somers here?
#113 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 1:10 pm |
Marty Met said:
you related to the schmoozer marty?
#114 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 1:11 pm |
KW said:
Ahhh…..back in the day, I used to wrestle in Onitsuka Tiger hi-tops (cue “Glory Days” by Springsteen) when I was much younger.
And lighter ;-)
#115 by KT on 03.12.08 1:18 pm |
Hama said:
They’re loonies. :)
#116 by Judd on 03.12.08 1:21 pm |
ryan c #40 said:
Randall Gay is actually on the Saints active roster now, but it’s just as appropriate!
#117 by KT on 03.12.08 1:21 pm |
Jerico said:
Believe in now? Believe in now? WTF?
I didn’t think it could be worse than “Who Wants it More?” But they’ve done it.
“Believe in now while you watch 48 hours of past Super Bowl highlights, right here on NFL Network.”
#118 by who cares on 03.12.08 1:22 pm |
Lots of good old college basketball photos in this run-down of the 75 greatest SEC basketball players as part of the conference’s 75th anniversary celebration. I’ve spotted several short-sleeve jerseys and quite a few short shorts with belts.
#119 by Marty Met on 03.12.08 1:31 pm |
LI Phil said:
Nope, just hate the Islanders too. (although not as much as I hate the Rangers.)
#120 by Pat on 03.12.08 1:47 pm |
Judd said:
Guys… gay jokes? Are we serious? Grow up.
#121 by Randy Williams on 03.12.08 1:59 pm |
ryan c #40 said:
Ben Gay was involved in the running back turnstile with the Browns when they rejoined the league in ‘99. Talk about a potential for name brand partnership!
#122 by DrBear on 03.12.08 2:04 pm |
KT said:
KT – That game was played in Milwaukee, according to Packers.com.
#123 by KT on 03.12.08 2:14 pm |
DrBear said:
Okay, then. shrpsports.com, which is normally reliable, didn’t have a notation for Milwaukee. Thanks.
#124 by Mike on 03.12.08 2:18 pm |
Are you kidding me………… feh
#125 by Mike on 03.12.08 2:21 pm |
Mike said:
I hate to quote myself, but I would have thought that he would have at least gone with high socks or something other than pajama pants since he is so into Yankees history
#126 by patrick on 03.12.08 2:25 pm |
derek said:
Not sure I can agree, I’m runing a dell no time warner at work with no problems, and a mac at home on time warner with no problems.
#127 by Walaitis on 03.12.08 2:45 pm |
patrick said:
I’m with the “too slow” group (easily said by someone like myself who’s a devoted reader and poster but can’t find the $20 for a membership to support upgrades) … but that said, I usually find myself clicking to “start up” the site, then (get this) doing WORK while I wait for it to load up. Do you realize how much this messes with my work day????
#128 by Matt D. on 03.12.08 2:56 pm |
The Ol Goaler said:
The Graham Pic is one of my all-time favorite football pics – look at the poor guy in back getting his eyes gouged out!
It’s also not an AAFC game – I’m pretty sure it’s the 1950 NFL title game (look at the Rams’ helmets). I’ve seen this picture advertised as that before. The Browns abandoned their unique numbering system in 1952.
#129 by Joey Guns on 03.12.08 2:57 pm |
The newest Met:
http://imagecache2.a...
#130 by Ken on 03.12.08 3:07 pm |
Speaking of player names and teams I think the best combo was when Larry Playfair played in the NHL. Also, let’s not forget the current Buffalo coach, Lindy Ruff. (who also played with Playfair in Buffalo) So in the early 80s the Sabers could “Play”fair and Ruff at the same time.
#131 by Marty Met on 03.12.08 3:08 pm |
Joey Guns said:
Get out. Seriously? Nothing about it on the web
#132 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 3:08 pm |
Mike said:
I’m hoping he wasn’t involved in this skirmish – Oy!
#133 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 3:14 pm |
Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland said:
My bad – he’s “playing” against the Pirates tomorrow. But with a “swing” like this, I don’t see him getting much action
#134 by War Damn Eagle on 03.12.08 3:24 pm |
Breezy said:
What are you, the message board police?
#135 by KT on 03.12.08 3:24 pm |
KT said:
Bernie’s kid?
He’s one of those rare guys who can play for the name on the back of the jersey as well as the one on the front.
#136 by patrick on 03.12.08 3:25 pm |
Marty Met said:
Hey now, born and raised on the Island that is Long. Sure it has its bad parts (like suffolk minus hamptons) but what place doesnt? I’d argue our big population of hot girls and smart kids (along with some of the best schools in the nation) make it much, MUCH better than Jersey, or westchester for that matter. 516 in the housssssssssssse
#137 by Breezy on 03.12.08 3:28 pm |
War Damn Eagle said:
Yup
#138 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 3:34 pm |
Marty Met said:
eddie coleman of the FAN was reporting this as a rumor earlier today, but apparently theo hasn’t heard about it
/hopefully, it’s NOT true…i don’t want coco and i’d rather hold onto angel
#139 by Mark K on 03.12.08 3:40 pm |
Ken said:
SABRES
#140 by Brad on 03.12.08 3:41 pm |
ryan c #40 said:
hahahahahahahahaha
#141 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 3:42 pm |
LI Phil said:
Sounds kinda personal there, Phil
NTTAWWT
#142 by Zack G on 03.12.08 3:52 pm |
A local basketball team played in the state semi-finals and had these jerseys. The T is for Tantasqua never noticed it till now.
#143 by Zack G on 03.12.08 3:57 pm |
Sorry bad link this works T for tantasqua
#144 by =bg= on 03.12.08 3:58 pm |
I was the one who started the connectivity issue but to add, I have a new HP m8200n Media Center PC with AT&T Yahoo! Deluxe DSL (or whatever they call it) so I have a pretty fast line, and sometimes the site j u s t t a k e s f o r e v e r to come up…….if at all.
#145 by Steven on 03.12.08 3:58 pm |
The Caps’ recently trade-deadline deal brought Cristobal Huet. He recently got a new mask made up for the Caps. Pics are here:
http://www.onfrozenb...
I expect to see this in the ticker tomorrow, Paul! ;-)
Thanks,
Steven
Arlington, VA
#146 by Zack G on 03.12.08 3:58 pm |
Go to athletics and scroll down
#147 by Mike on 03.12.08 4:03 pm |
Steven said:
MUCH better than before!
#148 by C-Dublin on 03.12.08 4:08 pm |
Steven said:
Damn beat me to it… I thought I was so cool, had the inside scoop and what not but I guess not. Well done Steven. Hey Paul if you do use that tomorrow when you mention its from Steven can you say he beat out C-Dublin to it? That would be pretty dope.
oh and Lets GO CAPS
#149 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 4:10 pm |
patrick said:
you didn’t just say “516 in the houssssssssse”
/wait…you did
//silently wonders HOW long island gets it’s bad rap
#150 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 4:16 pm |
LI Phil said:
Gee…I can’t imagine how
And I’m a native (born in Hollis)
#151 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 4:20 pm |
Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland said:
you forgot howard and alec baldwin
#152 by Kent on 03.12.08 4:25 pm |
I think this picture has been on the list before:
NFL Evolution
It shows a couple of balls with stripes at the bottom — most without. Although each quarterback has a ball in his hand, it is impossible to see stripes at this size.
I have the poster in my office at home and will look at it tonight and see if any of the balls have stripes.
Kent
#153 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 4:29 pm |
Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland said:
Sorry – forgot the ’sarcasm’ tag
#154 by Mets/Jets Fan in Chicagoland on 03.12.08 4:32 pm |
LI Phil said:
How dare you!
Only uni-related pic I could find
#155 by Randy Williams on 03.12.08 4:35 pm |
LI Phil said:
“Why no Coco”?!?
C. Kramer
#156 by Randy Williams on 03.12.08 4:47 pm |
Randy Williams said:
No Coco.
http://www.boston.co...
#157 by Joey Guns on 03.12.08 5:15 pm |
Randy Williams said:
Good. I’d rather have the Angel!
#158 by Luther Mahoney on 03.12.08 5:17 pm |
Re.Striped footballs.
1)The NFL adopted the brown football with white stripes in 1956,for night games. Before 1956,various colored balls were used for night games,the most common was a white ball with black stripes. The NFL outlawed the striped ball after the 1975 season because many quarterbacks complained about slippage on their grip with the
painted white stripes.
2)I believe that the reason why the ball in Super Bowl VIII had stripes on it was because the league
used balls from the Houston Oilers’ supply. Since
the Oilers played in the Astrodome,the Oilers used
a stiped ball for all thier home games from 1971 to 1975. Before the league took over every facet
of the Super Bowl,the home site team usually supplied all the field and game equipment for the game.
#159 by Rick on 03.12.08 5:38 pm |
dgc said:
There’s an even better reason that there aren’t a whole lot of retired numbers out there, and that is because of the scarcity of numbers. In College ball, no number using a digit higher than 5 can be used in a game, which means that only 36 numbers are actually available to be used(0-5, 10-15, 20-25, 30-35, 40-45, 50-55). If UNC had retured all 19 numbers, they would barely have enough numbers to outfit their team! That’s part of why a lot of colleges make it so difficult to even have the number retired to begin with. Saves them the trouble of a hew and cry for a very good player that doesn’t meet their requirements.
#160 by Scott N on 03.12.08 6:11 pm |
The Ol Goaler said:
Eventually, those numbering rules changed, but not in 1950. Case in point, one of your linked photos which shows Graham wearing No. 60 against the Rams. I don’t think the NFL actually standardized the numbering rules until 1953 or ‘54.
Anyone know what number Lou Groza wore before the rules change (Or was he in the NFL prior to it)? Motlely wore 76 before the change and Groza wore 76 after it.
#161 by KT on 03.12.08 6:20 pm |
Luther Mahoney said:
Dan Pastorini, wearing what appears to be an Oiler uniform of that vintage, playing in what would appear by the lighting to have been indoors, and not throwing a striped ball.
KT said:
When did the league not have every facet of the Super Bowl under control?
In SB I, they used the NFL ball when the Packers were on offense and the AFL ball when the Chiefs were on offense. The Rams (the NFL “host,” more or less, in Supe I) couldn’t have supplied the AFL ball.
#162 by KT on 03.12.08 6:22 pm |
Didn’t close the tag, sorry.
#163 by KT on 03.12.08 6:24 pm |
Well, Texas State U. sucks. Trust me, it was a photo of Dan Pastorini. If I can get it to come up again, I’ll host it somewhere else.
#164 by KT on 03.12.08 6:27 pm |
Scott N said:
Actually it was in 1973:
[b]A jersey numbering system was adopted, April 5: 1-19 for quarterbacks and specialists, 20-49 for running backs and defensive backs, 50-59 for centers and linebackers, 60-79 for defensive linemen and interior offensive linemen other than centers, and 80-89 for wide receivers and tight ends. Players who had been in the NFL in 1972 could continue to use old numbers.[/b]
From the NFL Record & Fact Book’s chronology.
#165 by KT on 03.12.08 6:27 pm |
Scott N said:
Actually it was in 1973:
A jersey numbering system was adopted, April 5: 1-19 for quarterbacks and specialists, 20-49 for running backs and defensive backs, 50-59 for centers and linebackers, 60-79 for defensive linemen and interior offensive linemen other than centers, and 80-89 for wide receivers and tight ends. Players who had been in the NFL in 1972 could continue to use old numbers.
From the NFL Record & Fact Book’s chronology.
#166 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 6:46 pm |
Randy Williams said:
hey, what was the name of that monkey that could read sign language?
#167 by Bill T. on 03.12.08 6:54 pm |
No stripes, but the USFL used a tan-colored ball. Story here.
#168 by Cathy on 03.12.08 7:47 pm |
Graf Zeppelin said:
In the eighties, my favorite Redskins player was Joe “Washington” , No 25 running back.
#169 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 7:53 pm |
the gloved wonder is now a jint…
#170 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 7:57 pm |
KT said:
Nope, you need to look more carefully at the Pastorini photo. Remember a good portion of the ball did not have stripes. Look at the outside edge on either end of the ball, I see white on both sides.
#171 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 7:59 pm |
This was in reference to post #161:
Nope, you need to look more carefully at the Pastorini photo. Remember a good portion of the ball did not have stripes. Look at the outside edge on either end of the ball, I see white on both sides.
#172 by =bg= on 03.12.08 8:04 pm |
Billy Crystal: Nike, Reebok, or Other:
And the winner is………
http://sports.yahoo....
#173 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 8:09 pm |
pastorini w/striped ball
#174 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 8:12 pm |
LI Phil said:
And the area with no stripes is away from his throwing hand/laces just like the other photo.
#175 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 8:15 pm |
lwiedy said:
yeah…that’s what i was goin for…i didn’t want to keep quoting the post without the tags closed…you subsequently fixed it, but i posted before it saw that…
i guess what i meant to say was “good catch”
#176 by Mike Engle on 03.12.08 8:25 pm |
Wow, it took me WAY too long to decipher the cryptic title.
/Jack and Meg = The White Stripes.
//I should listen to music other than jazz.
#177 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 8:35 pm |
12/16/73…oilers vs. bengals…i think i see white stripes
#178 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 8:43 pm |
LI Phil said:
I believe you are correct! BTW, thanks in advance for wasting my next five hours, this site is incredible.
#179 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 8:45 pm |
LI Phil said:
If I may ask, is there any special criteria for registering here?
#180 by Stuby on 03.12.08 8:45 pm |
LI Phil said:
John Matuszak and Lynn Dickey on the Oilers? My head is spinning.
#181 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 8:55 pm |
lwiedy said:
i never posted from there before??? thought i had…enjoy! great resource eh? ;)
/btw…i never even tried to register, so i don’t know if there are any criteria….i think you only need to register to see full size pics
#182 by Trevor K on 03.12.08 8:56 pm |
Mike said:
Then I’m guessing that you would’ve hated the propellers going down the side of the pants. I love that we’re bringing back the goggle helmets, but I wish we would’ve kept the winged shoulders. They we’re just so unique.
#183 by =bg= on 03.12.08 8:59 pm |
http://www.mercuryne...
No #80 for Isaac Bruce
#184 by Nicole on 03.12.08 9:06 pm |
DUCKstyle said:
The only “plus” I can give this as a former player is that it helps keep your knees (and shins and calves) from getting beaten up when slide tackling. I did it on occasion when the grass was rough and just ate up your skin. Aesthetically it’s gross, but it saves you from what is effectively rug burn.
#185 by mks43094 on 03.12.08 9:06 pm |
Greg V. said:
if i’m not mistaken, this was a game at cleveland municipal stadium wherein the turf had frozen and both teams were having trouble with traction. the browns sent someone out to pick up some sneaks for the second half giving the browns a definite edge and, i believe, the win.
#186 by LouUmp on 03.12.08 9:07 pm |
Hama said:
When it comes to officials. there isn’t a broadcaster that has anything resembling a clue..and officials laugh about it too!
If you are bored during baseball season, you should check out some of the comments occasionally made about TV commentators rules knowledge by very high level college/amateur umpires at forums like
this
makes for entertaining reading sometimes…their number 1 target? Joe Morgan, of course….
#187 by knukks on 03.12.08 9:08 pm |
In the “v” hockey photo, the player in question looks like he is holding his shin pads on with elastic bands although it looks as if one of his teammates is using tape. Anyone know if elastic bands were the standard back in the day??? Macgyver would be proud!
#188 by Joe T. on 03.12.08 9:34 pm |
I know this had been covered, but why is the initials “AL” on the chest of Marquette bball unis?
#189 by Mike D on 03.12.08 9:41 pm |
=bg= said:
I wonder if their his or he’s borrowing a another player’s spikes? The Yankees coaching staff is usually outfitted by Adidas, so I guess he passed on the 3 stripes.
#190 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 9:47 pm |
Joe T. said:
you know what pressure is? it’s when the cheerleaders are jumping and you don’t notice their breasts
#191 by Johnny O on 03.12.08 10:10 pm |
They are for former coach Al McGuire. McGuire coached the Marquette University men’s basketball team from 1964 to 1977. He compiled impressive numbers throughout his coaching career, resulting in his induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992, and was also well known for his colorful personality. Marquette plays in the “Al McGuire Center”. It was named that in 2004. He passed away in 2001.
#192 by Joe T. on 03.12.08 10:15 pm |
thanks johnny
#193 by Joe T. on 03.12.08 10:17 pm |
Is it going to be like that every year or just this year?
#194 by LI Phil on 03.12.08 10:21 pm |
Joe T. said:
Other multiple-season memorial gestures include Marquette’s “AL” for Al McGuire (ongoing since 2001)
source
#195 by Bryan Redemske on 03.12.08 10:53 pm |
Fukudome wears Asics. Ffffffffffukudome!
#196 by Adam on 03.12.08 11:30 pm |
San Diego Padres have a guy in their farm system named Trevor Huffman.
#197 by lwiedy on 03.12.08 11:44 pm |
Adam said:
Any relation to Cady Huffman?
#198 by KT on 03.12.08 11:52 pm |
I stand corrected on the Pastorini thing, and bow to the greatness of the NFL Photo library.
#199 by Johnny O on 03.12.08 11:54 pm |
Joe T. said:
I believe since 2004 or 2003, the Marquette team has had “AL” on their uni’s. I know D-Wade had it on his jersey for sure. I would assume it is on their for the long haul.
#200 by lwiedy on 03.13.08 12:00 am |
KT said:
What about this?
#158 by Luther Mahoney on 03.12.08 5:17 pm
Re.Striped footballs.
1)The NFL adopted the brown football with white stripes in 1956,for night games. Before 1956,various colored balls were used for night games,the most common was a white ball with black stripes. The NFL outlawed the striped ball after the 1975 season because many quarterbacks complained about slippage on their grip with the
painted white stripes.
2)I believe that the reason why the ball in Super Bowl VIII had stripes on it was because the league
used balls from the Houston Oilers’ supply. Since
the Oilers played in the Astrodome,the Oilers used
a stiped ball for all thier home games from 1971 to 1975. Before the league took over every facet
of the Super Bowl,the home site team usually supplied all the field and game equipment for the game.
#201 by KT on 03.13.08 12:13 am |
What about it? The Oilers apparently were the last team to use the striped ball. Great info from Luther.
#202 by lwiedy on 03.13.08 12:23 am |
KT said:
If that is all you’ve today, I’m sorry.
#203 by lwiedy on 03.13.08 12:25 am |
lwiedy said:
Key word missing is “learned”
#204 by superstar on 03.13.08 1:02 am |
the stripes on the ball also help with the grip in poor weather conditions. They are usually a different material that remains dryer and has a better grip to it
#205 by Dennis on 03.13.08 2:14 am |
Here’s Mel Renfro with a striped ball 1975.
#206 by Josh Petty on 03.13.08 3:10 am |
I know it was touched on in a previous Uni Watch entry…The new $5 bill, featuring the color purple, goes into circulation today.