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Leo’s World: Old-timey Pro Football Unis and Helmets…in Living Color

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Good Sunday Morning, Uni Watchers!

Based on the popularity of last Sunday’s obscure MLB caps and uniforms quiz from reader and contributor Leo Strawn, we’re back with another edition (and we’ll have one more edition next Sunday as well).

Like last weekend, what follows is a set of photographs and questions, designed to challenge your pro football knowledge this time around.

Leo provided me with six questions — (good for a touchdown) — and an extra point. Just for shits and giggles (and because Leo inspired me), I’ve added a couple of my own after Leo’s quiz.

Leo has provided me with the answers, but I won’t post them with this article. I’ll post the quiz with the answers later on this afternoon, so after you’ve made your guesses, you can come back later to see how you did.

Ready?

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Old-timey Pro Football Unis and Helmets…in Living Color
by Leo Strawn

Years ago, I did some UW content on occasion. I’m Leo…welcome to my world!

This edition will focus on old-timey pro football uniforms and helmets…all from the 1920s, 30s & 40s, and all in living color!!

Some of these are difficult, like coming up with a play to call on a 4th and 17 late in the 4th quarter down by 6, but there are some that are easier, like a first and goal from inside the 1 yard line against the worst defense in the league, so just give it your best and have fun with it, okay?

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1. Which NFL team wore these uniforms in 1939?

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2. This is a great look for this team for the 1945-46 seasons and for a single game vs. Pittsburgh in 1947. Should be a gimme, but I have to ask, what team is it?

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3. Which two NFL teams are pictured in this photo, battling it out in 1936?

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4. Another gimme: What team wore these beauties in 1926?

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5. Which former NFL team wore these eye-catching unis on the field in 1946?

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6. (This one is TRICKY. Kudos to anyone who knows or correctly guesses the answer.) This Heisman Trophy winner, actor and broadcaster played in the NFL for two seasons, though he never wore this uniform on the field. What was the name of the team that wore this uniform (not the team he played for)?

Extra point: Who is the player in that photo and what team did he suit up for in the NFL?

• • • • •
Thanks, Leo!

And now, for a Field Goal: three bonus questions of my own (two color photos and one b&w).

7. Which two teams are pictured here, and in what year was this game played?

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8. Which pro team wore blue jerseys over red pants (!), and in what year(s) did they do so?

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9. This pro team is wearing white jerseys in their home stadium. What team is it and in what year was it worn?

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And there you have it! Please post your answers/guesses in the comments below — and NO PEEKING at those answers posted before yours ;). I’ll have the official answer key in a separate post later today, so let’s see how you do!

Thanks to Leo for coming up with this fun quiz for a Sunday morning! Leo’s World will return once more before my August run has ended, so if you enjoyed this, there is one more in store.

• • • • •
Peace.

 
  
 
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Comments (11)

    I didn’t look these up so I’ll be surprised if I get a perfect score…

    1. Giants

    2. Eagles

    3. Packers vs Cardinals

    4. Duluth Eskimos

    5. Boston Yanks

    6. Cleveland Rams

    Extra point: Glen Davis? Los Angeles Rams?
    Really tempted to look that one up!

    7. Given that the next two are from the AAFC, this must be as well. Buffalo vs San Francisco, 1946?

    8. Los Angeles Dons (LOVE that look!), 1948-49

    9. Chicago Rockets, 1949

    Very fun assignment, fellas. Thanks.

    1) Brooklyn Dodgers
    2) Philadelphia Eagles
    3) Chicago Cardinals running the ball against the Green Bay Packers
    4) Duluth Eskimos
    5) Boston Yanks
    6) Michigan Wolverines? The player is Tom Harmon, who played for the LA Rams.
    7) Detroit Lions on offense, Brooklyn Dodgers on defense, game played on 24 Sep 1939
    8) Los Angeles Dons during the 4 years of the AAFC (1946-49)
    9) 1956 Chicago Cardinals?

    1. Giants
    2. Eagles
    3. Cardinals vs Packers
    4. Duluth Eskimos
    5. Boston Yanks
    6. Not sure
    7. Lions vs Cardinals. Maybe 1942
    8. Los Angeles Dons, 1948
    9. Chicago Rockets

    1. NYG
    2. Philly Eagles
    3. GB vs Chi Cards
    4. Duluth Eskimos
    5. no clue
    6. LA Rams
    7. Lions vs ?
    8. NYG
    9. Bears

    Tough ones. I think I’m hitting maybe .250 here

    1. New York Giants.
    2. Philadelphia Eagles (who could forget their attempt to re-create that helmet design in 1994?)
    3. Green Bay Packers (and I want them to wear that as a throwback) vs. Chicago Cardinals
    4. Duluth Eskimos
    5. Boston Yanks, though I’d say it looks more like something Green Bay would’ve worn
    6. Cleveland Rams, maybe? Pretty sure LA never had the contrasting shoulders. Also looks like something the Pack could’ve worn, but I’m pretty sure that blue-gold era only had a blue jersey and a white jersey, not a gold version. As to the player and their actual team, no clue.
    7. Looks like a Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Cardinals game to me, but what year? I can’t even tell what field!
    8. The distinctive uniform of the Los Angeles Dons of the AAFC from 1946-49.
    9. The 1946 Chicago Rockets, also of the AAFC. The iconic background of Soldier Field helped, since that’s clearly not a Bears or Cardinals uniform, and neither team called Soldier Field home until much later.

    I know your first one, Phil (a Leo’s World from waaaaaaaay back). I actually thought of throwing one of those screen shots in this mix. Glad you did!

    Since I know that one, I’ll just guess at the other two you included. Total shots in the dark:

    #8 General consensus seems to be someone else, but my first thought was Brooklyn Dodgers.

    #9 Chicago Hornets?

    #7 couldn’t be the 4077th MASH and the 325th Evac -my first thought- the latter wore blue helmets and white pants for that one, plus that game was played in early ‘50s.
    And it couldn’t have been be the inaugural game for the ‘76 Seahawks (v Cardinals) -again, played too late, held indoors, and the Cards wore white-over-white on the road and had helmet logos while the ‘Hawks first year helmets were logo-less, right?
    Just having some fun…I’ll leave the serious guessing to others!

    Great quiz! Some real toughies.
    1. Giants
    2. Eagles
    3. Packers and ChiCards(?)
    4. Duluth Eskimos
    5. Boston Yanks
    6. Cleveland Rams; Tom Harmon; LA Rams
    7. Lions and Brooklyn Football Dodgers (or Chicago Cardinals?)
    8. LA Dons, 1948(?)
    9. Chicago Rockets or Hornets, 1946(?)

    1) nyg
    2) philly eagles
    3) gb Packers and Chicago bears?
    4) Duluth Eskimos
    5) the Boston yanks?
    6) that’s Tom Harmon. Is that an old packers uniform? He played for the LA Rams in the pros, right?
    7) Detroit lions and Chicago Cardinals in 1955?
    8) the Baltimore colts in 1948?
    9) the Philadelphia eagles in 1949

Comments are closed.