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Leo’s World 50th Edition — Headgear Part 1

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Good Tuesday morning, Uni Watchers. I hope everyone had a pleasant Monday.

I’m back again this fine day with the one and only Leo Strawn, Jr. Last week, we celebrated the 50th Edition of Leo’s World. (ICYMI: Here’s Part 1 and here’s Part 2)

Those two posts dealt with Leo’s favorite uniforms, and today Leo returns with a look at his favorite dome toppers, across all sports.

There’s a lot to get to, so I’m just going to turn it over to Leo right now as he brings you…

• • • • •

Leo’s World 50th Edition — Headgear Part 1
by Leo Strawn, Jr.

I’m Leo…welcome to my world!

I want to reiterate that this and last week’s lists are not “best” lists. I realized last week that I have used that word before, though. So I want to state that in order to eliminate the possibility of hurting anyone’s feelings in the future, I’ll curb the opinion stuff from now on regarding what is “best”, although I reserve the right to share what I personally like or don’t like. You won’t see any more comments from me like I stated in October, “…the award for best looking set of World Series uniforms in history should go to…the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. I should not have said that and I want to apologize to fans of other WS teams. can fully appreciate that my random opinion from last October might have ruffled the feathers of, say, a fan of the mid-1970s Oakland A’s World Series uniforms or any fan of the Yankees have who have worn their classic pinstripes in the World Series dozens of times or St. Louis Cardinals fans, etc., who could rightly feel that their WS uniforms were better.

That being said, I think the overwhelming majority of readers understood that my 50 favorite uniforms (or in this edition, headgear) ≠ my opinion of the 50 best uniforms (or headgear) of all time across multiple sports. These are my favorites that I have chosen to share so readers can get to know me better, even if you’ve read my off & on contributions to UW for well over a decade. (For newer readers, yes, I’ve been contributing for that long.) Some items from both this and last week are included because of a personal attachment stemming from my past, thus not primarily due to aesthetics. I appreciate everyone who has understood, respected and enjoyed what I am trying to achieve with these “my favorites” editions.

This will be a continuation of what I did in the two-part 50th edition of Leo’s World last week, with this edition focusing on headgear. I decided a cap or helmet could be considered among my favorites even if the uniform set(s) it went with didn’t qualify as a personal favorite in the previous edition, so I made this separate list for headgear.

Over the years, the majority of football helmet designs have fallen into a basic ‘slap a logo on the side’ formula and there are some of those on this list.

But mostly I love designs that are created by thinking outside of the box. After Fred Gehrke hand-painted Rams horns on leather helmets in 1948, it opened a whole new world in gridiron helmet design. Most, if not all, of the early helmet designs created after 1948 were, like the horns for the Rams, a more-or-less literal visual interpretation of the nickname, rather than a logo or a number or random design. The creativity in these have made them some of my favorites.

Hopefully, this list will include some great headwear you’ve forgotten about and maybe even one or two you’ve never seen before. Without further ado (drum roll…)

__________

50: The Colorado Buffaloes have had some interesting helmets over the years. How do you represent a buffalo’s head with a helmet? This particular horned interpretation was worn in the 1957 Orange Bowl.

__________

49: This is the first of several Montreal helmets on the list, this one with a traditional ‘logo on each side’ layout. I’ve always loved this lark design. I don’t really care much for red/green as a color combination for uniforms, but I like how those two colors worked together on this helmet logo.

__________

48: New Orleans has recently used black alternate helmets, but I’m partial to the 1969 preseason Saints look. Sometimes it’s easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission. Unfortunately, this was not one of those times.

__________

47: I mentioned in the previous edition that my two favorite pre-merger NFL teams were Minnesota and LA. The Vikings were always at the top though, because my favorite color since childhood is purple. A few tweaks aside, this helmet design is 60+ years old, but when compared to other helmets of the time it was a pretty unusual design. I like the original layout, placement and size of the horns the best.

__________

46: This 2019 helmet was just another in a line of innovative designs from the Als. This would be much higher on my list if not for the red and blue being of similar value, thus the design not being as distinct from a distance as it could have been with a bit of white outline, or if the red or blue had been white, instead.

__________

45: Montreal (again). Last week, I didn’t use this helmet when I featured the uniform that goes with it, but the 1974 Alouettes helmet stands out when compared with the 1975-79 helmets due to the front placement of the logo, which I like. The Alouettes have probably had more completely different designs that incorporate generally overlooked parts of the helmet than any other team.

__________

44: 2013 Connecticut Huskies. I think this is a nice layout with nice graphics and I like the way the red outline creates the ears.

__________

43: Montreal (again, again), but the Expos this time. I loved this cap from the first time I saw it. The multiple colored panels were an innovation in 1969. Apparently Québécois are naturally creative logo designers. I love the hidden elements in the logo, the overall “M” with the red “e”, in a different font but also lower case as it was on the jerseys, for “Expos”. (Is there a blue “b” for baseball, too? I always thought so.)

__________

42: Staying north of the border, Saskatchewan wore these beauties from 1987-96. To me, the only flaw is the same flaw that the Seahawks had on their original helmets: The stripes don’t connect in the back, even when there is no raised seam on the helmet.

__________

41: As you can see, a large majority of these will be from the gridiron. That being said, here’s another one from the diamond. I’ve mentioned in at least one other LW post that I love the 1910 St. Louis Browns cap. The pinstripes, the fleur-de-lis and the wide trim on the bill have always made this stand out to me.

__________

40: Colorado’s second helmet to make this list is from 1961-62. This is wildly different from the horn they used in the late 50s and makes better use of the entire helmet.

__________

39: I had never liked anything about the Giants uniforms worn during my lifetime until this helmet debuted. I was shocked that they were only permitted to wear them for a single season. The excuse was lame. They’ve always been the New York (NY) Giants. For the past 25 years they’ve worn “ny” on their helmets and they still play in Jersey. Bring. These. Back. Please and thank you.

__________

38: This uniform made my favorites list and the helmet does also, by itself. I’ve never liked the silver helmet shells. The original Cowboys helmet was a classic with its bold simplicity.

__________

37: Another bold, simple helmet. I’ve really never been a fan of Philly’s helmets since they started making the wings more complex. I think the 1969-73 version is awesome.

__________

36: The original generally is better than the remake, though, and I love the silver (not gray) wings on this version. This was the second NFL helmet to have a design element that was a visual interpretation of the team’s identity.

__________

35: While a boilermaker doesn’t refer specifically to someone who makes locomotive boilers, Purdue has used a locomotive as part of their identity for decades. I thought representing the center stripe as train tracks was a nice touch in 2013.

__________

34: This version of the Rams was another uniform that made my favorites list. The helmet by itself will make this one, as well. The horns have gotten thinner and more widely spaced on front throughout the years. This is the last of the Rams helmet designs that I find appealing. I think it balanced those uniforms perfectly.

__________

33: Back to the B1G. I was always a fan of this unusual striping and the low placement of the lettering on the Illini helmets from the early-to-mid 1970s.

__________

32: This Rams helmet (third in a long line of designs) appeals to me, in part, because of the colors. The bigger reason is that on the front of the helmet, the horns are fatter and come together in the middle.

__________

31: My favorite Chargers helmet. To me, the numbers only add to the appeal of a simple, bold and beautifully balanced design.

__________

30: More out-of-the-box creativity. I like the center stripe design, and the “H” obviously stands for Hawai’i, but it’s the placement of the state on the other side that makes this helmet a favorite of mine.

__________

29: Back to the diamond, but across the Pacific. I think these Fukuoka Hawks caps and helmets are extremely creative, without being over-the-top.

__________

28: These short-lived BC Lions helmets obviously weren’t popular, but I really liked them both.

__________

27: This is another helmet that wasn’t universally well-received. I lived in Maryland for a time and it’s probably my second favorite state flag (behind our Buckeye state’s own beautiful swallow-tail flag), so it wasn’t a huge leap for me to like this innovative idea.

__________

26: In my opinion, these Irish helmets are proof that asymmetrical designs can look absolutely amazing.

(to be continued…)

• • • • •

Thanks, Leo! Fantastic list — looking forward to the Top 25 in Part II!

 

 
  
 

Guess the Game from the Scoreboard

Guess The Game…

…From The Scoreboard

Today’s scoreboard comes from T.J. Brennan.

The premise of the game (GTGFTS) is simple: I’ll post a scoreboard and you guys simply identify the game depicted. In the past, I don’t know if I’ve ever completely stumped you (some are easier than others).

Here’s the Scoreboard. In the comments below, try to identify the game (date and location, as well as final score). If anything noteworthy occurred during the game, please add that in (and if you were AT the game, well bonus points for you!):

Please continue sending these in! You’re welcome to send me any scoreboard photos (with answers please), and I’ll keep running them.

 

 

Guess the Game from the Uniform


Based on the suggestion of long-time reader/contributor Jimmy Corcoran, we’ve introduced a new “game” on Uni Watch, which is similar to the popular “Guess the Game from the Scoreboard” (GTGFTS), only this one asked readers to identify the game based on the uniforms worn by teams.

Like GTGFTS, readers will be asked to guess the date, location and final score of the game from the clues provided in the photo. Sometimes the game should be somewhat easy to ascertain, while in other instances, it might be quite difficult. There will usually be a visual clue (something odd or unique to one or both of the uniforms) that will make a positive identification of one and only one game possible. Other times, there may be something significant about the game in question, like the last time a particular uniform was ever worn (one of Jimmy’s original suggestions). It’s up to YOU to figure out the game and date.

Today’s GTGFTU comes from Kevin Palmer.

Good luck and please post your guess/answer in the comments below.

 

 

And finally...

…that’s all for the early post. Big thanks, once again, to Mr. Strawn for another fine edition of Leo’s 50th! I don’t agree with as many of the caps/helmets as I did the unis, but a very nice selection — can’t wait to see the top 25.

In addition to the always popular Mike Chamernik’s Question of the Week, which will follow, I will have at least three more articles today (including another MLB exclusive!), so you’ll definitely want to keep checking back in today.

Everyone have a good Tuesday, and I’ll catch you all back here tomorrow.

Peace,

PH

Comments (38)

    All these years later I’m still mad UA didn’t offset the yellow/black and red/white fields of the Maryland flag (i.e. place them on the opposite side of the helmet from the corresponding shoulder pad).

    I feel like the Giants will never bring back the “Disco NY” because it was a lousy year for the team. In fact, I don’t envision them ever throwing back to any variation of the 1975-79 uni set because those were the worst of the team’s “wandering in the wilderness” years.

    So far, so good Leo.
    Just as a slightly obscure piece of aesthetic trivia tho, your state flag is technically NOT a flag, but a pennant. Not that this is a bad thing.

    Leo and I have very similar tastes when it comes to headgear. I’m curious if two of my favorites from above the Ohio border will make the Top 25. I think the Panthers will make it, but I’d be surprised if the Wolverines made a list of his favorites.

    Panthers. Good guess!

    UM is not on the list, but I do mention it in part 2 when I bring up THE. I do like that winged layout. I would say it’s just outside my top 50. The problem with including that helmet would have been the different variations of it worn by different teams. Princeton still wears an orange/black version that I probably like a bit better than maize/blue.

    The only reason Ohio State will be in part 2 is because of a personal story, not because I would consider it as part of my top 50 on aesthetics alone.

    I don’t usually comment – even though I read everyday – but something about a list and Leo’s eye pushed me this morning. I loved the article and very much looking forward to Part 2. Thank you!

    GTGFTU, I’m guessing that it is the 1981 NFC Wild Card game at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia on 12/27/81. The Giants defeated the defending NFC Champion Eagles 27-21 that afternoon, their first playoff game in 18 years. Lawrence Taylor had “L.” on his jersey for that year only, I believe, plus the turf has the “N” logo of the NFC on it.

    “Staying north of the border, Saskatchewan wore these beauties from 1987-96”

    Well, it was a bit longer than that. The Roughriders introduced the helmet design for 1985 season. The last season it was worn was 2007 (though it did return for only 1 game a few seasons later). In 2008, the wraparound was eliminated with just the logo on the sides.
    Switched from white facemask to black facemask in 1995.

    Noted. Good catch.

    Don’t know what I was thinking on that one. Maybe those are the earliest and latest photos I have of the Riders in those helmets. GUD has the start date as 1985, as you said, but their research stops (so far) with 2001, so I wouldn’t have gotten it 100% correct no matter even if my start date was just a typo. Thanks for that info.

    Cheers!

    Were those Illini helmets at #33 modeled after the lettering from the Cincinnati Bengals of the same era? I also seem to remember a later Illini helmet that was all caps, similar to the 80’s era NY Giants.

    “Were those Illini helmets at #33 modeled after the lettering from the Cincinnati Bengals of the same era?”

    Never thought about it before, but that’s a good possibilty.

    The place I got my Hiroshima Carp (a.k.a., 1965-69, 1972 Cleveland Indians, but without the blue pill on top) cap has them. Takes a while to ship from Japan, though.

    link

    I love Leo’s World and have no problem with you ranking things. It’s your piece, do it what you will, You always explain your reasons well and I can respectfully disagree if I so feel like it. Keep up the great work!

    Another great entry from Leo! Some others worth mentioning that I’d bet Leo would agree with:

    1972-74(ish) University of Dayton (OH) Flyers (with their “y” curling around the earhole)
    link

    1975 San Antonio Wings (WFL)
    link

    early 1970’s California Angels (halo helmet)
    link

    1974 Chicago Fire (WFL) (maximum use of real estate)
    link

    So do you like the one year only 1970 Halo Helmet (Ken McMullen…what a blast from the past!) or the original halo hats from 1961 for the LA/California Angels between 1961 and 1970?

    Nice Leo! I’m anticipating (hoping) Dartmouth’s unique helmet design with the wider stripes a D in the middle will make the cut. I always loved Illinois’ helmets shown as well.

    Re the Eagles, the white helmet with green wings always looks off to me. I get that the original green with silver combo is the same helmet with different colors, but I think it’s a much better look.

    I think Dartmouth and Cornell might make the list…as they were designed by the same coach who designed the awesome Illini helmet.
    “An Awesome Illinois/Ivy League Helmet Connection”
    link

    Love the Browns and Expos caps, as well as the Vikings, Rams and Chargers helmets. The disco NY helmet is nice, but I prefer the 50s logo-less version.

    Looking forward to part two!

    Dartmouth probably would be a bit lower than UM/Princeton on my list, which are just outside top 50.

    I’m not even familiar with the Cornell helmets in that link. Wow. How did I miss your post on UW that day? I really like that second one! Might have made top 50!

    I like to think I’m fairly well versed in my knowledge of great uniform designs but a couple of these floored me! The Hawks, the Colorado horned helmets and the Illini striped helmet are all new to me. Thanks for giving the MD helmet some love – us Marylanders have an irrational obsession with our flag. Great list – can’t wait for part two!

    Disco Giants is a favorite of mine, too. Sadly, the Jints were in a prolonged period of suckage so the wish to throw back to that era is infinitesimal. It’s my favorite uniform of theirs!

    My father actually wore two of those helmets during his ten year football career, he was briefly with the Montreal Alouettes in 1972, and he wore that green Eagles helmet with the Pottstown Firebirds in 1969 and 70. Though he also played for Maryland, they didn’t have that less than stellar helmet when he was there. The 72 Montreal helmet was his favorite one.

    Before I discovered UW and read any of your contributions, I knew he played for the Bell (I was a big WFL fan), but I didn’t know he played in CFL. Would love see a pic of him in that Als uni if you have any.

    Cheers!

    #39 – it is the custom of New York teams to wear conservative uniforms. Usually when there’s an innovative new look, it reverts back to the old look after a few seasons. In the Giants’ case, they found a new more conservative logo, the block italic letters, and bit by bit narrowed the stripes.

    All of which makes the ABA Nets stand out all the more for making a radical look their iconic one.

    I only have one photo of him in a CFL game, a news clipping, not great quality, he is wearing #10. I also have a few practice photos where he has number 9. When he couldn’t beat out Sonny Wade for the number 1 job, he caused problems there as usual. When he left the team, he didn’t come home for two weeks, he told my mother he needed time to unwind, so he partied in Montreal for two weeks straight. That was the only team he played for where he didn’t bring back one piece of equipment, not even a pair of shorts. I have no way to post the photo here.

    Can you take a photo of it with your phone? If so, shoot it to me and I can post it in another reply

    How is that I’ve never seen that UConn football helmet here on Uni-Watch before? I’m sure I would have remembered it!

    Re: the “Disco NY” Giants logo. We really need a deep dive on this. Who designed it? Why did the Giants decide to change the logo? I’m quite fascinated by this.

    I’m pretty confident that I’m remembering it right and it was because they were moving out of Shea in New York and into the Meadowlands (Giants Stadium) in New Jersey for the 1976 season, so IIRC they had to take the “NY” off of their helmets, though they could still call themselves the “New York” Giants for some reason. 99% certain that’s correct, even though it makes no sense.

    Colorado was giving it the old college try with decals in the early days. The first set all I can think of is devils, the way the horns are situated. Second set is like a big wave, less even creative than devils version. The big wave reminds of the New Orleans Breakers of the old USFL.

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