Questions regarding Uni's

[moe 0]

I got a couple of questions about our jerseys back in the day:

1)I realize we aren't playing Villanova next year anymore, but the game was set to be "throwback" game. What did our Uni's look like back then? Colors? What was on the Helmet?

2)When was the interlocking AU adopted as our official logo? 1960? And when did the interlocking AU first make its appearance on the helmet?

3)When were the colors Orange and Blue adopted? And when did they make their first appearance?

Any information would be great! I'm a young 'un and just want to know more about my beloved University.

[RadioWryn 0]

http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/

There's a tab to click on for SEC, and it gives some relevant information on AU helmets. Hope that helps.

[OlderWhiskey 963]

Moe, I am glad to see your interest in uniform history. I'm not sure when "back in the day" begins, but I go back to the mid-50s with personal observation. I can answer some of your questions.

Burnt orange and navy blue are the official colors, although Shug sometimes called it royal blue in error. I am not sure when these colors were established, perhaps the official website might help.

From looking at old photographs, Auburn teams through the 1940s used jersies of orange, white, and blue. I think the jersies in the 1940s were mostly orange, rather than blue. The helmets, it seems, were also orange. Shug Jordan took over as head coach in 1951, and he seems to have propelled us toward the basic blue jersey and white pants combo that compose our home uniforms today. At that time, Auburn still wore blue, orange, and white jersies. According to reputable sources, Auburn lost a game around 1953 wearing the orange jersies, and Shug swore off them. I recall attending a game against Furman in 1955. The team came out and warmed up in orange jersies, but played the game in blue. Legend has it that Auburn did not play in orange jersies again until 1978, but I think it's possible that a game or two in the 50s saw orange jersies. Auburn wore orange twice under Doug Barfield - against Georgia in 1978, and vs. Mississippi State in 1979. We tied Georgia 22-22 (or they tied us) and beat MSU 14-3, mainly on the strength of a 60-yd TD by James Brooks.

I really think that now would be a good time to bring back the orange jersies, but that opinion is not shared by many on this board. I think it would just add a little more interest. Miami wears both orange and green home jersies. I just wouldn't want to get too wild with it. No blue pants, please.

The uni around 1954 consisted of navy blue jersies and white pants with a single blue stripe down the leg. Neither had any orange on them. The only orange was the center stripe on the helmet. Through about 1956 the center orange stripe and the flanking blue stripes were contiguous. In 1957 at the latest, the blue stripes were moved away from the orange stripe, creating the basic helmet design we see today. In 1960, for one year, we used a helmet that had only a single orange stripe.

Up through at least 1957, the helmets sported no logo on the side. In 1963, the helmets had the player's number stenciled on. The change may have occurred in 1961, when the orange arm bands were added to the blue jersies. The white jersies had had the orange armbands from back in the 50s. In 1966, the logo was put on the helmet. That same year, the orange stripe was added to the pants.

The uniform appearance has undergone only minor alterations since 1966, usually the width of an orange stripe or some such. Bowden had orange shading on the jersey numerals, which I actually liked. His overall legacy has led to distaste for this, however. I'm not sure when we started putting players' names on the shoulders, but I wish we hadn't. I don't like the "AUBURN" on the sternum of today's uniforms, either.

On one occasion, Auburn wore white jersies in Cliff Hare Stadium. I can provide more information on this, if anyone is interested.

[Nay4AU 2]

Thanks for the information Olderwhiskey. It's very interesting. You said you weren't sure when began putting players names on the back. It was 1992 during the 100 years celebration year. My brother was a walk on and some of the players were requesting uniform changes that year and went to Coach Dye with their request. They wanted names on the back of the uniforms, black shoes, and blue pants. Dye said he wasn't going to get any @*(#!$* blue pants. He gave in to the other two request.

[OlderWhiskey 963]

Thanks for your information as well.

[moe 0]

Wryn and OlderWhiskey, thank you very much! Whiskey, I am definitely interested to hear more about the white jerseys in Cliff-Hare. Your information is great!

[OlderWhiskey 963]

Wryn and OlderWhiskey, thank you very much!  Whiskey, I am definitely interested to hear more about the white jerseys in Cliff-Hare.  Your information is great!

194399[/snapback]

Auburn wore white at home versus Kentucky in 1959. I believe it was October 9, you could look the date up on the AU Network website. This was not planned, but something happened to Kentucky's uniforms on the trip. They were involved in a fire or something, so had no road uniforms to wear. Wearing the whites was not a good option, because of the presence of orange, so wore the blue jersies, which contained no orange. They may have also worn Auburn pants, I'm not sure.

I recall being confused initially, because my Dad and I got to the game late. Auburn was already leading 9-0; Jimmy Pettus ran the opening KO back 88 yards for a touch. We wound up winning 33-0.

It would be interesting to see some photos from that game, if anyone has access to the Bham News or Montgomery Advertiser morgue files.

[GalensGhost 0]

http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/

There's a tab to click on for SEC, and it gives some relevant information on AU helmets.  Hope that helps.

194373[/snapback]

One thing that "Helmet Project" site doesn't mention are the eagle helmet stickers Auburn once used.

I vaguely remember them. Seems they looked a lot like the Colonial Bank logo. Does anybody else remember those or am I just imagining the whole thing?

[Aubie7 0]

http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/

There's a tab to click on for SEC, and it gives some relevant information on AU helmets.  Hope that helps.

194373[/snapback]

One thing that "Helmet Project" site doesn't mention are the eagle helmet stickers Auburn once used.

I vaguely remember them. Seems they looked a lot like the Colonial Bank logo. Does anybody else remember those or am I just imagining the whole thing?

194423[/snapback]

Those stickers were still used up until Dye took over. They were phased out in the early 80's. They were used as rewards for certain levels of achievement. The sticker did look somewhat like the Colonial Bank logo. However, if you looked at the back of the eagle, you can see the imprint of the eagle head. It made up the outline of the wings and tail feathers. If you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't see it, but once you know it's there you always see it.

[GalensGhost 0]

http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/

There's a tab to click on for SEC, and it gives some relevant information on AU helmets.  Hope that helps.

194373[/snapback]

One thing that "Helmet Project" site doesn't mention are the eagle helmet stickers Auburn once used.

I vaguely remember them. Seems they looked a lot like the Colonial Bank logo. Does anybody else remember those or am I just imagining the whole thing?

194423[/snapback]

Those stickers were still used up until Dye took over. They were phased out in the early 80's. They were used as rewards for certain levels of achievement. The sticker did look somewhat like the Colonial Bank logo. However, if you looked at the back of the eagle, you can see the imprint of the eagle head. It made up the outline of the wings and tail feathers. If you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't see it, but once you know it's there you always see it.

194432[/snapback]

Kind of like the arrow in the middle of the FedEx logo.

Yeah, I thought I was remembering right. I actually remember learning how to draw that logo and writing it all over everything I had. I just couldn't remember if it really was a helmet sticker or if it was just something we used on other things.

While we're doing nostalgia... How many of you remember the Phil Neel covers on the Auburn programs? I'd like to do a book of those one day and wonder if I'm the only one who has fond memories of them.

[sportwareagle 0]

WOW...this brings back some great memories!!

[Eagle Eye 7]

.... and we make fun of Bama fans for living in the past... lol

[saniflush 0]

.... and we make fun of Bama fans for living in the past... lol 

194468[/snapback]

yea but we are on our own board enjoying memories not on someone elses trying to prove/justify our own inane arguments, unlike some other folks

[Dyebama 2]

On the link of the helment history page.....

on the Auburn Helments he asks about a black bar worn over the helment...

from what I remember I thought that it was pat dye's last game...and it was in tribute to him playing bama the last time

I could be wrong... but if I am right could some one email the guy with that story...

thanks

[sevenDs 0]

On the link of the helment history page.....

on the Auburn Helments he asks about a black bar worn over the helment...

194472[/snapback]

It was 1981 and it was for a studnet that had died in a car crash. I think he may have been a trainer, or somehow associated witht he football team. It was mentioned during the broadcast on ABC, but that's all I know.

[OlderWhiskey 963]

On the link of the helment history page.....

on the Auburn Helments he asks about a black bar worn over the helment...

194472[/snapback]

It was 1981 and it was for a studnet that had died in a car crash. I think he may have been a trainer, or somehow associated witht he football team. It was mentioned during the broadcast on ABC, but that's all I know.

194478[/snapback]

The bar you refer to was probably for Donnie Givens, a defensive tackle who was killed in an automobile accident around that time. He was driving Jere Beasley's car. Jere (sp) was a defensive back of that era.

We also wore a black "36" in memory of Greg Pratt, a fullback who collapsed during drills and died in August preceding the 1983 season.

[Dyebama 2]

Thanks for clearing that up for me

[AFTiger 282]

.... and we make fun of Bama fans for living in the past... lol 

194468[/snapback]

WOW! How do you know where you are going if you don't know where you have been?

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

God gave us our colors.

When He was passing out colors to all the schools, Tenn., Auburn and bama reps were in the room together to get theirs. God told UT their colors were pale orange and white because they reminded Him of Fall in the Smokies with the orange leaves and snowcapped mountains. He gave Auburn burnt orange and navy blue and told the Auburn rep those reminded him of the beautiful orange and blue sunsets on the plains. He gave bama red and white and walked away. The bama rep said "wait God, you explained to the others why you gave them their colors. Why red and white for us?" God said,"if you insist on knowing, red and white reminds me of the rednecks and white trash that will always populate Tuscaloosa."

[Dyebama 2]

Small World>>>>>>>

Speaking of the old programs with the artist Phil Neel of Aubie,,,Well I just got my new issue of

Inside the Auburn Tigers and there is an article with pictures..."Aubie's Creator Going Strong..."

Looks to be a good read and has pictures of 3 florida games one Georgia Game and a wake Forest Cover....

[CircleDrill 178]

I really think that now would be a good time to bring back the orange jersies, but that opinion is not shared by many on this board.  I think it would just add a little more interest. 

194382[/snapback]

I don't know about anyone else... but I would like to see them bring orange jerseys back every once in a while for a big game. Notre Dame's green jerseys just have a cool mystique about them, and because they only wear them once in a blue moon for big games, it gives the players a huge hype when they put them on. Their record in the green jerseys is pretty good (in spite of the USC debacle this year).

Just something to think about...

[MDM4AU 336]

On Page 109 of this PDF link is a picture of the Auburn team at the 1937 Bacardi Bowl, Havana, Cuba

[AFTiger 282]

I have never seen Auburn in orange jerseys. What is their record while wearing the dreaded orange jersy?

[MDM4AU 336]

I have never seen Auburn in orange jerseys.  What is their record while wearing the dreaded orange jersy?

194515[/snapback]

They wore them quite a bit under Barfield if that tells you anything...

[Aubie7 0]

In 1981, or 1982 maybe, two AU football players were killed in an auto accident. One was named Manning, who was a lineman. The other, I don't remember his name, maybe a DB or RB. Manning was from North Alabama. Something was worn for them that year.

1983 something was worn for Greg Pratt