Monday, January 30, 2017

Yale Bulldogs (1949-53)


Few schools in this project say "continuity" like Yale. Slap a big ol' "Y" on the sides of the helmet, and these unis could almost pass off for the current model. In the current climate of flavor-of-the-week uniforms, it's a comforting thing. White helmets, white pants, blue shirts-n-socks ... you know what you're getting from the Bulldogs. (Of course, Yale switched to gold pants for a few years in the mid-50s, but that's for another post. Oh, wait ...

Yale takes on Holy Cross in 1950 in a picture
from the Yale Banner yearbook.

Note that a white road jersey was worn only in 1952, as several teams, including Harvard, Yale and Boston University, wore a white jersey only when they absolutely had to, such as when they visited a team with a similar jersey color. (In Yale's case, it was a game at Navy.)

Not the best quality reproduction, but here's Yale in the rarely-worn
white jersey at Navy in 1952. Yale Daily News pic.

One of the more remarkable Yale players in history wore this uniform. New Haven native Levi Jackson became the Bulldogs' first African-American captain in 1949, an event that attracted front-page attention from the New York Times. After his playing days, he became an executive at Ford Motor Company (the first African-American to hold an executive title with Ford). You can read more about him here.

Levi Jackson graces the cover of a late-40s pulp magazine.
There's something strange about a pioneer like Jackson sharing the cover
with a pin-up girl, but oh well. 

More Yale uniforms that'll make any Bulldog salivate: 20162015201420132006-111997-981994, 19961979-8219781974-771972-731967-6819651959-601954-581930. Rivalry Week: Harvard-Yale.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Boston College Eagles (2016); Yale Bulldogs (2016)

We wrap up the uniforms of 2016 with the first and last schools on our alphabetical list.


Boston College (7-6 overall, 2-6 ACC, defeated Maryland 36-30 in Quick Lane Bowl) added gold sleeves with a pair of small stripes, which also appeared diagonally on the pants. The Eagles also revived the "red bandana" uniform (see the helmet stripe and shoes on the second uniform), worn in memory of Welles Crowthera BC alum who died after rescuing at least a dozen people during the 9/11 attacks.  The bandana unis were last won in 2014.

Craving some more BC unis? Look right here: 201520142013200720001995-961994198419821978-801968-771958-60, 19571955-561950-521939Rivalry Week (w/Holy Cross).


Yale (3-7 overall, 3-4 Ivy League, defeated Harvard for the the first time since 2006), ended the Ivy League's Nike monopoly by switching to Under Armour unis. The only changes, all minor, were the addition of the "YALE" word mark on the jersey front, the noticeably smaller sleeve numbers and the small "Y" on the pants. Not every college team, especially in this day and age, shows so much restraint when changing manufacturers. 

More Yale uniforms: 2015201420132006-111997-981994, 19961979-8219781974-77, 1972-731967-6819651959-601954-581930. Rivalry Week: Harvard-Yale.




Friday, January 20, 2017

UConn Huskies (2016), UMass Minutemen (2016)

Almost forgot about these two in the 2016 recap ...


UConn (3-9, 1-7 American) kept the same basic design from 2015, but with fewer varieties. For the second straight year, the Huskies continued to fart around with facemarks  -- blue for some, red for others. Like Atlantis, the Bermuda Triangle or my decision to not do laundry or dishes this week, it's a mystery that may never be explained. With Randy Edsall returning as coach, I'm guessing another uniform overhaul is in store for 2017.

More UConn unis for the Huskymanicas: 2015201420132003 (Inside the Jersey)20021989-931984-881971-7219701966-6719651958-6019571951, 1948-491934Rivalry Week: UConn-Rhode Island.


UMass (2-10, independent) also kept its 2015 look, with the most noticeable change being the elimination of the Mid-American Conference patch as the Minutemen tread the cold, rough waters of an FBS independent. I like the white helmet-maroon jersey-white pants look they wore for Homecoming, which screams "classic" UMass. 

Much, much more from the Minutemen: 2015201420132000-021986-871978-841975-771974, 197319721966-681960-621951-521938-39.


Monday, January 16, 2017

Sacred Heart Pioneers (2016), New Hampshire Wildcats (2016)

Two more in our review of 2016 in uniforms. That leaves just Yale and Boston College, which will come in the next week or so.


Sacred Heart (6-5 overall, 1-5 NEC) kept the exact uniforms from 2015 (yay!), except for the addition of a stars-and-stripes helmet for Veterans Day weekend.

More Sacred Heart uniforms: 2013, 2008-12.


New Hampshire (8-5 overall, 6-2 CAA, THIRTEENTH STRAIGHT NCAA FCS tournament) also kept the same look from 2015, which also gets another yay from me.

More UNH uniforms: 201520142010-13, 20001998, 199319751968-71 (part 1),  1969-71 (part 2)1966-67,  1965195519501947-4819381936. Rivalry Week: Maine-UNH.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Penn (2016), Princeton (2016), Rhode Island (2016)

The look back at 2016 in uniforms marches on with the Ivy League co-champs and the CAA co-cellar dweller.



Penn (7-3 overall, 7-1 Ivy) didn't change nuttin' from 2015, not even the red alternate with the sports-bra pattern. 

More Penn unis: 20142013, 1995-99, 1992-941983-841981-821979-801971-781965-661956-641954-551948. Rivalry Week: Cornell-Penn.


Princeton (8-2 overall, 7-1 Ivy), the one Ivy team that wears a black jersey because it's one of its actual team colors, made a few changes, most notably the addition of an all-orange alternate that may cause your favorite electronic device to crash from an inability to handle its brightness. It definitely has an NFL Color Rush feel to it.

More Princeton unis: 20152014201319961993-95, 1994,  1987-901984-861975-771979-831970-72, 1955, 1947-481945-46. Rivalry week: Dartmouth-Princeton.



Rhode Island (2-9 overall, 1-7 CAA) made a few changes while keeping the basic template. The camo gray pants from last season were ditched for more conventional white ones (good move, says I), and a navy alternate jersey was added. Names sprouted up on the light blue jerseys, but, oddly, not on the other two versions.

More Rhody unis2015201420132003-071997-991983-921976-821967-7119661963-6519621957-611951, 1947-501936-39. Rivalry Week: UConn-Rhody.