Monday, February 6, 2017

Inside the Jersey: Cornell Big Red (1977-79)


Haven't done one of these in a while. Let's take a closer look at a jersey from my modest collection.

The Jersey: Cornell, 1977-79, the first three years of former Dartmouth legend Bob Blackman's coaching stint in Ithaca.

How It Was Acquired: eBay, about $40-$50. Considering the jersey's vintage and uniqueness, I'd call that a bargain.

Who Wore It: Good question. I found a '77 roster on an eBay program listing, but no No. 53 was listed. Considering the size of the jersey, my money's on a lineman.

And you thought Rawlings was just those guys who handed out the
Gold Glove awards after the baseball season.

Who Made It: Rawlings, a name you don't normally see on football jerseys.

Size: A very roomy XL. My other Rawlings football jersey is the same way.

Jersey Construction: Mesh, mesh, mesh. The team name and numbers are screened on. The screen printing is extremely thick, almost like plastic.

Design: You can read more about that here, but it's definitely different. Curved numbers, long sleeves (although a few teams, like Princeton, also had long sleeves during this period, they were definitely on their way out),  HY-OOGE sleeve numbers and a big ol' CORNELL across the top. The shirt has a rounded neckline, another jersey element that was on its way out by the late 70s. (My original graphic had a v-neck; it's been corrected below).


Condition: Well worn; a few small tears here and there, and one of the numbers is cracking.

Final Verdict: A really unique jersey from a time when the uniforms were better than the team itself. 



Can't get enough from the Big Red? Check out these uniforms: 2016, 20152013-141999-200119941985-8919871983-84, 1977-821967-75,  196619651961-6419521950-51. Rivalry week: Cornell-Penn.


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