Yankee Conference 1969

And now, the Yankee Conference uniforms of 1969, college football's centennial year. UMass won the league with a 5-0 conference mark, one of FIVE times that decade the then-Redmen ran the table in YC play. Some other tids n' bits ...

* Four of the YC's six teams (UMass, UConn, Maine and UVM) wore the "100" decal on their helmets. UMass and UConn wore them on both sides, Maine wore it on just the right side (shown on the left on the graphic above for consistency's sake; I should fix it) and UVM wore it on the back. The red 100 logo for Maine is an educated guess; from photos I've seen, it seems to contrast the navy blue helmet. And since Maine wore red trim on the socks (which complements the light blue trim so lovely -- yes, I'm being sarcastic) ...

This page from UMass' 1970 Index yearbook shows off
the college football centennial logo in all its glory. 

* '69 was the first year UMass returned to white helmets after several seasons in maroon lids. The team kept the white helmets (with a myriad of logos) through 2011, had a couple seasons with those awful black numbers, and brought the white helmets back in '14. 

* Those UConn uniforms are easily among the most boring in this history of this entire project, especially after so many inventive styles over the years. (Go ahead, do a search of other UConn entries on this blog; I can wait!)

UConn runs over New Hampshire in '69.
Wonder why the Wildcats didn't wear the "100" decal?

* This was Maine's only winning team from 1966-75, a rough era when the Black Bears ran the program on a shoestring (with ZERO scholarships). Their top player was wideout Gene Benner, who, according to Maine's Hall of Fame site, "held eight University, six New England and two Yankee Conference records upon graduation." For some of us who grew up in the Pine Tree State, however, we remember him more as a car dealer in South Paris, Maine, and the commercials that filled our autumn afternoons. 😎 

Maine takes on UConn in 1969. Take a look at the top right corner;
the right side of the helmet has the "100" decal, the left has the uniform number.

* One more note about UMass, while keeping in mind that college football, in terms of interest in New England-based teams, likely was more popular in '69 than in '19. The '69 Redmen averaged 12,775 fans for four home games. The '19 Minutemen, now a struggling (to put it nicely) FBS independent, have so far averaged 9,757 for five home games. The biggest draw? 12,234 for fellow struggling FBS foe UConn. Hint, hint, fellows ...

Rhode Island faces Temple in '69.
Notice that both teams are wearing dark jerseys.