University of Illinois Wearing Throwbacks

[STL FANATIC]

The University of Illinois is celebrating their 100th Anniversary of College Basketball today. They're honoring everyone possible involved in Illini Basketball over the last 100 years after the game. Although, Frank Williams was honored in the first half because he had to go back up to Chicago for the Bulls game.

Anyways, the Illini are wearing the Flying Illini jerseys from 1989.

I can't find pictures of the jerseys in action, and the game is not on TV here. I'm sure I could find some photos from old games though. I might look.

Anyways, they are orange (possibly lighter than the currents) with a side panel pattern of of thin white/thin blue/thick white/thin blue/thin white.

"Fighting" is arched over the numbers and "Illini' is in a reverse arch under the numbers. I don't reallly know if the letters are white/blue/white or just white outlined in white and blue. Same for the numbers.

I only had a quick glance at them during an ESPN highlight reel.

EDIT: They're honoring the top 20.

NEW EDIT: They're honoring as many people as possible, but there is a specific 20 man All Century Team.

[STL FANATIC]

I haven't found any pictures worthy of posting (old or from today), but based on some of the pictures I have found, it appears that the Chief Illiniwek logo was on the the shorts (which by the way have the striping flare out a little). Unfortunatley, I don't think he was on the throwbacks. That's rather disappointing if true.

[STL FANATIC]

Found some photos, but first some corrections to my description...

The "ILLINI" is under the numbers, but it is straight not arched. "FIGHTING" is arched above the numbers though. Also, the numbers and letters are white with blue outlines. The name letters are just white.

Also, there are very thin orange stripes surrounding the blue stripes on the jersey, and the other trim on the jersey is blue/thin orange/white/thin orange/blue.

Also, one photo seems to show something on the shorts, but it's hard to make out, so that may indeed be the Chief.

Oh yeah, and based on Deron Williams #5, I would say they used a little newer block font than was actually used in 1989.

[pcgd]

I haven't found any pictures worthy of posting (old or from today), but based on some of the pictures I have found, it appears that the Chief Illiniwek logo was on the the shorts (which by the way have the striping flare out a little). Unfortunatley, I don't think he was on the throwbacks. That's rather disappointing if true.

I remember the white and the navy ones of those very well.

Whites had blue with orange outline lettering and numbers. The side panels were blue with a white and orange outline, they flaired out with the chief logo on the side.

Blues were basically the same thing replace white anywhere there was blue.

why can't this game be on TV? I loved those years! Kendall Gill, Marcus Liberty, Deon Thomas wore those, Richard Keene. Steve Roth

I don't remember orange ones ever. I could be wrong though. Looking at these pictures...I think I kinda remember them wearing them.

Sucks if they don't have chief on the shorts. If they did, I'd be picking up a pair for sure!

STL beat me to the pics.

[pcgd]

You are right STL...here's a pic of Nick Anderson from those days:

I think that everything was screened on back then as well.

[STL FANATIC]

Here's a replica of the jersey.

Here's a pic of Kendall Gill in these jerseys.

You can find more pics, some of these jerseys here.

http://fightingillini.collegesports.com/sp.../101804aab.html

Based on those pictures, it appears there were at least two version of that template. Not necessarily of the orange jersey, but it appears that the navy and white jerseys have had two versions of the "FIGHTING ILLINI" jerseys with slightly different striping.

[MJWalker45]

It looks like something is on the shorts of the throwback, but the light is blocking it out

[dfwabel]

The image on the white portion of the shorts for the 1989 version (Kendall Gill/Nick Anderson) is "The Chief" (link to small image below). The university dropped that logo for the orange "Block I" in the late 1990's. In fact, the university really does not want media outlets to air the chief either, but it is sometimes still. used. I cannot tell which logo was on the shorts used today.

http://www.stlouisillini.org/graphics/chieflogo.gif

[Survival79]

I cannot tell which logo was on the shorts used today.

Chief Illiniwek:

[dfwabel]

I cannot tell which logo was on the shorts used today.

Chief Illiniwek:

Let's wait to hear the fallout from student and the anti-chief groups (if anyone paied attention).

[pcgd]

THANK GOD!!

[mac]

I saw the game on TV, and they looked really good, they are so much better than the orange ones they wear now, and since when did orange become like yellow and gold where you get to wear it against anybody's dark like illinois does, last year they wore them against wisconsin who was in red.

[dfwabel]

I can understand grey away and home since my HS did that from 1989-91, to act like Georgetown. Yellow/Gold/Maize was Michigan, damn, 13 years ago with the nationally televised Duke game at Crisler Arena in December, 1991. (I was a student at UM then, but I grew up in Florida and my favorite NCAA team is the Hurricanes!) Unfortunately, you used a plastic card to get a ticket and those tickes did not have date on them as I look though my bag of stubs. That was th initial game that I wau which a home team wore a brighter white as to the Georgetown Grey.

BTW, I do like the light blue Patrick Ewing blue they have brought back on a limited scale, begining with @ UCLA 2-3 years ago.

[pcgd]

I saw the game on TV, and they looked really good, they are so much better than the orange ones they wear now, and since when did orange become like yellow and gold where you get to wear it against anybody's dark like illinois does, last year they wore them against wisconsin who was in red.

Illinois pretty much wear the orange full time now.

I agree though. If illinois is playing wisconsin at home, they should wear white. Same goes for Minnesota at Illinois. Unless there is a legit problem (Minnesota forgot whites, or doesn't have one)

[dfwabel]

In reality, they will choke or disappoint, like the 1989 team so what they wear will not really mattter. They cannot play with a strong inside team. I willnot tout UNC since I would love to see Roy Williams not win squat for a career.

[Discrim]

leave it to the Gerbils to wear gold against guys who like to wear orange and they have a maroon jersey they coulda worn.

[GeorgesL]

I saw the game on TV, and they looked really good, they are so much better than the orange ones they wear now, and since when did orange become like yellow and gold where you get to wear it against anybody's dark like illinois does, last year they wore them against wisconsin who was in red.

Illinois pretty much wear the orange full time now.

I agree though. If illinois is playing wisconsin at home, they should wear white. Same goes for Minnesota at Illinois. Unless there is a legit problem (Minnesota forgot whites, or doesn't have one)

Then they should play R.E.M.'s "Orange Crush" every time the Illini takes to the court. It's clever PR.

[-kj]

leave it to the Gerbils to wear gold against guys who like to wear orange and they have a maroon jersey they coulda worn.

I don't think the Gophers have white, and the maroon might have been worse. The gold and orange jerseys had plenty of contrast, even on the crappy projection set I was watching the game on at B-Dubs.