Rams throwback jersey question

[Slater]

http://store.yahoo.com/nygoalpostsports/jacyountbram.html

I thought that the Rams used the heat-pressed numbers, or was that a more recent style?

[sj32]

Youngblood would have worn both styles. When the Rams first added yellow to the scheme in 1973, the jerseys had sewn-on numbers. Around 1975 or '76, they went to heat-pressed numbers that lasted through Super Bowl 36. The sewn-on numbers were a standard block wheras the numbers on the Youngblood jersey shown in the picture are the style of the heat-pressed. This jersey is a mutt.

[Magus]

im so glad the rams changed to what they have now. i never liked the yellow and blue rams jerseys.

[Cujo]

They should have left those behind when the made the move to St Louis.

[bulldogbarks55]

When the Rams first wore that style in the '70s the numbers were sewn-on twill. They used the standard full block number font from manufacturer Sand-Knit. When they changed to the heat-seal vinyl numerals they used the stock full block style of Dalco Athletic Lettering of Texas. Dalco makes vinyl and twill lettering for the sporting goods trade.

You can always tell the difference in company's fonts. Sand-Knit's font had the bars of the "2" all horizontal. Dalco's "2" has the center bar on an angle. On the sleeve numbers Sand-Knit's full block numerals all had serifs on them. If you look at a Rams jersey with the Dalco vinyl you'll note the "2" is missing the serifs.

Many of today's NFL jerseys still use the full block font that Sand-Knit pioneered many years ago. And a lot of today's NFL shirts are made by Ripon through contract from Reebok. Ripon is owned by former Sand-Knit people and they probably kept the style of numbers for continuity's sake.

Hope this helps you.

Damn I'm good!

[Slater]

Thanks Bulldogbarks, didn't know that before. I'm actually a fan of the older yellow/blue Rams jerseys, and I think the block numbers in general have a cleaner, better-looking appearance.

Hey, I'm 44 years old so I'm allowed

[Blue Falcon]

I've seen pics of the Rams in 73 where the yellow ##s on the blue jersey had a white border. Does anyone know if these were only worn in the preseason?

[Sterling84]

Speaking of Sand-Knit. When I was growing up in Wild Rose, WI there was a Sand-Knit factory or outlet or .........pfff I don't know.........headquarters...something in Berlin, WI not far from us.

My buddy used to get all these irregular authentics (sans names) for SO cheap. This is circa '84-'86 before jerseys were huge business.

I was so jealous.

I remember him having Seahawks, Steelers, Raiders, Eagles, Cards, Packers....

[bulldogbarks55]

Sand-Knit was indeed headquartered in Berlin, WI. In the '70s they made many NFL and NBA uniforms along with Marquette's maternity top jerseys, UCLA's famous columbia blue and white sets, the Astros rainbow jerseys and pants and the Brew Crew's pinstriped and lt. blue pjs. They also had a group of basketball designs called "Sand-mark," some of which were worn by the Sonics (the horizontal striped pants) and the "race car" style which placed the numbers inside of a circle that mimiced a Formula I race car. They also offered uniforms in Neon Green, Fuschia and Electric Blue shades.

[sj32]

I've seen pics of the Rams in 73 where the yellow ##s on the blue jersey had a white border. Does anyone know if these were only worn in the preseason?

I have never seen the jerseys with the yellow numbers outlined in white in a game-action photo - only posed player shots. Mitchell and Ness came out with a version of the '73 jerseys for James Harris and Harold Jackson that included the white outline. I think I read on one of the descriptions that they were never used in a regular season game, but M&N made them because "they looked good".

[Slater]

Have the Rams' horn shoulder logos always had the same dimensions?

[The_Admiral]

Speaking of Sand-Knit. When I was growing up in Wild Rose, WI there was a Sand-Knit factory or outlet or .........pfff I don't know.........headquarters...something in Berlin, WI not far from us.

I noticed that the locals pronounce it New BERlin, as opposed to Germany's berLIN. Why is that?

[JetsLuvver]

The only real problem I had with the Rams' old set was the navy blue helmet that didn't match the rest of the scheme.