RetroDan#16 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Hi all, I've just started posting here so bear with me if this has been covered anywhere before, I'm unable to search the forums completely at the moment.I'm looking to find information on helmet memorial decals, namely when they perhaps first started to appear, and if there is a list of teams carrying memorials, what year, and who they were remembering. The oldest examples I know at the moment are of Kirk Collins of the Rams, and David Overstreet of the Dolphins, both of whom who remembered with helmet decals in 1984.Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejeff Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 A few from this year...Patriots #91 for Marquise HillBroncos #27 for Darrent Williams and #29 for Damien Nash49ers BW for Bill Walsh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColeJ Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 i know the dallas stars had helmet decals for the Texas A&M bonfire collapse, and the columbine shootings, both at once.not sure if you meant football exclusively, or just any helmet memorial decals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck717 Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 Well, Ohio State has 2 helmet decals this year. They have the number 23 for Ron Springs, former Buckeye captain and Dallas Cowboy who is in a coma after receiving a kidney transplant. They also have the number 24 for Tyson Gentry, a P/WR (from my high school) who was hit during spring practice last year and suffered a vertebrae injury, paralyzing him from the neck down, although he has regained some movement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetroDan#16 Posted October 23, 2007 Author Share Posted October 23, 2007 That's a great help, thanks. I'm looking primarily for NFL helmet memorials at the moment, and I'd especially like to trace the first instances - as yet I haven't found anything prior to 1984 so I'm wondering if these were the first appearances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viper Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 The Arizona Cardinals wore #40 decals in honor of Pat Tillman for a while after he was killed in Afghanistan. They would have kept them longer but the league wouldn't allow it.While not a helmet decal, the Chicago Bears have made the initials GSH (George Stanley Halas, the team's founder and longtime head coach) a permanent fixture on the left sleeves of their jerseys, pretty much ever since Halas died in 1983.Away from the NFL, the Minnesota Twins and Golden Gophers football team both have worn I-35W patches for the victims of the Minneapolis bridge collapse on August 1. Nick Backstrom (the Wild goalie) has a similar design on the back of his mask, but not the Wild as a team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothamite Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 While not a helmet decal, the Chicago Bears have made the initials GSH (George Stanley Halas, the team's founder and longtime head coach) a permanent fixture on the left sleeves of their jerseys, pretty much ever since Halas died in 1983.And the Browns "borrowed" that for the thoroughly unworthy Al Lerner.I have some info on the Packers' helmet tributes in my Green Bay Packers Uniform Database. The earliest one of which I am aware was worn in Super Bowl XXXI, to mark the passing of Commissioner Pete Rozelle.Starting in Week 13 of 2003, a "3" was added after Tony Canadeo passed away.The following year "92" was added in the last week of the regular season to honor the passing of Reggie White.The Packers also participated in the league-wide tribute to Pat Tillman in Week 2 of 2004. The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothamite Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 The Arizona Cardinals wore #40 decals in honor of Pat Tillman for a while after he was killed in Afghanistan. They would have kept them longer but the league wouldn't allow it.I think you may be confused here - the Cardinals did indeed wear the Tillman decal for the rest of the season. I am not aware that they ever intended to wear it beyond that point.Individual players on other teams were refused permission to wear the decal beyond the league-wide event under the NFL's ban on personal messages on uniforms.http://www.pattillmanfoundation.org/media/092304.php The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetroDan#16 Posted October 23, 2007 Author Share Posted October 23, 2007 Gothamite: That is so helpful thanks! I was only aware of the 'Pete' decal worn by the Packers before now. Fantastic site too by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagan696 Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 don't forget the Carolina Panthers Memorial decal for assistant coach and former player Sam Mills, who passed away from cancer on April 18, 2005(i'll try to find the image links, two different versions... 1st was blue "S.A.M." in shape of a black football w "#51" below it, 2nd was just a black circle w white"51" ) Carolina Dreamin' ΓΔΒ ΓΔΒ ΓΔΒ When a robotic Nixon is on the loose, we have a duty to take action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat7742 Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 The Kansas City Chiefs had an "HS" decal for Hank Stram and a "58" for Derrick Thomas. I beleive both were white with red lettering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothamite Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Hey Dan, your thread got a mention on UniWatch this morning (as did my Pete Rozelle decal pic). The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetroDan#16 Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 Hey Dan, your thread got a mention on UniWatch this morning (as did my Pete Rozelle decal pic).I just read that - nice to think I started an interesting topic too (being a newbie and all!). Interesting as well as I actually asked Paul Lukas in the first place about a particular helmet decal, the '38' that the '86 Giants wore. Although he was unable to help me, I did find my way to sites like this which are just such a good resource. I eventually found out the origin of the '38' decal - RB John Tuggle who sadly died from cancer in 1985. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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