Throwbacks

[Prairiepony]

Fry's first year ('62) had red helmets, red jerseys and grey pants; replicated (Doak) late '40's uniforms.

[ozfan]

http://i23.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/34/19/7 ... 2g/140.jpg

I think the red helmets did not come about until after WW II. Prior to that, I believe most teams wore a natural leather helmet. An older gentleman who attended Baylor back in those days told me that when SMU debuted the red helmet, he believed during the Walker era, that it created a stir because no one in the SWC had worn anything like it.

Even in the leather helmets SMU had a dyed red leather. The helmet you friend is talking about is the plastic suspension helmet which SMU was the first SWC team to wear. Check link http://sportsbookusacom.com/products/f74.html

[ozfan]

Until the late 6o's or early 70's SMU always wore red jerseys and red helmats, their could have been one or two years in the 30's when they had a white helmats. The paints until about 1950 was a golden tan heavy duck material which a lot of schools wore it was a kind of standard. The first games I remember seeing was 1943 against a navy team.

I was wrong on the above dates 1957 to 61 The team wore white helmets before going back to red when Fry took over.

[LA_Mustang]

Red by 1937. I kind of like these

Those '37 unis are great.

[Topper]

http://i23.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/34/19/763e_1.JPGhttp://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/m/mfau ... 2g/140.jpg

I think the red helmets did not come about until after WW II. Prior to that, I believe most teams wore a natural leather helmet. An older gentleman who attended Baylor back in those days told me that when SMU debuted the red helmet, he believed during the Walker era, that it created a stir because no one in the SWC had worn anything like it.

Even in the leather helmets SMU had a dyed red leather. The helmet you friend is talking about is the plastic suspension helmet which SMU was the first SWC team to wear. Check link http://sportsbookusacom.com/products/f74.html

That's an interesting link. My friend's memory may have been hazy because he is elderly now. He mentioned Doak Walker, but I think that the leather helmets were still in use until 46 or 47? I wonder when they first dyed the leather? Maybe someone reading this knows someone from that era who remembers.

[Prairiepony]

My memory may be fuzzy too..............BUT the photo of Doak on the cover of Life was a red suspension helmet. ( I think). Must have been '48 or '49.

[Prairiepony]

September 27, 1948 edition. Khaki pants, red jersey and red helmet, suspension.

[ponyboy]

I have a copy of this issue.

[Bergermeister]

I have a copy of this issue.

Got the whole uniform (as shown) in a cedar chest - lineman # - (not #37) and a whole lotta other "stuff"

[Treadway21]

I have a copy of this issue.

Got the whole uniform (as shown) in a cedar chest - lineman # - (not #37) and a whole lotta other "stuff"

Very cool. How did you acquire the uniform.

A few years ago they we're selling replicas at the corral in the stadium that looked great. Unfortunately I held off buying and now they are no longer available.

[Topper]

I have a copy of that issue also, but I am certain that I have seen other pictures from that era that indicate a single blue stripe along the center ridge of the helmet. Maybe I saw such a helmet in Heritage Hall. And I forgot about this site, but I am not sure that the information is definitive.

http://swchelmets.tripod.com/smu.html

[redpony]

IIRC they had the all red when they played Ohio st. in 50-51.

[Topper]

No matter, the Doak era should inspire a great throwback uniform.

[SMUer]

After watching ESPNU All-Access: Ole Miss it suddenly occurred to me that those navy Nike helmets are totally based on the Ole Miss design. I bet Turner told Nike/Bennett that we should look more like Ole Miss, and Nike simply copied that design.

[PK]

After watching ESPNU All-Access: Ole Miss it suddenly occurred to me that those navy Nike helmets are totally based on the Ole Miss design. I bet Turner told Nike/Bennett that we should look more like Ole Miss, and Nike simply copied that design.

I don't believe Ole Miss was wearing the dark blue helmets when Bennett started us wearing them.