Tuesday, February 21, 2012

A White-Hot Starr

In this undated photo, Packer legend Bart Starr runs with the ball as he tries to elude two Baltimore Colt defenders.

This is a very unusual Packer uniform in that it doesn't contain any gold. White from head to toe, with single blue stripes on the helmet and pants and blue Northwestern stripes on the sleeves and socks.

The all-white uniform was introduced by head coach Lisle Blackbourn, and replaced when Vince Lombardi took over the team in 1959. Starr came to Green Bay in 1956, so that helps us. According to the Packers' media guide, the white uniforms became commonplace in 1957, so that narrows it down to two possible seasons.

4 comments:

Tom Farley said...

Those Packers-at-Colts photos from '57 and '58 frustrate me, because I never seem to find one with Taylor, Nitschke, Jerry Kramer or one of the other players who didn't join the Packers until '58. I know it's one of those two years, but the detail-seeker in me wants always wants to know which one.

We also know it's '57 or '58 because the Colts didn't bring the horseshoes to the sides of the helmet until '57. In '56, Johnny U's first year, the horseshoes were still on the back of the helmets.

Tom Farley said...

Chance -- Someone at the Gridiron Uniform Database pointed out some inconsistencies in the Packers' 1982 sleeve stripes. Thought you'd be interested. -- Tom Farley

http://gridironuniforms.forumotion.com/t406-green-bay-packers-1982-sleeve-stripes

Chance Michaels said...

Good point on the Colts' helmets.

I agree with your frustration; Starr doesn't help us date the photo.

Vince Prygoski said...

those blue and white Packers unis look like Penn State to me.