Rich Saul / Jack Youngblood Game Used Worn La Rams Helmet

[dodgerbats]

First of all, Thank you for your valuable time!
I purchased a Los Angeles Rams game worn helmet a couple of months ago. I purchased the helmet on ebay. The helmet was listed as a Rich Saul helmet, but I purchased the helmet in HOPES that it might be a Jack Youngblood helmet.
I knew the helmet matched the Rich Saul specs because I've had one of his helmets in the past, so size and style was a perfect match, BUT the helmet has the wrong face mask!

After a few more emails with the seller, I had the opportunity to speak with an elderly man that sold the helmet to the eBay seller. He's getting up there in age, so I talked to him on the phone instead of trying to commicate with him on computers (which I understand because my parents are about the same age and they don't have a computer either. lol)
The gentleman actually worked for the Los Angeles Rams and he told me that he received the helmet after the 1976 Rams / Dolphins game in Miami. He told me that when the Rams were in Miami, someone broke into the Rams locker-room and stole about 15-20 of the Rams helmets. He said that Don Hewitt, the equipment manager, had about 3-4 hours to run all over town to try and find enough helmets so they could start the game! He also said that Don had a few of the Rams players sharing helmets that day. An offensive player would share a helmet with one of the defensive players! As I've looked through literally hundreds of LA Rams photos, Jack and Jim Youngblood are the only defensive players that I've found wearing that same exact face mask. Most of the other players wearing that same face mask were (offense) running backs, Cappelletti, McCutcheon, and also Jim Bertelsen.
The Elderly ex-Rams employee told me on the phone that he was told that Rich Saul shared his helmet with Jack Youngblood! It made good sense to me, becuase of the fact that they both wore Wilson "Suspension Helmets" during the day!
QUESTION! Does anyone have any information on that 1976 Rams / Dolphins game? Any information about the "stolen helmets"? I'd love to have a copy of an article on the "stolen helmets"!

I LOVE THE HELMET! It shows lite wear on the inside suspension, but shows great wear on the outside shell, and I was told by one of the TOP game worn helmet collectors that it looks to have a custom "Equipment Manager" paint job, that was done from time to time in the locker rooms! The helmet also has a vintage "RICH SAUL" name tag on the inside so it's a no brainer that it's Sauls helmet, but would love to have more history on the piece.

Thank you again for your valuable time. Mark

[helmets]

You state that it is a perfect style match. I'm not a Rams helmet expert, but in 1976, the Rams horn went to the edge of the front of the helmet - like the photo you posted. Not like the later years positioning of the horns on your helmet.

Perhaps someone with more Rams helmet knowledge than I, can tell us when the Rams changed the positioning of the horns.

[dodgerbats]

Thank you for your reply. The helmet is actually dated Dec of 1975 using the Wilson Date code on the back of the helmet.
But looking at 100's of photos, I see both styles during the same years.

Here's a photo of the Rich Saul helmet that I actually sold a few years ago! It was also a 1975 Wilson code on back.

Thanks, Mark

[dodgerbats]

I just checked a bunch of 1976 Rams photos and I do see both styles of decals, but it might be because of two different manufacturers of helmets because MOST of the helmets are Riddell and this is a WILSon. ???????

Thank you again for your help. I appreciate it. Mark

[karamaxjoe]

A long, long time ago I read a book on Pat Hayden's rookie season of 1976. Maybe if you can find the book, it might mention the helmet thefts.

[dodgerbats]

Hey, Thanks Mike! I'll look for the book. That's a Great idea!

Thanks again, Mark

[nyg44]

I found this website which talks about the game
http://community-2.webtv.net/laramfan/THERAMSQBHISTORY/

Also, I think if you look around the dvd of the game exists (just the second half I think)

:)

[dodgerbats]

WOW! Thank you very much! I'm going to check it out right now! Thank you again for the information. Sincerely, Mark
I found this website which talks about the game
http://community-2.webtv.net/laramfan/THERAMSQBHISTORY/

Also, I think if you look around the dvd of the game exists (just the second half I think)

:)

[dodgerbats]

NYG44, you are my Hero! I just read the part on the "Rams Stories" that you just sent me! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

This "GameUsedForum.com" is really neat! Today is the first time I've ever posted anything on here, and tons of Great people!
This is what the Elderly man (Ex Rams employee) was telling me about!

Read:
Coach Knox didn't give the game ball to James Harris, he didn't even give it to a Ram player. The game ball went to equipment manager Don Hewitt. When the Rams arrived at the stadium, they found out someone broke into their locker room an stole a dozen helmets. Somehow on a Sunday morning in Miami, Hewitt managed to buy a few helmets, rebuild a few extras he had and worked out a system of trades between offensive and defensive players.

[athletics61]

That is awesome to see. I was a freshman in high school in 1976 and remember that Rams-Dolphins game. I was, and am still to this day a die hard Rams fan and still can't get over the fact that those Ram teams under Chuck Knox could not get to the Super Bowl. I still identify the Rams with those uniforms they wore prior to 2000.

Don

[dodgerbats]

Don,
Speaking of Chuck Knox, I had the opportunity to talk to him on the phone a couple of months ago which was a real treat! It sure was a shocker that Knox never got them to the Super Bowl because they had the best defense in football for many many years. They were always one game away from the Super Bowl, always losing to the Cowboys or Vikings! Oh the Heart ache! :( Take care Don! Mark

That is awesome to see. I was a freshman in high school in 1976 and remember that Rams-Dolphins game. I was, and am still to this day a die hard Rams fan and still can't get over the fact that those Ram teams under Chuck Knox could not get to the Super Bowl. I still identify the Rams with those uniforms they wore prior to 2000.

Don

[lund6771]

Hi Mark...

when I get to work tomorrow I'll check if I have access to that game on DVD

That would be cool if they mention the theft on the air and showed players actually handing helmets off to each other as they came on & off the field

[aeneas01]

The Elderly ex-Rams employee told me on the phone that he was told that Rich Saul shared his helmet with Jack Youngblood! It made good sense to me, becuase of the fact that they both wore Wilson "Suspension Helmets" during the day!

i don't think there's any evidence that youngblood ever wore a wilson helmet and i think you would be very hard-pressed to find conclusive proof that saul wore one either. i remember chatting with you about your saul helmet many moons ago, a chat i very much enjoyed btw, and i remember saying that it looked like a very nice, authentic rams' helmet to me. i also seem to remember that i had even come across a photo of saul sporting what might be a wilson lid but i can't quite remember - i looked through my photo database and other photo sources and can't locate such a photo.

anyway, up until the mid to late 70s the rams were one of those teams that were almost exclusively fitted with riddell helmets and schutt facemasks. a few guys (ferragamo, hadl, john williams) sported dungards and bob brown brought his clear-shell mac with him to the rams in 1970, harrah wore a bike, but for the most part the rams just didn't use other types of helmets. this is a drag for me, a guy that loves vintage lids and the rams! for example, i would love nothing more than adding a classic rams rawlings ridge gamer, or hnd9, or a kelley, mac or other clear shell - or even a rams gamer with a full cage dungard to my collection. but, alas, the rams just didn't get into these type of helmets or facemasks. were there exceptions? sure. but they were very few.

wilson helmets, including the f2005 suspension helmet, are pretty easy to spot given there are so many things about them that are unique to wilson helmets. the exterior jaw pad rivets, the extra long jaw pads, the rear screws and the double nose snubbers are all examples of unique wilson features that are very visible in closeup shots. and looking at closeup shots of rams' players of that era, nothing that would imply a wilson lid surfaces.

as far as the '76 dolphins game is concerned, i remember it well and i believe that the number of helmets stolen was much smaller than what you mentioned. in fact i believe that only about a half a dozen were stolen and that hewitt was able to make do with a few extras he brought along and a few he purchased. as far as saul and youngblood sharing a helmet in that game is concerned, who knows, certainly possible. but if they did i would imagine that it would have been a riddell cell helmet (pac3 or microfit) they shared given that both youngblood and saul had moved onto riddell cell helmets by 1976 and because they were the latest and greatest lids available at the time and, as such, most likely the most available to hewitt during his eleventh hour search.

i wish i could be the bearer of better news my friend. when i get a chance i will take another look at my photo database (i have an infinite number of classic rams photos!) - hopefully i will come across one of saul sporting a wilson suspension helmet. as far as youngblood is concerned, the guy was a riddell man.

here are a few photos: the top two are of youngblood, 1974 & 1975, his last years wearing a riddell suspension helmet. notice the jaw pad rivets i've circled (not the chinstrap snap!) - these are very different than wilson rivets. also notice the nose snubber i've circled - this is also much different on a wilson. the bottom three photos show saul - gotta love the one of him playing special teams in 1973 (he didn't become the rams' fulltime center until '75) - all show him wearing a riddell wildcat bumper.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y238/aeneas1/saul_young.jpg

...

[dodgerbats]

Hello, I just got home from work!
Thank you for the info. and it's nice to hear from you.
The helmet that I'm wearing in the backyard photo is a Wilson F2005 suspension helmet in a size 7 3/8 that I bought directly from Rich Sauls relative about 4 years ago. That's the one that I sold.

The helmet in the photo that's sitting on the top of my hutch is the one that I just bought on ebay. It's also a Wilson F2005 suspension helmet in a size 7 3/8. You helped me date this helmet to Dec. of 1975 , but 4 years ago, I didn't know how to date the helmet. Is there any way to tell by photos if the two helmets were the same year???

P.S. You were the "TOP game worn helmet collector" that I refered to in my original post! :)

Thanks again for your valuable time. Sincerely, Mark

[dodgerbats]

Hello aeneas01

Here's a couple more photos. The first photo is the Rich Saul helmet I bought from his relative about 4 years ago. And the second photo is the Rich Saul helmet that I just bought on ebay last month.
Rich Saul obviously wore a Wilson suspension helmet at some point in time, but WHEN?????????
Do you think that these two helmets are about the same year, or is it impossible to tell without knowing the other burn stamp?

Thanks, Mark

[princip]

Wow, I am finding this thread very interesting. Two Saul Wilson helmets, yet, no pictures of him actually ever wearing a Wilson helmet??? I'll be on the lookout as well.

[princip]

One of these might have been given to Saul by a Wilson salesman (sample)? Try it if you like it possibly? Otherwise, I am very curious as to the lid he wore during that '76 Dolphins game.