Tweet
This original uniform ensemble is both unique and rare given the jersey is possibly from the Vikings inaugural year of 1961 and the original purple satin pants possibly from the either the 1961 or 1962 seasons (based on the Rawlings tag as it compares to its baseball counterpart). Without doubt, the winner of this pair, originally sourced from the original Vikings equipment manager Jim "Stubby" Eason, will be acquiring a true piece of scarce football history.
The jersey is reportedly a first year road jersey worn by #87 Gordon Smith (TE 1961-1965). The jersey has the traditional ¾ length sleeves with reinforced elbow pads. It has the customary round neck which is proper for the era. The base color hue of the durene jersey is a cream/off white color attributed to the age of the jersey. Sewn on the front left tail is the Sand Knit Al Aldritt manufacturers tag with a size "48" flag tag. Sewn on the front, back and both sleeves is the player number "87" done in purple on gold tackle twill. On the sleeves are the Vikings embedded purple with gold outline sleeve stripes. The jersey displays good use with faded and puckered numbers and blood stains on front. The jersey is 100% all original with no alterations of any kind.
The pants are, again, believed to be worn in the early 1960's, possibly 1961 or 1962 and are one of few known survivors. In a home game on October 11, 1964 vs. the Detroit Lions, the Vikings decided to wear their road white tops with purple pants. However, this presented a problem since no one notified the Lions that the Vikings decided to wear white tops at home instead of their usual purple tops. The game started with both teams wearing white tops and in the 2nd quarter the equipment manager Jim Eason had to go from the stadium to the practice facility to retrieve their purple tops. What followed was the Vikings all simultaneously changing from their white jerseys to purple jerseys on the sideline. The Vikings finishing the game wearing purple jerseys with purple pants. Coach Norm Van Brocklin was so grossed out by the mono-purple look that the Vikings did away with the purple pants the following year and went to white-over-white on the road.
As for the aesthetics of the pants, the front is made of purple satin while the back of purple stretchy cotton. The pant striping is white with gold sides and made of ribbed cotton material. They are complete with draw string. Sewn on the tongue inside are 3 labels. 1) Action Tailored Rawlings size "38" tag. 2) Corrie's Minneapolis, Minnesota tag. 3) Wash tag. On the size tag the number has been marked out but appears to have possibly been #67 (Grady Alderman). The pants are well worn with some fading and a team repair on the left rear cheek.
This is a piece of Minnesota Vikings football history worthy of the Hall Of Fame.View Lot Detail page
The jersey is reportedly a first year road jersey worn by #87 Gordon Smith (TE 1961-1965). The jersey has the traditional ¾ length sleeves with reinforced elbow pads. It has the customary round neck which is proper for the era. The base color hue of the durene jersey is a cream/off white color attributed to the age of the jersey. Sewn on the front left tail is the Sand Knit Al Aldritt manufacturers tag with a size "48" flag tag. Sewn on the front, back and both sleeves is the player number "87" done in purple on gold tackle twill. On the sleeves are the Vikings embedded purple with gold outline sleeve stripes. The jersey displays good use with faded and puckered numbers and blood stains on front. The jersey is 100% all original with no alterations of any kind.
The pants are, again, believed to be worn in the early 1960's, possibly 1961 or 1962 and are one of few known survivors. In a home game on October 11, 1964 vs. the Detroit Lions, the Vikings decided to wear their road white tops with purple pants. However, this presented a problem since no one notified the Lions that the Vikings decided to wear white tops at home instead of their usual purple tops. The game started with both teams wearing white tops and in the 2nd quarter the equipment manager Jim Eason had to go from the stadium to the practice facility to retrieve their purple tops. What followed was the Vikings all simultaneously changing from their white jerseys to purple jerseys on the sideline. The Vikings finishing the game wearing purple jerseys with purple pants. Coach Norm Van Brocklin was so grossed out by the mono-purple look that the Vikings did away with the purple pants the following year and went to white-over-white on the road.
As for the aesthetics of the pants, the front is made of purple satin while the back of purple stretchy cotton. The pant striping is white with gold sides and made of ribbed cotton material. They are complete with draw string. Sewn on the tongue inside are 3 labels. 1) Action Tailored Rawlings size "38" tag. 2) Corrie's Minneapolis, Minnesota tag. 3) Wash tag. On the size tag the number has been marked out but appears to have possibly been #67 (Grady Alderman). The pants are well worn with some fading and a team repair on the left rear cheek.
This is a piece of Minnesota Vikings football history worthy of the Hall Of Fame.View Lot Detail page