Uniform Oddities: LA Rams 1965-69

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

Finishing the Rams trifecta, here is one oddity that we've seen on other teams from time to time. It is the different "1s" on a teams uniforms in the same year and/or other different fonts. In 1972 they had a few oddball jerseys, but the 1972 mesh white uniforms seemed to all match. However, the same is not true from 1965-69.

 In 1964, from all the photos we've seen (the team photo was in blue jerseys that season) the numerals all matched. It was a new color scheme and the jerseys would have been brand new and logic seems to suggest the mix-and-match of jerseys would not have occurred during that first year.

1965 Rams team photo
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We count eleven players (how appropriate) that have a "1" in their uniform number. Using the Girdiron Uniform Database nomenclature, we count seven that are "pointy top" and four that are "box top".

1966 Rams team photo
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Here Irv Cross #27 has an oddball "2" and Hank Gremminger #46 has an oddball 4. However, all the "1s" are the same.

1967 Rams team photo
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In 1967 it seems only Merlin Olsen (74) has and oddball "4". Roger Brown (76) has and oddball "7" and the different "1s" returned. We count seven "1s" and four are pointy-top and three are box tops.

1968 Rams team photo
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In this iteration, we see Pat Studstill (28) with an oddball "2" and rookie Mike Dennis (43) with the odd "4" sans serif. In 1968 there are 5 "1s" and three are box top and two are pointy tops.

1969 Rams team photo
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Aside from Deacon Jones and Clancy Williams playing grabass, we see three oddball "7s" one on Merlin Olsen (74) and  Roger Brown (78) and Coy Bacon (79). Jack Snow (84) has an odd "4" as might Mike Lahood (64) but that one is hard to tell. The count for ones in 1969 is nine and the winner this season is pointy tops with six and box tops with three. We are not counting Karl Sweetan (10) who is on first row until we can get a better look to see which his is.

Gabriel wore a curved "1" versus the Eagles and Giants (perhaps others) meaning for at least two games there were three types of "1s" on field at same time.

1969 Rams team photo before playoffs
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In the team photo taken late in season, after injuries, etc. the count is still nine for "1s" and the count here is six for pointy top and three for box top. This time we see that Sweetan is likely wearing a pointy top.

1970 Rams team photo 
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In 1970 the Rams got new uniforms, though still Dureen with tackle-twill numbers, and these had a blue "V" collar and the numbers appeared to be, ahem . . uniform.

1971 Rams team photo 
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Again, the Rams got new uniforms, these were polyester with iron-on Vinflex numbers and they, too, were uniform throughout the team. The numerals were sans serifs at the bottom.

1964 Roman Gabriel.

1965, 1966 or 1969 Merlin Olsen. Those seasons all had a serif on bottom of "7"

1968 Roger Brown

1966 Rosey Grier. The crotch snap indicates 1966, however the blue "V" collar does give me pause.