By John Turney
In 1978 the Los Angeles Rams added a cheerleading unit, likely to compete with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders who were in their seventh season in the sexy uniforms and had become a national phenomenon.
However, to some the Rams version of cheerleaders sexy uniforms went to far. To begin with owner Carrol Rosenbloom and general manager chose the name "Embracable Ewes" for the cheerleading squad. Next, they designed uniforms that were considered over the top, even for the "let it all hang out" 1970s sensibilities.
The controversial part of the
Here are a few shots from the uniforms:
And from the rear:
The uniforms even came with capes:
The uniforms were used in the early part of the season but didn't make their national debut until Week 4 when the Rams hosted the Dallas Cowboys in the Los Angeles Coliseum. The television announcers sure noticed them as well as, we suppose, some women's group. Enough pressure was exerted that the Rams management not only changed the uniforms they changed the name to the more mundane "Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders". They even added a matron of sorts in the form of "Pom Pon Mom" and
The new uniforms were somewhat more modest and took a more athletic tone duplicated .
Here are a few shots of the redesigned outfit:
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| The LA Rams cheerleaders and Pm Pon Mom on the TV show "CHiPs" |
In subsequent seasons the Rams changed the uniforms, but never back to the over
As a huge Rams fan I used to order game programs mailed out from the Rams at West Pico Boulevard to my home in Hawaii. In the first 1978 preseason game vs the Patriots the program introduced the Rams cheerleaders, including a 2-page section of individual portraits (like the players had) with info on each one underneath. A story and color photos of the tryouts was also included. During a televised game I noticed them wearing those Nike waffle trainers, which I had called Ram shoes a few years earlier because of the colorways. They're in the pic with the girl kicking. Interesting that someone on the Rams saw the similarities and included them in the costumes. I had those shoes back in 1976 but I wore them out. They were called Nike waffle trainers because the black sole stud squares in the pattern underneath left prints in the dirt or sand like waffles. I've never seen those shoes in stores since. (ebay $200+) And then Jordan came out and caused the succession period in the Nike empire.
ReplyDeleteI remember those as well. In 1978 I got the Adidas version of the Nike model, the waffle sole. They were blue and yellow. I also would write to Pico and they'd send free stuff lile programs, etc ...
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