Maize Jerseys (Historical Conundrum)
Let me begin by saying that I am anti-Maize jersey, and this is not a call for anything to be added or changed in the current football uniform options.
However...
As an avid reader of UniWatch, I saw this link in the ticker this morning, which took me to this PDF of Michigan's uniform history.
It's pretty neat stuff, and then you get to page 20. It shows that in 1964, Michigan wore Maize jerseys. I have never, ever, heard anything about this or seen any visual evidence of a maize jersey in any previous discussion. Can I hopefully just presume that this is a mistake on the part of the artists and that should just be a simple white version of the road jersey? Thank you for your time and feedback.
And I thought somebody from this board infiltrated the database and photoshopped in the maize jersey.
I like the history of michigan but sometimes you have to make a new landmark, like the night game. or wearing a different color jersey. I mean its still michigan colors. I think we should wear maize during the night game. BOOM!
I think that would be pretty cool, don't get me wrong I don't want to go all Oregon with our uniforms.
Why would we put a duck on our unis?
Yeah i agree about not wanting to go all Oregon. I only want to go a little oregon.
O.M.G. -1
As I still feel about Maize-outs, its a color that should only be used for highlighting, both in highlighting the pattern on the helmets and highlighting textbooks- never for a main color.
Nice to see another Uni-Watch reader here. I wanted check out that link from the ticker, but I need to get a little work done today.
"History is written by the victors"
If these jerseys existed, there's a reason we haven't heard about them.
[EDIT] - Numbers on the side of the helmet?! maybe it's just the way the sketch looks, but all in all, it doesn't look as harsh on the eyes as I would have expected. I wouldn't disapprove if we had a commemorative night or something.
I've always liked the numbers on the side of the helmet
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no problem with that.
Numbers on the side of the helmet are OK. I believe the rules at the time required numbers on the helmet so this is nothing unique to Michigan. The best thing we could do for throw back unis is to go back to using true maize instead of the current bright yellow.
No thanks
You have no idea if they won or loss in the jersey's. Just because they wear maize doesn't mean all hell will break loose. Just go ask the lions they tried everything, and now are starting to found out its the coaches and players that matter !
That Michigan has, in fact, worn maize jerseys in the past and that it is part of our TRADITION, will do absolutely nothing to affect the opinion of the majority of this board that thinks maize jerseys are a complete abomination and that anyone who is in favor of maize jerseys has no respect for our tradition.
Also: thanks for the link.
I love how you not only immediately took this erroneous link as gospel, but used it as a chance to take shots at other fans. Don't believe everything you read on the internet.
I remember seeing this mentioned somewhere in the recent past. It seems like a 60s-ish kind of thing to try...loud bright colors and all. Hopefully we won't see it again any time soon.
Doesn't WVU wear this combo sometimes?
That's an excellent find and an interesting read. Fortunately, I think the maize jerseys are a mistake. The 1964 team, coached by Bump Elliot, was 8-1, with a 21-20 loss to Purdue in West Lafayette and a Rose Bowl win over Oregon State. Below is a team picture from mgoblue.com. While the picture is black and white, it's pretty clear the jerseys aren't maize. Also below is a picture of 1964 All-American QB Robert Timberlake (I can't confirm the picture is from 1964).
I'm pretty confident the artists rendition was wrong--and even if it wasn't, some things are better left in the past.
I think too many fans only think of the Bo era when it comes to Michigan Tradition. We have traditions that go further back and if we wore Maize jerseys in the past, that's all the more reason to bring 'em back. Even if only used sparingly.
This is a color photo from the 1965 Rose Bowl against Oregon State and would seem to answer the question:
Theoretically, the maize jerseys could still have existed as a home jersey. However, like I said below, I don't think it's true.
Holy shit did he get up. A lineman too!
That's what she said.
Catholepistemiad!
Catholepistemiad = +1 for the new vocab nugget
"History of the University of Michigan". Wikipedia. First sentence.
I was going to make some snarky comment about how doesn't anyone take 'History of UofM' anymore, but I just looked through the course guide and it's not there! Did no one pick up the banner after Nick Steneck retired?
This board has ruined my brain in interesting ways. I had to read that three times before I actually read what it says, and not Nick Sheridan.
I did a triple take. "When did NICK SHERIDAN ever teach some sort of course?!? What?!"
"Come gents! Let us have a rousing sporting event, and then we can retire to the study for a fine cigar, and perhaps have a rousing discussion on the latest scientific findings."
I am in love with the 1904 jerseys. I hate all of the "throwback" shit that is so prevalent now, but I would completely make a 180 on that for these. It somewhat looks like formal attire from the 18th century. We NEED to bring these babies back!
If you're reading this thread do you think you could use your connections and find out of Bob Timberlake ever wore a maize jersey?
Maize jerseys are fine as long as they're worn with crotchless chaps. Also, the MMB should be replaced by a 350 member Korean girl group.
was better before he started with all the redesigns... there's plenty of sites that get into the submitted artwork, and yes I do some things for a few, but what I always liked the most about Uniwatch was that it was a good source for legit uniform news. Wish he'd go back to the facts. Oh, and it's about 70% baseball, about half of that all about the Mets... but still, it's great that Paul can do this for a living.
Also way too many close up photos of his dinner.
Bring back the long sleeves!!!!!
But other than that, brah, we gots to keep it strictly "sun's out, guns out".
The technical term for the notion that we wore maize jerseys in 1964 is "bullshit."
Check out Wolverine Historian here for the '64 game down in Columbus. Even though it's in black and white, it's obvious we're wearing white jerseys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTqe-kdtMTc
On top of that, the Bentley Library has a team photo from practice for the Rose Bowl following that season, and they're all in white jerseys.
And to cover the home jersey possibility...
...for sale on the interwebs.
Number three at least doesn't make me want to claw my eyes out like number two, but still horrendous.
Please!
I talked to a guy who played on the '64 team. He claims that only third string players during practice wore maize jerseys. He doesn't recall wearing a yellow jersey.
Why does everybody think maize jerseys are a bad idea? It worked out nice for the basketball and hockey teams! Back in the fab 5 era, (high school) everybody owned one, and you weren't cool if you didn't, even spartan fans had 'em! Our maize and blue is different than Cal, or WV, so those comparisons are crap. If they ran out of the tunnel for the Ohio State game next year wearing them, everybody would love it, and you're a liar if you say different! Imagine the revenue created by adidas if they did it.
All yellow would be just garish. Remember how much the alt jerseys for OSU got panned? It would be that times 1,000,000.
No matter how they matched it up with the pants, just having it for sale, as a real authentic item would be great! I would personally love to see it, not always, not even often, but as an option for big games. Like Notre Dame's Green jerseys, or Florida State's gold ones, it would only add to the history, not take away.
We're going to have to agree to disagree here.
FWIW, I think the green ND jerseys are just awful.
I have no problem with maize jerseys. In fact I say we wear them for the Notre Dame night game, that would be so awesome.
Why do some people feel the need to create something new?
Michigan jerseys are iconic.
Would anyone consider changing the helmets; even for one a game a year, to a design that featured maize flames instead of wings?
I abhor the idea of maize jerseys and anyone who thinks they are a good idea can get off my lawn.
thank you UM-Flint Club FootballThank you for illustrating my point.