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Being "recommended for a numeral" as a badge of honor

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 11:49 am
by RyanChristiansen
In the December 8, 1927, Minneapolis Daily Star, there is an account of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team year-end awards banquet, and in that account it is mentioned that the freshman football coach had recommended certain freshmen players "for numerals." I assume this means that a) players on the freshmen team did not wear numbers on their jerseys, b) being "recommended for a numeral" meant you had been recommended to join the varsity team, and c) players on the varsity team wore numbers on their jerseys.

This made me wonder: did the pro teams always wear numbers on their jerseys? When they did begin wearing numbers of their jerseys, was the college crowd taken aback by the pro players' audacity to think that they had somehow earned the privilege of wearing numbers?

I know that until Red Grange lent his credibility to pro football that the pro players weren't seen as the real deal, so how did wearing jersey numbers play with fans?

Re: Being "recommended for a numeral" as a badge of honor

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 5:00 pm
by TodMaher
Freshmen team "numerals" was equivalent of a variety "letter." My guess is the numeral had to with the graduating class - i.e., if you were on 1920 freshmen team this meant the class of '24.

Re: Being "recommended for a numeral" as a badge of honor

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:33 am
by RyanChristiansen
TodMaher wrote:Freshmen team "numerals" was equivalent of a variety "letter." My guess is the numeral had to with the graduating class - i.e., if you were on 1920 freshmen team this meant the class of '24.
Ah, okay. Interesting. Thank you.

Re: Being "recommended for a numeral" as a badge of honor

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 4:42 pm
by Bryan
TodMaher wrote:Freshmen team "numerals" was equivalent of a variety "letter." My guess is the numeral had to with the graduating class - i.e., if you were on 1920 freshmen team this meant the class of '24.
Or if you were a really good freshman like Herschel Walker, you'd be awarded a '22 or '23 numeral instead.

Re: Being "recommended for a numeral" as a badge of honor

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:23 pm
by JuggernautJ
This reminds me of Parcells starting the tradition of making rookies on the Cowboys "earn the star" on their helmet.