The pictured jacket, sometimes referred to as a vest or
smock, was a staple of the football uniform from the late 1870s up until the
turn of the 1900s.
Initially developed by a Princeton football player, Ledru
Smock in 1877, the jacket was intended to make grabbing one’s opponents more
difficult.
Such jackets have become exceedingly rare and are highly collectable.
See related blog posts dated August 5, 2019 and May 21, 2024
In 1849, when Harrison first
encountered Indian Clubs, his physical abilities were unremarkable. However,
what set Harrison apart was his dedication to training and his belief in the
power of progressive loading. By
gradually increasing the weight of the clubs, Harrison was able to make substantial
gains.
In a three year period, Harrison
advanced from swinging modest 7-pound clubs to handling 37-pound clubs with
ease—and eventually, hefting clubs weighing 47 pounds. His rapid progress not
only demonstrated the effectiveness of this form of training but also cemented
Harrison’s status as a pioneer of modern strength training.
Harrison was more than an athlete;
he was a showman, performing incredible feats of strength for captivated
audiences. In Victorian Britain, public displays of physical prowess were popular, and Harrison’s abilities with the Indian Clubs earned him immense
recognition. Harrison’s performances in music halls and public venues weren’t
merely demonstrations of strength; they were spectacles that fused fitness with
entertainment, laying the groundwork for the later success of figures like Eugen Sandow, the father of modern
bodybuilding, three decades later.
As a result of Harrison’s public
demonstrations Indian Club exercises became popular in Britain and were widely
promoted for their health benefits, improving flexibility, coordination, and
posture. Queen Victoria took note
of Harrison’s abilities, cementing his status as a key figure in Victorian
society.
Schools and homes across Britain
adopted Indian Clubs as part of daily exercise routines, and gymnasiums
throughout the country featured them prominently. Harrison’s influence extended
into nearly every corner of Victorian society, making physical fitness a
cultural priority.
Harrison didn’t just perform for
crowds—he also sought to educate the public on physical fitness. In the late
1850s, he opened a gymnasium in London, where he taught Indian Club exercises,
as well as boxing and dumbbell training. His influence spread through the
publication of training manuals, such as Indian Clubs, Dumb-bells and Sword Exercises, which made his
techniques accessible to the masses.
Harrison’s influence didn’t stop at
the British Isles. His meeting with American entrepreneur Sim D. Kehoe (who sought out Harrison)
in 1861 proved to be pivotal. Inspired by Harrison’s demonstrations, Kehoe
introduced Indian Clubs to the United States, sparking a fitness trend that
would spread throughout gyms and physical education programs across the
country.
Sim D. Kehoe’s introduction of
Indian Clubs to the U.S. in the 1860s marked the next chapter of Harrison’s
legacy. Kehoe authored a training manual, The Indian Club Exercise, published in 1866, which popularized
both light and heavy club exercises—techniques heavily inspired by Harrison.
Indian Clubs soon found their way into American gymnasiums and colleges. In 1904, they were featured as part of the gymnastics events in the Olympics, further cementing their place in the history of fitness. Harrison’s contributions to the world of physical culture resonated far beyond his active years, inspiring the next generation of fitness proponents and enthusiasts and shaping the physical culture movement that swept through Europe and America.
It is very likely that none of us would have Indian Clubs in our sports (or folk art) related collections if it weren't for Henry Thomas Harrison.
The Princeton Head Harness, a helmet type
commonly produced by major sporting goods manufacturers between 1912 and 1929,
is reconsidered with this unique example, which may date back as early as
1897—over a decade earlier than one would previously have assumed. Initially,
our research suggested the helmet was manufactured around 1900. However, after
further handling and extensive investigation, we now believe it could date to
as early as 1897. It is the earliest known example of the 4-attachment
Princeton style helmet and one of the earliest models of any known football
harness.
This helmet challenges the conventional timeline of helmet evolution. Well-worn and featuring numerous period repairs, it exemplifies early helmet construction. The use of lightweight, thin, flexible leather, along with a well-ventilated design—featuring punched holes in the ear pieces and across the body—demonstrates both functional and innovative craftsmanship. The padding consists of a hair-stuffed crown and fine fiber or straw-stuffed ear pieces. Though the manufacturer remains unknown, the very early construction materials, techniques and craftsmanship is comparable to early designs like the Spalding No. 15 or 25 from 1894 (designed primarily for the protection of one or both ears) (1894 appears to be the first year in the introduction of the head harness, in this case as ear protection) (see note 1 at the end of the post).
Similar to the Spalding No. 15 or 25, this head harness
includes punched ventilation holes in the ear pieces and forehead straps;
although a 3 inch section of leather has been replaced at the forehead—likely
due to damage from years of use. This design may represent an intermediate in
harness evolution, potentially bridging gaps between the Spalding No. 25 and
subsequent models.
It’s also possible that this helmet
corresponds to the Spalding No. 40 Chicago Style Harness, advertised in 1897,
though no illustrations of that model exist.
It is plausible that this helmet was an earlier influence to H.B. Conibear's 1901 design of the Chicago head harness. Both designs feature a “floating” crown piece and four points of attachment or strapping, allowing for maximizing ventilation. Given these shared innovations, it seems unlikely that these helmets were conceived of independently.
There are a handful of early previously unknown head harnesses that have come to light, such as this Princeton style helmet, that are actual physical examples. Other examples from these first years of head harness development may only appear in period photographs, advertisements or articles. In these photographs, the harness style is often difficult to determine. This leaves us with questions relative to their development, their date of manufacture, and their manufacturer.
In our research,
for those interested in football helmet history, we found reference to another 1894
head harness that may describe the earliest version of a four strap spoke helmet.
Possibly an early example of a Larwood model head harness. In this instance, this
early harness is for both ear and head protection. The 1894 description reads
as follows: “The elaborate headgear is made of light watch spring steel,
leather straps with lamb’s wool facings and vulcanized rubber. A wide band of
leather, with the lamb skin next to the flesh, passes across the forehead to
the rear of the head. A center strap, similarly constructed, passes back over
the head. From the encircling band are wide, padded straps, which encompass the
ears in horseshoe shape and extend well forward to the cheeks. The rubber nose
mask, a stiff affair, extending over the mouth and to the chin, is attached to
the forehead strap and the cheek pieces. The whole harness is held securely in
place by elastic bands under the chin and at the back of the head and neck by
elastic bands and buckles.” (See note 2 at the end of the post).
A circa 1904 cabinet card (above), though we only
retain a screenshot, provides a definitive photo match in at least three areas
with this exact helmet. Additionally, an article published in L’Amérique
Moderne by Jules Huret, combining two earlier works from 1904 and 1905 (see
note 3 at the end of the post), includes a photograph (below) that appears to depict the same model helmet. If taken during Huret’s attendance at the 1901
Harvard-Yale football game, this could be photographic evidence of a player
from either team wearing this specific helmet design. This further supports the
theory of its use around the turn of the century.
Letters inscribed inside the helmet on
the crown pad, though partially obscured and difficult to discern (much more
visible when wetted), offer further intrigue. Our best interpretation of these
letters suggests acronyms such as KBC/KBO/RBO and PAW/PMW - their significance
remains an interesting part of the puzzle.
As the only known surviving example, this
early "missing link" head harness represents a crucial piece of
football equipment history.
Note 1 – We have over a half dozen advertisements
and articles showing that the Spalding 15 and 25 were being manufactured, sold
and used in play in 1894. Two illustrations, both from October, 1894 are shown.
Note 3 - L’Amerique
Moderne by Jules Huret , an illustrated edition that combined two earlier
publications by the same author, En Amerique - De New York a la New Orleans,
1904, and En Amerique - De San Fransisco au Canada, 1905.
This is a very rare, complete, 1914 Princeton leather bound yearbook / photo album, in great condition. This album has no less than eight or nine photos with Hobey Baker in them, some reproduced in this post. Album measures 13” x 9 1/8”.
As we normally do when we have posted
numerous blogs related to one individual, we reference past entries rather than
repeat much of the same information. Please see blog entries for June 13, 2015,
March 21, 2019, June 22, 2021, June 27, 2021 and May 23, 2022.
“Football and Love: A story of the Yale –
Princeton Game of ‘94” is a fictional blending of romance and the 1894
Yale – Princeton football contest, published in 1895. This is a scarce book and
we haven’t seen another example. We have however seen several copies of a
smaller promotional broadside advertising this book. One copy is in the Library
of Congress, the other, a very faded copy with condition issues has been on eBay.
The book exhibits great colors and graphics as well as illustrations
throughout. A neat little piece in a category of its own.
Spalding was very late to the game marketing the pictured
quilted and padded football jacket. It appears that Spalding manufactured the
padded jacket starting in the fall/winter of 1907 to compete with other
Canadian or English manufacturers that had already been producing these jackets
since the very late 1890s, primarily for Canadian University football teams
where they were a common part of the football uniform. These jackets were worn
from roughly 1899 to 1910.
To our knowledge, Spalding never tried to actively market these
jackets in the US, although we have seen a fair number of examples of padded jackets being worn by players on teams in the US at the turn of the century, mainly in northern states, from New York to California. Such jackets, particularly in the early years would
seem to have made sense and would have been the perfect compliment to padded
football pants, providing similar protection.
The evolution away from these jackets and towards sweaters, sew
on pads and padded jerseys was already well underway by the time this jacket
was manufactured. In fact Spalding was strongly marketing and pushing these
other items in their advertising. Spalding could make considerably more money
selling jerseys, sew on pads, sweaters, etc., than it would from football
jackets that were as a rule surprisingly inexpensive. As an example of this, in 1906 we see pads
were priced at .50 to 1.00 a pair, shoulder pads 1.00 to 2.50, and sleeveless
football jackets selling for between .40 and 1.25, depending on quality. Such factors account for the lack of existing
examples of these jackets. Padded jackets continued to be available for a few more years (despite lack of demand) and
were worn by a few Canadian University teams (more than others), likely due to
the reuse/recycling of older equipment. One such University that continued to
use these padded jackets was the University of Toronto. The photo of the 1907
team illustrates the variety of padded jackets that had existed up to and at
the time.
This Spalding football jacket is in mint original condition.
As with all lace up Jackets/vests that we in the hobby see so infrequently, this too is a scarce example, being the only Spalding example known to the
hobby or having been seen by major Spalding collectors. It really is a
wonderful piece to handle.
A similar example is pictured in Antique Sports Uniforms by Hauser, Turner & Gennantonio.
Ball's circumference is 24" x 26 1/2".
