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
