Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I have always been confused by this photo of Otto Graham:



Although any photo with a white football is immediately intriguing, Graham's jersey looked different than the normal Browns jerseys of that era. I did some hardcore PFRA research (quick Google search) and landed on a webpage that explained the Browns used an orange jersey (the one in the Otto Graham photo) for some preseason games, which was confirmed by "The Gridiron Uniform Database".

An interesting sidebar on the webpage mentioned that when the NFL adopted the white football for night games, the league banned white jerseys and white helmets for night games. So in 1950-51 the Browns used dark jerseys/orange helmets for night games (like the 1950 opener against Philly), and their usual white jerseys/white helmets for day games. This makes sense, but I never knew about the white jersey/helmet ban so I never had put two-and-two together.

The questionable part of the webpage is that it says the Browns also used silver pants for night games in 1950-51. Silver pants are not included for the Browns on "The Gridiron Uniform Database", and I cannot tell from black-and-white photos if the Browns' pants are indeed silver. Has anyone heard of this before? Can anyone confirm/debunk the Browns Silver Pants Theory?

According to this source:

http://blog.heritagesportsart.com/2010/ ... -team.html

I don't see any hint of gray on the pants for 1950. It is not mentioned in the uniform tweaks for that season either.

I'm guessing the answer is no.

That Heritage site inaccurately puts gold numbers on the '63 Raider away jerseys. The gold numbers were painted on bubble gum cards before it was well known the gold would be dropped in '63.

It would have only happened in 1951, since the rule was passed in January of that year:

It could be argued that these pants are grey. the photo says it is from 1951, looks like Browns and Cardinals. Cards have white pants.

I don't know for sure though. Also, not sure this could be considered a night game

Here are some color stills. The pants with the dark jerseys do look to be greyish, though not very dark. They look a shade or two lighter than the white pants. I think they are different, but other people's eye may see something different

BD Sullivan wrote:It would have only happened in 1951, since the rule was passed in January of that year:

I think that means white pants were added to the approved list. Since teams did wear silver at night in 1950 (Eagles) I think it fair to think silver was approved in 1950 but not white. This Jan 1951 rules seems to add white, no?