Eagles
1949 Pete Pihos
(Authentic Reproduction)
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In 1949 the NFL was back to using plastic shells after its ridiculous short lived injury ban. It wouldn't be until 30 years later when each hard hat carried its own surgeons warning.
There has been much debate over the years as to this rare helmet design, was it wing? a feather? or a center stripe gone horribly wrong. In the early 1940's the Eagles and many other teams used the MacGregor leather helmet. This particular leather helmet had a unique stitch line. When painting or dying each side in contrasting colors you got this interesting wave. When the Eagles strapped up the "RT" plastic helmet in their championship season, they had Riddell paint on this now familiar look.
You can call it a wing or you can call it a feather but no where on this
helmet will you find a warning sticker. "Smoke'em if you got'em!"