Baltimore Colts

Tom Matte - 1962
(Authentic Reproduction)

This fine reproduction represents the rare and unusual helmet worn by Tom Matte in the early 1960's. The helmet was manufactured by Macgregor and it represented their transition from a leather to a plastic helmet shell. What is unusual is that the company adopted the same multi-angled shape of their leather helmet to arrive at the shape of the new plastic shell. Plastic shell helmets made by most other companies during that era were shaped either perfectly round or with slightly flared sides. The interior padding in the leather shell Macgregor helmet was virtually identical to the interior padding for the plastic shell version. After the football season was over resourceful equipment reconditioners would salvage interior padding from new but obsolete leather shell helmets and use it to replace worn out interior padding for the plastic shell version that was now being used. This odd shaped shell never caught on in the pro ranks and was used by only a few players including Matte and Irv Cross of the Eagles. Perhaps Matte used it because it was similar to the helmet he wore in college at Ohio State. Shortly after its introduction Macgregor discontinued production of this radically shaped helmet shell and introduced a round conventional shaped shell which remained virtually unchanged until Macgregor got out of the football helmet business in 1974. Matte wore this helmet with a Riddell regular length one bar mask - perhaps due to playing the quarterback position  in college. Please notice the navy colored helmet logos, center stripe and player numbers compared to the current team colors which are closer to royal.  Also the shape of the horseshoe logo is less wide with more of a gap or opening at the top than the current version. the rear 2" NCAA style numerals are a classic style (see similar era Redskins, Steelers and Giants) and were changed to 2 1/2 " thinner profile numerals in the late 1960's.