What's Tommy wearing?

nearmint

Here's one for the vintage football guys:

Cards often show players in their uniforms from the year before, but where did this one come from? This is Tommy's fifth year with the Patriots, and in my ten minutes of research, I couldn't find any information saying that Tommy ever played for anyone else, or that the Patriots ever wore green. The number on his jersey is different from his other cards, also. I thought it might be an old college photo (he looks younger on this card than on his other cards), but South Carolina's colors, as far back as I can find, have always been red and black. Anyone know whose uniform this is?

Mike

Cubfan

Maybe a picture wearing an AFL all-star game jersey? That could explain the different number if someone else had HIS number. Just a guess.

jvineyard

Just a wild guess - but another possibility might be a minor league football team. I don't know much about them, but I know there were several minor leagues in the 1960's. For example (and the only one I know anything about) the the Richmond Roadrunners of the Atlantic Coast Football League were affiliated with the Saints. Quite a few of the Saints players and coaches in the late 60's through about 1972 played a year or two in the minors.

I also saw a documentary on the NFL Channel about a similar team somewhere in PA that was affilliated with the Eagles.

All of the minor league teams I've seen were affilliated with a specific NFL team and used the same team colors and hand me down uniforms, but I've only seen a few.

wolfbear

Both of the above guesses are reasonable.

Addison graduated from South Carolina in 1958 and started playing for the Pats in 1960,
so he had a year where he could have played in the Minor Leagues.

He was on AFL All-Star teams in 1960, 1962, 1963, 1965, so that would make sense too.

The 1964 Topps issue has some Pats, Bills, a Bronco and a Raider in green uniforms,
but, unlike Addison, all those players had played for the Eagles or Jets at some time.

MrRookie

st. patrick's day jersey?

AlanAllen

It looks like that picture might have been black and white and then colored later. I didn't think they were still doing that in 1966, and that wouldn't explain the uniform number, but it's a possibility.

Joe

nearmint

Oooo, you guys are smart! I think the minor league theory is most likely, since he looks relatively young in the photo. (Here's a link to all of Tommy's cards.) If I get a little time, I'll see if I can track down the team.

Thanks,
Mike

jvineyard

Here's a link to some of the ACFL Logos

The Pottsdown team was affiliated with the Eagles. This listing is not complete.