White Footballs

zurbs17

Reading the article on 1953 Bowman Football cards in the latest PSA Magazine. The card features a white football on the front of the card and the article talks about one card actually showing two white footballs as the player on the card (sorry do not have the article in front of me) is catching a white football which were used in night games at the time.

WHAT?

You learn something every day. Any of these footballs around today?

zurbs17

The card the article was referring to

dytch2220

This article has a good amount of information about the white night footballs. Hopefully it will set you on the right path to finding one of these balls.

The white ball was first manufactured for widespread use by Rawlings Sporting Goods Co. in St. Louis and was presented in its 1940-41 Fall-Winter sports catalogue. "Footballs for Night Play," the ad offered. Stripes and waterproofing optional. Another early employment of the albinic ball dates back to 1936 in the inaugural Tribune Charities game at the Polo Grounds, on September 8, that featured the Eastern College All-Stars against the New York Giants.

In addition to regular usage by the All-America Football Conference during the years 1946–49, the ball hit the bigtime on the evening of Sept. 16, 1950 –– the much-anticipated NFL debut of the Cleveland Browns, the upstart newcomers and former champs of the recently absorbed/defunct AAFC, who would open the regular season against the incumbent NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles at Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia. It is considered one of the landmark games in NFL history, and the old white ball, a glorious jewel in the night, was a part of it. “I didn’t like it,” flatly recounts Graham, the Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame quarterback, member of the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and star of that September 16th night in Philadelphia. “The white ball had two black stripes on it. The paint they used was slick and my thumb fell right on that spot whenever I gripped the ball. It was very slippery. It was not a good ball to throw. Your accuracy was affected immensely by it.”

dytch2220

Another article from 2009 on the subject.

dytch2220

Also, an old auction on eBay for one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290908539573&item=290908539573&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466