For your consideration GUU Auctions is extremely proud to present what can only be described as the most historically significant piece of collegiate sports memorabilia to have ever surfaced and easily one of the most important pieces of sports memorabilia in existence: The legendary Jim Brown's game used college football helmet worn during his final season at Syracuse - a truly spectacular piece that perfectly captures and embodies Jim Brown's illustrious and prophetic collegiate career.
Although listed as a fullback by Syracuse, Brown's unprecedented athletic talent was employed throughout Syracuse's potent gridiron attack of the mid 1950s. For evidence of this one need look no further than the grainy archival film footage of Brown's final game as a Saltine Warrior, the 1957 Cotton Bowl, in which Brown ran for yardage, passed for yardage, returned kickoffs, returned punts, kicked off, kicked extra points and played defense while earning 21 of Syracuse's 27 points and MVP honors. Prior to the 1957 Cotton Bowl game, Brown finished the regular season of his senior year with a performance for the ages in which he scored six touchdowns and kicked seven extra points. Jim Brown, a Syracuse legend. Who would soon become an NFL legend.
His story is known by all football fans, his fame as an athlete, entertainer, and community activist having kept him in the spotlight for more than fifty years. Jim Brown was so physically gifted that there is not a sport he did not play better than most, nor could have played better had he decided to do so. In an era of limited offense, he was an offensive machine and almost always the best defensive player on the field.
What most did not know, and perhaps still don't know, is despite winning thirteen varsity letters in three years of high school athletics, Brown was not offered a scholarship to Syracuse. Instead, and unbeknownst to the young Brown, a group of local businessmen quietly paid his tuition for no other reason than it was he right thing to do. Syracuse later did grant a scholarship to Brown and by his junior year he had redefined Syracuse football. After garnering All American honors in his senior year, Brown entered the NFL as Cleveland's top pick and his impact was immediate and profound. Brown led the NFL in rushing eight times in his nine year career and is still considered by most the very best the game has ever seen. Following his retirement from the NFL, Brown was elected to both the College and NFL Football Halls Of Fame and today dedicates most of his time and energy to community service groups that he founded such as Amer-i-can, trying to eliminate gang violence and promoting economic independence for minorities.
While many may choose to focus on the important significance of this extraordinary piece of football history, and for very good reason, we would ask that you also take the time to savor the joyful memories of a very special era that are instantly unleashed when perusing the images provided below. Like the man himself, we believe that this very special trophy exudes an unmatched combination of strength, beauty and character.
This lost treasure was boxed and put away in the attic of a Syracuse home for 45 years before it was obtained by the consignors eight years ago. The consignors, who are well known and respected football historians, then shared it with the College Football Hall of Fame where it was proudly displayed.
To sports memorabilia collectors, this magnificent piece equates to nothing short of an important and historic archeological find, it is the holy grail of football helmets. Especially considering that no other game worn Jim Brown helmet, collegiate or pro, has ever surfaced or been made available before.
The helmet was originally given to the father of a young Syracuse family by a close friend of former SU Head Coach Ben Schwartzwalder shortly after the 1956/57 season. It was a gift to an expectant father, who put it away for his newly expected son, that turned out to be his newly unexpected bouncing baby girl. The helmet stayed tucked away where it remained for 45 years until the daughter, now caring for her elderly father, discovered it just where he had put it more than four decades earlier.
In our opinion the following points of reference strongly support the helmet's authenticity while many of the points are conclusively supported by archival scans and film footage of Jim Brown at Syracuse:
- Extra large, double-riveted "Husky" RK model helmet shell manufactured by Riddell
- Factory sticker indicating an "RK4" model applied to the inside of the helmet shell
- Significant but not excessive game wear including battle scars
- Original factory painted shell, inside and out and original factory painted striping
- Perfectly aged player's name/number (Jim Brown/44) hand written to the inside of the helmet
- Thick six point suspension webbing, 32 hole ventilation
- Manufacturer's date stamp indicating a mid 1956 build
- Correct vintage Lucite facemask and vintage Macgregor chinstrap
Two other points of interest are worth mentioning: First, the letters "JED" and "JEDMENT" are written on the inside of the helmet along with "JIM BROWN" and "44". Second, additional padding has been added to the interior of the helmet. In both cases it is quite apparent that these were applied to the helmet during the time it was in use, in the late 1950s.
Given that Syracuse fielded two football teams during the Jim Brown era, a freshman (junior) team and a varsity team, it is our belief that "JED" may very well be an equipment staffer's notation identifying the helmet as belonging to the JV/freshman team, i.e. an abbreviation for "Junior Equipment Department". The "JEDMENT" notation seems to further support this theory in that "DMENT" would seem to indicate a crude abbreviation for "Department".
As far as the additional padding is concerned, it seems apparent that it was added in order to reduce the size and fit of this very large, over-sized helmet (it was the largest helmet made at the time).
Taken together, this points to a very likely scenario which only adds to the rich history of this helmet. It is our belief that when Jim Brown graduated from Syracuse his helmet, this helmet, was recycled and issued to an incoming freshman player. Given that only a few players had heads large enough to accommodate these special sized XL helmets, the padding was most likely added to reduce the helmet size to a "regular" which would have made it more accessible to the larger player population. A classic example of the frugal nature of collegiate ball from a bygone era. And a truly iconic piece of sports history.
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