Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

[princip]

Just picked up a 11-83 stamped Seahawks Rawlings RTS helmet. It has very modified padding, looks to have been game worn, although a lot of reason to believe it was simply a custom Frankenstein job inside.
http://greenglare.com/images/sea_rts1.jpg


The main reason why I bought this helmet, it resembled the low decal placement in the Seahawks helmet featured on this 1984-85 'NFL and You' rookie player's manual.

http://greenglare.com/images/rts_cover1.jpg

Crazy thing is the screw/rivets are in the exact location, on the helmet featured on the manual, to where the screw rivets are on the helmet I just picked up. So, leads me to believe there were a stack of decals pre punctured, then applied to the helmet. Or, I have the exact helmet featured on this cover.
Robert...? I know you know these vintage plastic Rawlings lids well.

http://greenglare.com/images/sea_rts2.jpg
http://greenglare.com/images/rts_cover2.jpg

Regardless, really dig this helmet. The proportions, decals, rusted screw/rivets, face mask, .......superb!

BTW, the noodle padding plastic was junk, completely detrioated and crumbling like dry brittle macaroni.

[princip]

Just received a brochure on these 'Rawlings Tubular System' helmets(thanks Jeff). Looks like the macaroni bit were made out of polyurethane, and the shells were made out of ABS CyCoLite. Don't think the people at Rawlings knew how much their polyurethane blend would actually breakdown, since they were selling it pretty hard for it's stability and flexibility, "...for many years".

I believe what Schutt is doing now, with their TPU, is what Rawlings were hoping for out of these polyurethane tubes.

[princip]

Franco Harris with his RTS in 1984.

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/0111/pg2_g_harris_600.jpg

[Vikingshelmetguy]

Awesome Rawlings helmet Princip! Those 80's Rawlings helmets really are unique. If you look back at 2009 GUU postings in the "March Pick-ups" thread, you'll see another GUU member, Jaccuzzi, had picked up a load of these Rawlings brand helmets, including a couple of Vikings helmets. Here is a screen capture of Jaccuzzi's Vikings Rawlings helmets:

[slats7]

http://cdn2.cagepotato.com/wp-content/uploads/herschel_walker_si_cover.jpg

[princip]

Resolution isn't great, however cool pic of the clear shell RTS used in the brochure.
http://www.michaelprincip.com/images/rts_clear.jpg

[Jacuzzi]

Thanks for remembering Vikingshelmetguy. I picked up in that group a Chiefs, Oilers and Colts as well. Of the Rawlings I picked up, One Vikings the Chiefs and Colts all Had the team name on the forehead pad. Does anyone know why some of them have this and some don't? I also added a pickure of Bert Jones and Earl Campbell wearing 'em.

[John in KY]

Thanks for remembering Vikingshelmetguy. I picked up in that group a Chiefs, Oilers and Colts as well. Of the Rawlings I picked up, One Vikings the Chiefs and Colts all Had the team name on the forehead pad. Does anyone know why some of them have this and some don't? I also added a pickure of Bert Jones and Earl Campbell wearing 'em.

I'm pretty sure this predates the NFL's current deal with Riddell that mandates teams cover up logos on helmets from other brands like we have today; I don't think that started until the late 1980s or early 1990s. That being said, it seems like some teams started covering up the manufacturer logos on all their helmets there during the early 1980s, but it really was on a team-by-team basis, and it wasn't necessarily consistent so a team might cover them for a year or two, then leave them uncovered for another year or two.

[princip]

I'm pretty sure this predates the NFL's current deal with Riddell that mandates teams cover up logos on helmets from other brands like we have today; I don't think that started until the late 1980s or early 1990s. That being said, it seems like some teams started covering up the manufacturer logos on all their helmets there during the early 1980s, but it really was on a team-by-team basis, and it wasn't necessarily consistent so a team might cover them for a year or two, then leave them uncovered for another year or two.

When Franco wore his RTS, while with the Hawks in 1984, his lid had the Seahawks wordmark on the front nameplate/sweatband. Thing is, that Rawlings logo/wordmark is so big, they must have used an extra large decal, or spray paint to cover it up?

[Jacuzzi]

The weird thing is that these front pads aren't covered over Rawlings. They are actually printed/embossed with the team name. The letters are actually indented like they were made with a punch.

I think the Riddell agreement with the NFL was in 1992?

[princip]

The weird thing is that these front pads aren't covered over Rawlings. They are actually printed/embossed with the team name. The letters are actually indented like they were made with a punch.

I think the Riddell agreement with the NFL was in 1992?

Wow, very cool.

[princip]

Wow, very cool.

That sort of explains the generic, same font, for the Vikings and Colts helmets. Looks like it could be the case for Franco's lid as well.

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/FRANCO-HARRIS-AUTOGRAPH-SIGNED-AUTO-8X10-SEATTLE-SEAHAWKS-PHOTO-COA-RARE-AUTO-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$T2eC16V,!)8E9s4l7bM2BQk)FlK4Zw~~60_57.JPG

[John in KY]

The weird thing is that these front pads aren't covered over Rawlings. They are actually printed/embossed with the team name. The letters are actually indented like they were made with a punch.

I think the Riddell agreement with the NFL was in 1992?


That sort of explains the generic, same font, for the Vikings and Colts helmets. Looks like it could be the case for Franco's lid as well.



Very cool feature - I sure didn't pick up that these were printed this way from the factory from the photos. I agree with princip - good explanation for the generic font instead of a team logo on these.

Rawlings is still using an odd-sized bumper, but on the new ones the bumper it actually a bit narrower than what is found on Riddell or Schutt helmets, plus they essentially have an oval hole cut out of them leaving a raised "R" inside the oval part.

[princip]

I'm pretty sure this predates the NFL's current deal with Riddell that mandates teams cover up logos on helmets from other brands like we have today; I don't think that started until the late 1980s or early 1990s. That being said, it seems like some teams started covering up the manufacturer logos on all their helmets there during the early 1980s, but it really was on a team-by-team basis, and it wasn't necessarily consistent so a team might cover them for a year or two, then leave them uncovered for another year or two.

If your NFL team Rawlings RTS helmet does have the team's wordmark across the frontpad/nameplate, pretty good indictator it was issued to the team directly from Rawlings, and not available to the general public?

[cohibasmoker]

I've attached a couple of scans of my Rawlings Bengals helmet. I know there was a larger "Rawlings" font used on some front bumpers for some players but I was told that it may be best to look for the "smaller" font.

Jim

[yosef777]

Great Bengals Rawlings helmet but that is the HND-9 model not the RTS model. The HND-9 was a staple in the Rawlings catalog from the 1950's through the early 80's. It was discontinued and replaced by the ANFL model around 1982 and later the RTS model in about 1985. Both the ANFL model and RTS had the large font and nose bumper as well as vinyl interiors (opposed to HND-9 leather ones). I included a photo of the a Bears ANFL for comparison and I believe Marino wore the ANFL with the Dolphins

[princip]

Fantastic Bengals helmet Jim!

I finally got my hands on a true Seahawks Rawlings RTS gamer. Padding was pretty much non-existent, no surprise there. However, that wonderfully generic Seahawks wordmark front pad and early 80s decals(over screw/rivets) are ever so present.

http://greenglare.com/images/hawk_rts1.jpg
http://greenglare.com/images/hawk_rts2.jpg
http://greenglare.com/images/hawk_rts3.jpg

[princip]

I've attached a couple of scans of my Rawlings Bengals helmet. I know there was a larger "Rawlings" font used on some front bumpers for some players but I was told that it may be best to look for the "smaller" font.

Jim

Love the look of the perforated padding in that helmet.

[mrclean08]

Were the "noodle" tubes in the RTS originally clear? Or were they always of a yellow color?

[War Helmets]

Great to see something about NFL helmets on this Baseball dominated site.Been looking for a GU Raiders helmet of any player from late 70's through the 80's and it looks hopeless.About ready to give up :( rickwood35180@gmail.com

[Jacuzzi]

Were the "noodle" tubes in the RTS originally clear? Or were they always of a yellow color?

I'm fairly certain that they were a creme color (like surgical tubing) when new.