Inside Label: American Football League Officiating Crew Fitted Caps

Autumn is the season in which Sunday, a day holy amongst itself; replenishes the mind of a religion whose basis is shaped by the brutality of play. Autumn is the time in which American football takes center stage within the guts of our social sphere.
This autumn, when the first down is played, the establishment of the American Football League will enter its post Golden Anniversary era. At the time of its establishment, the American Football League served as a competitive force toward the goliath stature of the National Football League. The desire of the AFL to expand into different cities, as well as broadcast televised games, allowed them to reach a broader fan base. With the NFL feeling the pressure of the AFL’s success, a merger was brought to the table. The talk of a merger sparked an annual title game know as the Super Bowl. The merger was completed after the 1969 season, with both leagues playing under the NFL umbrella in 1970.
The American Football League left an indelible mark on the game of football. The unique, bright, stylized uniforms popped beyond the colorized television screen. Player identification was taken to another level as names began appearing on the backs of the uniform. The officiating crew did away with the traditional black shaded, zebra striped uniform. Instead, they exchanged that look for a vibrant orange tonal stripe. This was a very appealing characteristic of the AFL and it remains as one of its most distinct characteristics.
Posted below are two definitive examples of the AFL and its impact on the game of football. These two uniquely designed caps were worn by the officiating crew during the time in which the AFL operated independent of the NFL. Both hats were crafted from wool material, black and orange. They were both shaped through the structure of six individual panels. Braid is stitched down each panel edge. The braid scheme for the black cap is orange, black, and orange. The braid scheme for the orange cap is reverse, black, orange, black. On the front two panels rests the AFL official logo. The logo is directly embroidered onto a piece of white felt. The logo rests atop the braid and is stitched in a single needle style. The logo on the orange style cap is stitched down in black thread while the logo on the black cap is stitched down in white thread. The eyelits, which rest on each panel, are threaded in unison with the color of the cap. At the top of the hat is a button wrapped in black wool. Further research indicates that the under visor consisted of a green material while the sweatband was of a soft leather. The manufacturer of these caps is unknown.
These unique artifacts are protected within the vaults of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, serving as an educational tool of the AFL and its legacy within the game of football.

Text: Jared E. Wheeler

Reebok AFL 50th Tribute, White Referee On-Field Caps

Back in August, Reebok rolled out the Legacy collection which pays tribute to the AFL's 50th Anniversary (Read our post on the AFL Referee Caps here).  Below is the white version of the on-field referee caps. This cap is made with performing mesh fabric in stretch-fit sizing.  This white referee cap is available now through specific team shops and NFLShop.com.

Reebok Hall Of Fame Game 2009 / AFL 50th Tribute, Referee On-Field Caps

The NFL officially kicked off the 2009 pre-season this past Sunday with the Hall Of Fame Game between the Buffalo Bills & the Tennessee Titans.  The game paid tribute to the American Football League’s 50th Anniversary.  Both teams and officials wore uniforms dating back to their AFL days. Below is a close up look at the orange, on-field, referee caps produced by Reebok for the game.  The caps were worn with orange striped shirts and white pants (see here). Originally made in wool back in the days, the NFL decided to roll with a performance mesh fabric for 2009. Other details include black piping, full front embroidery, and nothing on the back. The AFL referee caps are stretch fit and were produced strictly for the Hall Of Fame game.

Mitchell & Ness NFL Throwbacks 'XL' Fitted Caps

Mitchell & Ness is releasing their latest summer style with the NFL Throwback XL fitted caps. The XL series offers up NFL & AFL teams with each large-sized logos treated individually with different levels of raised embroidery. Each cap is made with wool and features either an NFL or AFL shield on the back depending on the team. The Mitchell & Ness XL series is due to release early August through Lids.com first, then followed up by Mitchell & Ness.com and other official dealers later this year.