Lone Star Conference
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| ABILENE CHRISTIAN |
ANGELO STATE |
EASTERN NEW MEXICO |
| "Wildcats" |
"Rams" |
"Greyhounds" |
| Abilene, TX |
San Angelo, TX |
Portales, NM |
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| INCARNATE WORD |
MIDWESTERN STATE |
TARLETON STATE |
| "Cardinals" |
"Mustangs" |
"Texans" |
| San Antonio, TX |
Wichita Falls, TX |
Stephenville, TX |
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TEXAS A&M-
COMMERCE |
TEXAS A&M-
KINGSVILLE |
WEST TEXAS A&M |
| "Lions" |
"Javelinas" |
"Buffaloes" |
| Commerce, TX |
Kingsville, TX |
Canyon, TX |
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Comments
Tarleton State has a new helmet design for 2012 (shown above).
Historical Helmets
ABILENE CHRISTIAN
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| ? - 1960 |
1961 |
1962 - 1964 |
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| 1965 - 1966 |
1966 - 1967 |
1968 |
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| 1969 - 1978 |
1979 - 1984 |
1985 - 1986 |
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| 1987 - 1990 |
1991 - 1992 |
1993 - 1994 |
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| 2001 - |
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As for the "missing" Abilene Christian helmets:
- In 1960 the team used white helmets with dark uniform numerals on the sides, and with a dark/white/dark stripe sequence. In all probability the numerals and stripes were purple in color, but since the team did use red as a secondary color a few years later, perhaps red (and black, also) cannot be ruled out as possibilities.
- From 1962 through 1964 the helmets were white with a dark/white/dark stripe sequence, and at least sometimes with small uniform numerals at the front of the helmet, the two digits on either side of the central stripe. The clearest photographs which I have received from this period strongly imply that the dark stripes consisted of two adjacent colors, the inner color being slightly lighter than the outer portion. I would speculate that the inner stripes were red with the outer stripes being the expected purple color;
- From 1979 through 1984 ACU used white helmets with a "wildcat" logo on the sides; above the cat were the letters "ACU". There were several stripes on this design and the facemask color is unclear, but appears to be gray in the best available photograph;
- The 1995 helmet was purple with a diagonal "ACU" logo; I have no clear color photographs of this helmet but I suspect that the logo may have been black with a white outline, and that the middle stripe on the helmet may have been black;
- In 2000 the team used white helmets with an "ACU" / "wildcat" logo which is still used by the university. I have no color photographs from this season and it is unclear whether the logo was entirely purple and white, or if other colors may have been used to depict the cat.
Below are photographs of the missing helmets; additional information on these would be appreciated.
ANGELO STATE
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| ? - 2001 |
2002 - |
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EASTERN NEW MEXICO
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| ? - 2005? |
2006? - 2007 |
2008 - |
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INCARNATE WORD
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| 2009 - 2010 |
2011 - |
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This team played its first season of football in 2009.
MIDWESTERN STATE
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| 1988 - 1994 |
1995 |
1996 - 1997 |
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| 1998 |
1999 - 2001 |
2002 - 2005 |
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| 2006 - |
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These are all of the helmet designs used by Midwestern State since the team was formed in 1988; an earlier team played its last season in 1956.
TARLETON STATE
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| ? - 1999? |
2000? - 2009 |
2010 - 2011 |
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| 2012 - |
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I have received very little information for this team. One earlier helmet design apparently featured a logo depicting an outline of the state of Texas with a star inside (photo below); this was used during the 1968 season.
TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE
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| 1987 - 1994 |
1995 |
1997 - 1998 |
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| 1999 |
2000 - 2003 |
2004 - 2005 |
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This university was known as East Texas State University prior to September 1, 1996, hence the "ET" logos on the earlier helmets. The 1996 helmet featured a logo of a leaping lion; I would appreciate a clear photograph from the 1996 season (I have a copy of the helmet logo and need just a photograph in order to draw the helmet accurately).
WEST TEXAS A&M
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| ? - 1977 |
1978; 1981 |
1985 - 1990 |
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| 1992 - 1993 |
1994 - 1995 |
1982 - ?; 1996 - 2001 |
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| 2002 - 2003 |
2004 |
2005 - 2006 |
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| 2007 - |
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This school was known as West Texas State University prior to June 1, 1993. The football team participated in the Division I Missouri Valley Conference through 1985 before moving to Division II and joining the Lone Star Conference the following year. WTSU did not field a team in 1991.
I have received partial and often contradictory information about several other earlier helmet designs used by West Texas State / West Texas A&M; the dates of use are particularly uncertain:
- c.mid 1970s: helmets reportedly were plain silver for at least one year;
- 1979 - 1980: gold helmet shells were used, supposedly with "several different" logos; I have never located any photographs from either of these years and I think it is more likely that the "WT" logo shown above for 1978 and 1981 was probably used both years;
- 1985 - 1990: a maroon and white "WT" logo was worn on silver helmet shells with white facemasks and maroon/white/maroon stripes;
- 1992 - 1993: a logo similar to the one used by the Buffalo Bills of the NFL but containing the letters "WTSU" was used.
- 1994 - 1995: similar to the previous design, but with the letters "WTAMU" rather than "WTSU".
