Before “The Duke” is ready for gameplay, it is inspected multiple times for quality assurance and imperfections. Once the ball has been sewn together, it is turned right-side-out, an airtight bladder is inserted and then the ball is laced and inflated. A native of New Britain, Walter Camp helped revolutionize the game of American football while a student and coach at Yale and for several years afterward. In order to ensure each ball is constructed to Wilson’s exacting quality standards, the sewing process is especially meticulous and precise – a skill that takes some craftspeople months to master. It is here that the signature “The Duke” insignia is stamped into each future game ball.įrom there, each panel is sewn together. These panels are cut to size and then sent to have logos and emblems pressed into the surface of the leather. From the cutting and stamping to sewing and lacing, each “The Duke” football is the combined effort of nearly two-dozen expert craftspeople.Įach football starts with four panels of genuine cowhide leather, tanned in nearby Chicago. Each “The Duke” NFL football is hand-produced in Wilson’s Ada, OH factory. While it’s easy to imagine that a factory that produces upwards of 2,500 footballs a day would be largely automated and machine-run, this could not be further from the truth. To honor the memory of the beloved Giants owner, Wilson again began printing “The Duke” into the leather paneling of the NFL footballs, immortalizing Mara’s legacy and long-standing influence over the league.īut what is it that makes iconic “The Duke” NFL Football so special? This design would continue to be produced until Wellington Mara’s death in 2005. Upon the 1970 merger between the NFL and the American Football League, a ball design featuring an alternate logo came into production. the official football supplier of the NFL, it seemed only fitting that the ball adopt the same nickname.įor decades, “The Duke” was emblazoned on the side of each and every NFL game ball. Bears Vikings (1 p.m., FOX) Point spread: Vikings -7 (Vikings favored to win by more than 7 points, otherwise Bears cover) Moneyline: Vikings -303 favorites to win (bet 10 to win 13. Years later, when Giant’s founder Tim Mara arranged the agreement which made Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Having been named by his father after the Duke of Wellington, young Mara was soon dubbed "The Duke" by the Giants players when he worked for the team as a ball boy in 1925. The formerly clunky, globe-like football adopted an ovoidal shape in 1897, and later in 1912 began to resemble the sleek, elongated shape we recognize today.Īs the only official game ball the NFL has ever known, "The Duke" NFL football was named in honor of the game's pioneering legend and NY Giants owner, Wellington Mara. As the game began to evolve from running plays to more passing-dominated strategies, the ball evolved alongside it. It was awkward to carry and nearly impossible to throw. The long-standing heritage of “The Duke” began before the ball got its famous name, back in 1869, when the first-ever game of American football was played on a university field.Įarly versions of the game were played with a ball that was large and round, resembling a soccer ball.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |