WAUSAU, Wis. (WFRV) – A trip to the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum stitches together a century of football history.
“The jersey is made out of wool, the pants are made out of canvas, there is no helmet,” director Matt Foss said.
The oldest item featured is the jersey for the Tanks, a team from the 1920s in Ironton, Ohio. All the items are game-worn, straight off the field.
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“Larry Wilson’s blood is still on his socks that we loaned,” Foss said.
Artifacts on loan from the Pro Football Hall of Fame make up the latest exhibit, “Gridiron Garments,” featuring jerseys, pads, cleats, and even the helmets made for cold weather.
“Actually, glycol, the liquid that’s inside, is actually part of the ingredients in anti-freeze,” Foss said of a 1970s Cleveland Browns’ helmet.
The art museum has a clothing design theme right now. After planning an exhibit on kimonos, museum leaders got in touch with the Pro Football Hall of Fame for gridiron garments.
“We at the museum believe that art is all around us,” Foss said. “And a big part of that is design. Whether it’s furniture design, architecture, or even the clothes we wear.”
The look of the football players has changed over the years as the way fans engage with the sport has transformed.
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“The advent of games being played on television, then most games being seen in color, and then fans wanting to wear the jerseys of their favorite players as well,” Foss said.
The goal of the jersey has been woven throughout the years, as teams strive for a mix of style and success.
“Design functions have changed not only for aesthetic purposes but also for functional purposes for playing the game of football,” Foss said.
Although at times, it might have been more trial and error before getting it right.
“The shoes of kicker and longtime offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns Lou Groza,” Foss said. “On the right toe, because he was a kicker, has a square toe. Kickers used to kick the ball straight on.”
The innovative and flashy garments rope visitors from the museum’s hardwood onto that turf from so long ago. The exhibit remains open through June 1.
