I am a real advocate of the internet. It is such a source of wonder to me! I no longer have to get dressed, drive the car through traffic, find a parking place down town, put money in the meter, and get myself a library card. I have the world's biggest and best library (and shopping center, to boot!) at my fingertips in my cozy little office, clad only in my long johns and listening to great music of my choosing.
So yesterday I stumbled upon a web site that takes you step by step through the process of restoring a Riddell football helmet!
It just so happens that I have had a Riddell TK5 helmet in my possession since the early to mid 1960's when a friend of mine who shall remain nameless "borrowed" a Riddell helmet from a football team for use in a homecoming parade and it has been on loan ever since.
Eventually he presented it to me, done up as a Green Bay Packer helmet, having hand painted the "G"'s and the green and white stripes himself.
Let's be kind and just say it was not an exact replica.
Over the years, the chin strap disappered as did the face mask, the jaw pads, and the rubber donut that stood in the center of the crown at the top of the helmet.
So the first thing I did adter I stumbled on the site about restoring old helmets was delve further into the net by typing "parts, accessories, Riddell helmets" in Google and located everything I needed to get the project you see pictured -- started.
I am in the fun part now -- the very first stages of sanding off all that paint. I have been at it most of the day and what you see pictured is about as far as I got! And in return, I have powder yellow long underwear and finger nails and sore wrists -- but this is really fun!
You might think I am restoring it as a Packer helmet but I found a "floor model" (by that I mean size 6 -- which not even a baby can get over his ears) of a Packer lineman's helmet at The Eau Claire Sporting Goods Store a goodly number years ago, so I am beginning a collection!
Isn't that a big surprise? Yet another collection of STUFF.
No, this helmet will be done up as a 1970's Washington Redskins helmet (Sorry Jay) as I am a big Billy Kilmer fan. The really tough part was locating the redskins helmet logo decals and stripes -- but I found 'em on -- you guessed it -- good old "E Bay!
Kilmer was one of the last of the tough guys in the NFL along with Joe Kapp, YA Tittle and Joe Namath. He wore his helmet with a single bar face mask long after they had been discarded by others in the league for their lack of effective face protection.
He is also pictured playing without a chin strap for a time. Wht a character! I would imagine that having your helmet be ripped off and flying by some big tackle would be very dramatic.
Kilmer was a real hell rasier as well. How much hell did he raise? His team mates nicknamed him "Ol' Whiskey".
While he was in Washington there was quite a "quarterback controversy" as Kilmer took over for the injured Sonny Jurgensen for a time and did well as his replacement. Washington fans soon took sides, chanting loudly their choice of quarterback during games.
So the helmet restoration will represent some great stories and history.
I would have liked to see the Redskins wallop Fatman Holmgren's Sea Gawks over the weekend, but no such luck. Patrick Kearney proved himself worthy of the Pro Bowl -- no DOUBT!
Now I am NOIVOUS about next week's playoff game (to quote my good buddy, Tom Johnson, New York City refugee.) Just before kickoff this late football season, I would get a telephone call and it would be "Blinky" Johnson and the first words out of his mouth:
"I'M NOIVOUS!"
I want to say a special thank you to John and Cindy Spaeth for being so good to me! It's not very often (if at all) that they miss a performance and they are great folk!
I wanted to let them know that I took their advice about the homeopathic cure for "charlie horses" (I HAVE HAD SOME DOOZIES LATELY) and went out and bought some 1000 mg cinnamon capsules. I wash them down with Gatorade!
I took two on sunday morning beforeI left for Iron River and then I drank 48 ounces of Gaorade on the way up there. I have not had a charlie horse since! Bladder problems -yes -- charlie horses -- no.
Just got a telephone call from Kim over at the house -- so I better get the stove restoked and get my butt over there and start supper!
Before I go, though, another thanks needs to go out to Tom Chisholm of Chippewa Falls who e mailed me and had this to say about my show at the Heyde:
"Caught the show last night at the Heyde -- I would like to write a review -- could you send me your set list -- Mid-winter, just before the Feast of the Wisemen, we all needed humor, comic relief from the political campaigns, cold weather, and the endless disaster of this admisnistration, the Middle East and Afghanistan.
Thanks,
Tom Chisholm"
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