Here They
Are in All Their Glory!
The
Uniforms of the San Diego Chargers
Bask in the Tradition. Bask
in the Memories.
Titled “Life, Liberty And
The Pursuit Of Touchdowns” and Licensed by the National Football
League, the Artwork is available in two framed presentations:
An eye-catching framed-and-matted print
measuring 12” x 21” that sells for only $52 each—which is an exceptional
value for a fully assembled Artpiece of this size. And a dramatic 19” x 39” triple-matted high-quality print (a
Letter of Authenticity is included) that is limited to an edition size of only
299 and sells for the discounted cost of $399.
Please note your Artwork will arrive at your
door in 7 to 10 days when you place your order. And needless to say, there is a 30-day full moneyback
guarantee. In addition, The
Greatest-Scapes pays all shipping costs and any required sales tax!
The Greatest-Scapes also offers the option of
an interest-free Extended Payment Plan for credit card orders. For the $52 framed print, you can pay $26.00
upfront and the balance of $26.00 thirty days later. While the $399 framed Limited Edition can be purchased with an
initial $133, and payments of $133 billed thirty and sixty days later.
To phone in your credit
card order, please call us at 1-800-786-3022 anytime between 10am and 6pm
(Eastern) Monday through Friday. You can
also mail in your order, payable to The Greatest-Scapes, to: The Greatest-Scapes/P.O. Box
5548/Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Please
include your shipping address and specify which Artwork(s) you’re ordering and
how many. And please don’t hesitate to
call us toll-free if you ever have any questions or would like any additional
information.
For your convenience, you can print out our
Order Form.
Click Here for
Order Form
And this Artwork evokes an unmistakably
Classic quality. Indeed, it will look
at home next to a diploma or a work of fine art. Whether you hang it on a wall or lean it on a shelf or mantle,
the Artwork will make a striking impression.
Please keep in mind, though, the visuals
depicted here on the website simply can not do justice to the detail and
quality of the actual Artwork.
Please note the uniform images shown are
produced from hand-painted watercolor paintings. The publisher chose this route, rather than photographs, because
in many cases original jerseys no longer exist, even at the various halls of
fame. In addition, a more consistent
look and feel for the uniforms is achieved by painting them, and allows for a
higher level of detail than a photograph in some cases.
Here, then, is a detailed description of the
12” x 21” Artpiece that sells for only $52 each. It consists of a 5” x 15” paper print that is housed in a black
frame with a textured black mat. The
black mat has a white groove cut into it, thus adding depth and beauty to the
piece. Weighing approximately four
pounds, the Artwork is protected by unbreakable Plexiglas and includes a
“hanger” on the back to allow for easy hanging. The black frame—and especially the textured black mat with
white groove—makes this a truly stunning Artpiece.
The above is an example of
the 12” x 21” Artpiece, which depicts the Washington Redskins.
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As for the 19” x 39” Limited Edition Artwork,
please note each Artwork is printed on 115-lb Garda Gloss stock and then
mounted to avoid any rippling effects.
As for its matting and framing, the Limited Edition is triple-matted in
an acid-free framing style. The outer
mat is a rich, black textured mat with white core. The middle and inner mat colors have been selected to complement
the team’s colors and the overall framed piece. The matting is framed to create a shadow box effect, giving the
entire framed piece a unique three-dimensional look. The frame is an exquisite solid wood frame finished with a rich
black matte texture, chosen to complement all three mats and the print
itself. Finally, the Artpiece is
protected by high-quality framing glass; the total weight of the Artpiece being
approximately 10 pounds.
|
|
The above is an
example of the 19” x 39” Limited Edition Artpiece,
which depicts
the New York Yankees.
Here then is the history of the Chargers’ Uniforms …
#1.
1963 On
August 14, 1959, Barron Hilton, a 32-year-old hotel executive, was awarded a
franchise for Los Angeles in the new AFL. The Chargers were born—and they hit
the ground running. In 1960, they won the AFL Western division championship.
Success notwithstanding, the L.A. Chargers received lousy fan support, so
Hilton, buoyed by the encouragement of a San Diego sports editor, Jack Murphy,
moved his team 120 miles south in 1961. In 1966, Hilton sold the Chargers to
Eugene V. Klein, who in turn sold the team to Alex G. Spanos in 1984. Spanos is
still the Chairman of the Board.
The change of scenery may have improved fan
support, but it didn't do a lot for the Chargers on-field performance—after
winning the AFL Western division in 1960, San Diego didn't win another
championship of any kind until 1979.
Barron Hilton agreed after his general
manager, Frank Ready picked the Chargers name when he purchased an AFL
franchise for Los Angeles. The Chargers played in Los Angeles in 1960 and moved
to San Diego in 1961. “I liked it because they were yelling ‘charge’ and
sounding the bugle at Dodgers Stadium and at USC games.”
In a 58-20 win over Denver, eight Chargers scored and Paul Lowe rushed for 183
yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries as the Chargers clinch the AFL West
title, finishing with 11 wins and 3 loses. The season ended a week later than
scheduled after AFL postponed games the weekend following the Nov. 22
assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
This jersey differs from any other jersey
that we’ve seen in the league, as the stripes around the arms aren’t stripes –
they are lightning bolts, a theme which has stuck throughout the years. If you
look closely, you will see that even the pants have lightning bolts on the side
of them. The helmet also has the bolts of lightning, with the player numbers on
the side.
#2A.
1965 The
San Diego City Council endorses construction of a multipurpose stadium in
Mission Valley, and drops the idea of a floating stadium in Mission Bay. On May
17th, City Council approved
the expenditure of $750,000 for architectural and engineering drawings of a
50,000-seat stadium at the southwest corner of Friars Road and Murphy Canyon
Road in Mission Valley. On Nov. 2nd, construction of a $27 million
San Diego Stadium is authorized by a 73 percent "yes" vote by the
citizens, and a Christmas gift is given to the fans on Dec. 24th as
groundbreaking ceremonies are held for San Diego Stadium.
Fullback Keith Lincoln runs 80 yards for a
touchdown and combines on a 73-yard pass play for a touchdown as the West
defeats the East 38-14 in the AFL All-Star game before 15,446 fans at Houston's
Jeppesen Stadium. The game, originally moved from San Diego to New Orleans, was
switched to Houston on a one day's notice after black players experienced
mistreatment in New Orleans.
San Diego wins its fifth AFL West title in six years by defeating Houston
37-26, finishing 9-2-3 on the season.
In the AFL championship game at Balboa stadium, Buffalo defeats the Chargers
23-0 in front of 30,361 fans. A new automobile, the "Charger," was
introduced by Chrysler officials during halftime.
This white jersey coloured the player numbers
blue, outlining them in yellow. Note the arms - they are now short sleeves. In keeping with their trend, the
lightning bolts are located around the arms, on the pants, and on the helmet.
Note the change of the mask on the helmet.
#2B.
1966 Owner Barron Hilton sells the
Chargers to Eugene V. Klein, where Klein in turn sold the team to Alex G.
Spanos, a successful Californian businessman, in 1984. To this day, Spanos
still serves as Chairman of the Board.
The AFL All-Stars beat the Buffalo Bills
30-19, as Lance Alworth catches two touchdown passes. Chargers linebacker Frank
Buncom is named defensive player of the game before a crowd of 35,572 in
Houston's Rice Stadium.
The American Football League and National
Football League teams announce plans to merge in the 1970 season. The Chargers
and Los Angeles Rams announce they will play three preseason games in San Diego
Stadium, beginning in 1967.
The Chargers were purchased by Eugene V. Klein of Beverly Hills, as he heads a
group of 21 business executives who purchase the Chargers for $10 million, a
record transaction in professional football.
Even with many events taking place off the
field, the team still had a winning season, going 7-6-1.
This light blue jersey has the player numbers
outlined in yellow. If you look closely, you will see that the pants have
changed, and have plain vertical stripes. Note the change of mask on the
helmet.
#3.
1968 The
Chargers open the preseason at home and score their first victory over an NFL
team, defeating San Francisco 30-18 before 39,553 in San Diego Stadium. This
would be the start of a great season, as the Chargers finish the season with a
9-5 record.
Leslie (Speedy) Duncan sets an AFL record with a 95-yard punt return for a
touchdown in a 37-15 loss to the New York Jets in San Diego Stadium.
QB John Hadl passed for 3473 yards and 27
td’s, while Dickie Post rushed for 758 yards.
This white jersey has the lightning bolts
around the arms – a look used to this day. If you look closely, you will notice
that the numbers are no longer outlines, and the lightning bolts are re-added
to the pants of the uniform. Notice the change of the mask on the helmet.
#4.
1973 The Chargers obtain future
Hall-of-Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas from Baltimore and in the second stage
of the Unitas acquisition, the Chargers trade quarterback John Hadl to Los
Angeles for defensive end Lander McCoy Bacon and running back Bob Thomas. Even
with all this talent on the team, the Chargers finish the season with a 2-11-1
record.
Unitas becomes the first QB to pass for more than 40,000 yards when he made
a 30-yard pass to Mike Garrett
against Cincinnati.
Ron Waller was appointed interim head coach, and Harland Svare resigns.
However, Svare remains with the team as general manager.
The blue player numbers are once again
outlined with yellow, while, looking closely, you will see that the pants have
straight vertical stripes. Note the change of the mask on the helmet. This
would be the last year the player nubmers would be seen on the side of the
helmets – the only exception being in 1994 when most teams wore “throwback”
jersey’s, which duplicated one of their earlier jerseys.
#5.
1977 One of the most intriguing games
for the Chargers was when Rolf Benirschke's point after touchdown with time
elapsed, after James Harris's five-yard touchdown run on the fourth down, gave
the Chargers a 14-13 win at Miami.
Lance Alworth, who starred for the Chargers from 1962-70, became the first
member of Chargers' Hall of Fame at halftime during a Chargers game with
Denver.
With quarterbacks James Harris and Bill Munson sidelined with injuries, and Dan
Fouts not having reported, the Chargers beat the defending Super Bowl XI
champion Oakland Raiders 12-7 behind rookie quarterback Cliff Olander before
50,887 fans in San Diego Stadium.
The Chargers finish their season with an even
7-7 record, good enough only for third place in the West.
This dark blue jersey now has yellow player
numbers outlined with white. The bolts of lightning are still on the arms and
helmet, however the pants have straight vertical stripes. The helmet is now
blue, and the mask is once again changed.
#6.
1981 Under head coach Don Coryell, the
Chargers won three AFC West titles (1979, 1980 and 1981) and reached two AFC
championship games (1980 and 1981). During Coryell's tenure, the Chargers
played the same kind of exciting football that made the team so popular in the
1960's.
Like Sid Gillman, Coryell emphasized the
passing game and he had a future Hall of Fame quarterback, Dan Fouts, to drive
the offense. Fouts' targets included such Hall of Famers as wide receiver
Charlie Joiner and tight end Kellen Winslow. After advancing to the second
round of the playoffs in the strike-shortened 1982 season, the Chargers dropped
out of contention for the next 10 years.
Eight Chargers made the AFC Pro Bowl squad
and, for the first time in Pro Bowl history, three defensive linemen from the
same team, Gary Johnson, Louie Kelcher and Fred Dean, are in the starting
lineup.
QB Dan Fouts passes for 330 yards and three td’s, FB Chuck Muncie rushes for
161 yards, and WR Charlie Joiner catches six passes for 191 yards as the
Chargers rout Cleveland 44-14 before 78,904 fans in Cleveland for the season
opener on Monday Night Football.
Ernie Ladd and Walt Sweeney, stars of the sixties, were inducted into the
Chargers' Hall of Fame during halftime at a Denver game.
The Chargers clinch their third straight AFC West championship on the final
Monday night of the season, defeating Oakland 23-10, for a record of 10-6 on
the season.
During the AFC Championship Game, the
Chargers were defeated 34-27 against the Raiders, ending their playoffs with a
1-1 record.
This white away jersey now has the lightning
bolts on the pants, reuniting the pants with the matching bolts on the arms and
the helmet. Note the mask change on the helmet.
#7.
1985 The Chargers set a club record even
before the season starts; they have 107 players attend their Mini Camp.
In 1966, Barron Hilton sold the Chargers to
Eugene V. Klein. Klein in turn sold the team to Alex G. Spanos, a successful
Californian businessman, in 1984. To this day, Spanos still serves as Chairman
of the Board.
Wide receiver Gary Garrison and head coach Sid Gillman are inducted into the
Chargers' Hall of Fame during halftime of a game with the Denver Broncos.
Lionel James gains 345 all-purpose yards in a 40-34 overtime victory against
the Los Angeles Raiders, which puts him second in NFL history behind the 373
yards by Houston's Billy Cannon. James caught 11 passes and scored the winning
touchdown with a 17-yard run.
Gary Anderson returns the opening kickoff at Denver 98 yards for a touchdown,
the second kickoff return for a touchdown in club history. Keith Lincoln went
103 yards Sept. 16, 1962, versus the New York Titans.
Guard Ed White sets an NFL record by playing in 241 NFL games, the most among
offensive linemen. Mark Herrmann also sets club records with 37 completions and
58 attempts at Kansas City while starting for injured Dan Fouts. All this, and
the Chargers finish with an 8-8 record.
If you look closely at this white jersey, you
will see that the neckline is outline with blue, white and yellow stripes. As
well, note the change of the mask on the helmet.
#8.
1987 Many events take place off the
field this season as Head coach Al Saunders signs a five-year contract, Steve
Ortmayer is named Director of Football Operations, and WR Charlie Joiner
retires with 750 receptions, the most in NFL history, and becomes the receivers
coach of the Chargers.
The
NFL Players Association begin a strike which lasts 24 days, causing
cancellation of week 3 games before the replacement teams are fielded. On
October 15th, the strike ends.
The
"Re-Chargers" finish as one of NFL's two undefeated (3-0)
strike teams, winning all games in the fourth quarter, culminating with a 23-17
win over the Raiders in Los Angeles, which was the Chargers first win against
the Raiders in the Coliseum.
San Diego's 16-14 win over the Raiders on national television gave the Chargers
their eighth straight win and the best record in NFL (8-1) as well as their
first sweep of the Raiders since 1981.
San Diego finishes with an 8-7 record. This is their first winning record since
1982, despite winding up with six straight losses and a 24-0 loss in Denver.
This blue jersey has yellow lightning bolts
around the arms as well as the helmet, however the lightning bolts on the pants
have now been removed, leaving a blue vertical stripe. Note the change of the
mask on the helmet.
#9.
1992 In 1992, former Georgia Tech coach
Bobby Ross was hired to restore the Chargers' glory. He did so almost
immediately. In his first season, San Diego won the AFC West. Two years later
the Chargers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 17-13, in the AFC championship
game and earned a trip to their first Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they lost the
Super Bowl to the San Francisco 49ers, 49-26.
San Diego sets an NFL record by winning four
straight games, defeating Indianapolis 34-14, after losing four in a row.
The Chargers clinch their first playoff berth since 1983 with a 36-14 win in
Oakland, and make history as the only team to start 0-4 and make the playoffs
with a winning record of 11-5.
The Chargers win the AFC West title with
31-14 victory over Seattle in Kingdome in front of 63,834 fans for the go-ahead
to play the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild-Card playoff game. San Diego wins
the game 17-0, but unfortunately, they can’t get by the Miami Dolphins as they
down the Chargers 31-0 on home turf.
If you look closely at almost all NFL
uniforms worn from 1991 on, you’ll note a small NFL shield patch on the
jersey’s neckline. Most NFL uniforms added the NFL logo patch to the neck, and
to the upper left thigh of the pants, beginning in 1991.
The only major exception to this practice was
in 1994 when the teams wore their throwback uniforms – in these cases, as is
the case here, most teams did not wear the NFL shield patch on their jersey or
pants.
As well, if you look on the legs of the
pants, you will notice that the lightning bolt has been added, and a Captain’s
Patch has been added to the left side of the jersey. Notice the mask has
changed on the helmet.
#10A.
1994 In 1994 the NFL celebrated its
75th anniversary (1920 - 1994). As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations,
during selected games in the 1994 season, teams wore uniforms and helmets
designed to resemble those from an earlier season in the team's history. While
some teams wore the "throwback" uniforms for only a few games, others
used them for most of the season - for instance the San Francisco 49ers wore
them for almost the entire season, including the Superbowl.
This light blue jersey was used to represent
the 1966 jersey, while using the pants from the 1963 season. If you look
closely, you will see that they even changed the helmet to match. Notice,
however, that the mask is different than those in the early days.
#10B.
1994 The Chargers fall to the Atlanta
Falcons, 21-17, in only the team's second appearance in the Hall of Fame game
in Canton, Ohio.
San Diego made its first appearance in an American Bowl game, only to lose to
the New York Giants, 28-20, in Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. The game
concluded the longest road trip in team history, while playing just two games
during the 10-day trip.
In the season opener against Denver, Stanley Richard returns an interception 99
yards for a touchdown to give San Diego a 27-24 lead at halftime on the way to
a remarkable, 37-34, come-from-behind win.
Stan Humphries and Tony Martin combine on a 99-yard touchdown completion to tie
an NFL record and help defeat the Seahawks in Husky Stadium, 27-10.
The Chargers defeated the Raiders in Los Angeles, 26-24, on a 33-yard John
Carney field goal with two seconds remaining, and improved their record to 4-0
- the team's best start since 1980.
San Diego remained the NFL's only undefeated team (6-0) by winning on the road
in New Orleans, 36-22.
The Chargers clinched the AFC Western Division title with a 21-6 win over the
N.Y. Jets in Giants Stadium, leaving them with an 11-5 record.
In 1994 the NFL celebrated its 75th
anniversary (1920 - 1994). As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations, during
selected games during the 1994 season, teams wore uniforms and helmets designed
to resemble those from an earlier season in the team's history. While some
teams wore the "throwback" uniforms for only a few games, others used
them for most of the season - for instance the San Francisco 49ers wore them
for almost the entire season, including the Superbowl.
This white jersey has the NFL logo on the
neckline and left thigh, as well as a patch on their left shoulder, which
celebrated the NFL’s 75th anniversary. Note the change of the mask,
and if you look closely, you will see that the lightning bolt on the helmet is
now white, which is still used to this day. Also, if you look closely, you will
see that the player numbers have been added to the back of the helmet.
#11A.
2000 The Chargers finish the 1999
regular season with a 12-6 win in Denver, giving San Diego an overall record of
8-8 and an intra-division mark of 5-3, the best in the AFC West. The win in
Denver is the team's first since 1994, and the 8-8 mark is the team's best
since 1996. This season they finish with a dismal 1-15 record.
The Spanos family and the Chargers announce the contribution of more than $3
million toward the new Chargers Champions community outreach initiative
benefiting students, schools and educators who are "making the
difference" for San Diego's future. Chargers Champions also encompasses
the team's ongoing support of youth and high school football, as well as its
long-standing community service programs, such as the Blood Drive.
Bobby Beathard, who helped guide the Chargers to Super Bowl XXIX as well as two
AFC Western Division Championships and three playoff appearances during his 10
years as general manager, retires after 37 years in the NFL. Beathard is
replaced by Ed McGuire, who is named Vice President of Football Operations by
team President Dean Spanos.
The Chargers honor 22 local high school juniors as the first Chargers Champions
for demonstrating leadership, service, citizenship, and commitment in their
schools and communities. Each student receives a college tuition scholarship of
$7,500 as well as a state-of-the-art laptop computer.
The Spanos family contributes $250,000 through Chargers Champions to create and
fund freshman football and freshman volleyball in San Diego City Schools
beginning in Fall, 2000.
This blue jersey has a different patch this
year, while the team celebrates their 40th anniversary. Note the
change of the mask on the helmet. If you look closely, you will be able to see
the player numbers now on the back of the helmet.
#11B.
2001 Dean Spanos names John Butler as
the team's new executive vice president and general manager. Butler, the former
general manager of the Buffalo Bills, began his NFL career in 1985 as staff
scout with the Chargers. During his tenure in Buffalo, the Bills reached the
playoffs 10 times and played in four Super Bowls.
Norv Turner, the former head coach of the Washington Redskins, is named
offensive coordinator by head coach Mike Riley. Turner, who has 16 years of NFL
coaching experience, helped lead Dallas to back-to-back Super Bowl
championships in 1992 and '93 as the Cowboys offensive coordinator.
The Bolts sign Pro Bowl quarterback Doug Flutie, yet another free agent from
Buffalo, to a six-year contract. Flutie arrives in San Diego after three
seasons with the Bills where he had a record of 21-9 as the team's starting
quarterback. Flutie also spent eight seasons in the Canadian Football League
where he was the CFL's Most Outstanding Player an unprecedented six times and
won three Grey Cup championships.
On the heels of a 1-15 season, the Chargers trade the top pick in the 2001 NFL
Draft to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the Falcons' first-round pick
(fifth overall) and third-round selection in the 2001 draft. The Chargers also
obtained wide receiver/kick returner Tim Dwight and the Falcons' second-round
pick in the 2002 draft.
The Chargers use their top two selections in the draft to select two Heisman
Trophy finalists, running back LaDainian Tomlinson of Texas Christian
University and quarterback Drew Brees of Purdue. All this work, and finish the
season at 5-11.
If you look closely, will notice the NFL patch on the neckline as well as on
the left thigh. The lightning bolts on the shoulders keep in line with the
pants and the helmet. Note the change of the mask. As well, if you could see
the back of the helmet, you would see an American flag honouring the heroes of
the tragic events of September 11th, 2001.
***************************************
The San Diego Chargers: “Life, Liberty And
The Pursuit Of Touchdowns”
TRADITION…
MEMORIES… CLASSY…
Order Yours Today … and Revel in it!
800-786-3022
412-781-3022
E-mail:
greatestscapes@hotmail.com