A couple weeks ago I headed up to Norlin Library on CU’s campus to do some research on old CU uniforms, in particular old CU uniforms that incorporated silver, because as you may know by now, Colorado will be reincorporating a silver uniform into their lineup this year. I wanted to focus on the years 1946 and 1962 because, in my interpretation of the Colorado media guide, these were two big seasons where the team went back to the silver look.

I headed up to the stacks of the library to pull out the yearbooks, titled “The Coloradan,” from those years. As soon as I opened them I felt like I had hopped in a time machine, the old pictures of the athletics teams and just Boulder in general were mesmerizing. If you ever get the chance to go up there yourself, I highly recommend it, because there are thousands of cool photos. But just in case you can’t, I captured some of my favorites for you.

Click any photo to enlarge.

1946

The team actually played the first game of this season in navy blue uniforms, but after a 76-0 loss at Texas (at the hands of Vince Young’s grandpa, I can only assume), they thought better of that idea and went to the silver and gold.

 

 

Heres an amazing excerpt from the yearbook recapping the season (all grammar left as it was in the original):

“The Buffs placed second in the conference standings by virtue of Denver University having played one more league game. DU ended up with a conference record of 5 and 1 while the Buffs were right behind with 4 and 1. All in all it was a very successful season and it is the general consensus of opinion that the Buffs would have been the champs and bowl-bid bound had not Novembers graduation riddled the first squad.”

Hold up, CU lost the division because DU just happened to play one more game, and the Buffs lost key players to graduation… In the middle of the season!? My how things have changed.

PS. Somebody tell the basketball team to bring back these gold satin shorts!

PPS. Somebody tell Rick George to bring back baseball!

1962

’62 was another successful season for the Buffaloes, at 9 and 2 the Buffs were so good they even got a couple color photos!

Here’s an excerpt from the yearbook on the season (all grammar left as it was in the original):

“It was almost a perfect football season for Colorado, with the exception  of one bleak Saturday afternoon against an upstart Utah team, the Buffaloes negotiated a rigorous ten-game test unscathed before bowing to LSU in the Orange Bowl.

There was, of course, the afternoon against Kansas when Colorado trailed 0-19 in the fourth quarter. But the Buffs battled back valiantly, and when the smoke cleared and Gale Weidner had thrown three touchdown passes, CU had won 20-19.”

Who knew the infamous Dan Hawkins meltdown game in Lawrence was actually a payback game for the Jayhawks?

“Idicative of the strength of the Colorado team  is its unblemished Big Eight record. Not since the Oklahoma juggernauts has any team posted a 7-0 slate in this conference. That Coach Sonny Grendelius’s team did so is felicitous testimony to its claim to the Big Eight championship and Orange Bowl representation.

Included on the Buffalo squad were four all-conference selections and a depth of talent never before amassed at Colorado. All-American, All-Big Eight guard Joe Romig led this procession. Behind Romig came end Jerry Hillebrand, center Walt Klinker, and quarterback Gale Weidner – all selected to Big Eight honors in their own right. Fullback Loren Schweinger drew praise on all conference teams for his play, also. Hillebrand and Romig were both selected to a 22-man Look All-American squad. And, at the end of a successful season, no less than seven of Colorado’s team members were selected to the pros.

It was a good season – the best, in fact, that Colorado has ever enjoyed. And then came the Orange Bowl.”

The Orange bowl that year was a bit of a struggle for the Buffs, they fell to LSU 25-7, with their only score coming on a pick-six.

Sidenote: “the Whip” is an awesome nickname.

Misc. photos

The ’62 baseball team rocking the pinstripes.

The Third Flatiron in the 50’s, just years after it was painted.

(Fun fact: during the letter’s time on the Third Flatiron, the C has been changed to a D for DU and an O for OU. Also somebody once added an I in front to spell ICU.)

Not much has changed in terms of decorations for the Conference on World Affairs since the 60’s.

Not much has changed at The Sink either.

Saving the best for last, this photo taken during Vietnam is simply amazing.

Finally, to get you out of the time machine, here’s a current picture of Norlin Quad.

History is cool.