Center Ken Bowman was a steady fixture on the Packers' offensive line from 1964 to 1973, playing in 123 games. Although he never played in a Pro Bowl, or was voted to any All-Pro teams, Bowman was respected as a smart and tough competitor, and was inducted to the Packers Hall Of Fame in 1981. Bowman routinely played through severe pain, having separated both shoulders early in his career.
The jersey pictured here is Bowman's home mesh from 1972 (he is wearing this jersey in the photo leading off this post). The nameplate I've placed on the back is from 1971, so I'm still looking for the original plate, but this will do for now. The washing instructions tag is missing, but fortunately the Sand-Knit "exclusive" tag remains.
Frankensteinian repairs grace this well-worn jersey; essentially what you would expect from an offensive lineman's shirt (particularly one that was recycled for practice use later):
Bowman was nicknamed "Frankenstein" by his teammates. According to Mike McCoy in Vernon Biever's book
The Glory Of Titletown, "They called Ken Bowman Frankenstein. Big solid forehead, long hair, and this brace with chains from his arm to his shoulder. His shoulder was really bad, so he had a chain attached to a piece of material wrapped around his bicep, and it was hooked onto his shoulder pad so his arm wouldn't go above ninety degrees, limiting the range of motion."
Pictured above is the custom hole fashioned in the jersey to allow for the chain. The wire photo below offers a good shot of this very jersey and the chain contraption, from the August 19th, 1972 preseason game versus the Houston Oilers:
It's something of a cliche that every game used jersey tells a story. Although it may not have the epic scope of a Mary Shelley novel, a game used jersey with an interesting customization often tells a pretty good one.
Center Ken Bowman was a steady fixture on the Packers' offensive line from 1964 to 1973, playing in 123 games. Although he never played in a Pro Bowl, or was voted to any All-Pro teams, Bowman was respected as a smart and tough competitor, and was inducted to the Packers Hall Of Fame in 1981. Bowman routinely played through severe pain, having separated both shoulders early in his career.
The jersey pictured here is Bowman's home mesh from 1972 (he is wearing this jersey in the photo leading off this post). The nameplate I've placed on the back is from 1971, so I'm still looking for the original plate, but this will do for now. The washing instructions tag is missing, but fortunately the Sand-Knit "exclusive" tag remains.
Frankensteinian repairs grace this well-worn jersey; essentially what you would expect from an offensive lineman's shirt (particularly one that was recycled for practice use later):
Bowman was nicknamed "Frankenstein" by his teammates. According to Mike McCoy in Vernon Biever's book The Glory Of Titletown, "They called Ken Bowman Frankenstein. Big solid forehead, long hair, and this brace with chains from his arm to his shoulder. His shoulder was really bad, so he had a chain attached to a piece of material wrapped around his bicep, and it was hooked onto his shoulder pad so his arm wouldn't go above ninety degrees, limiting the range of motion."
Pictured above is the custom hole fashioned in the jersey to allow for the chain. The wire photo below offers a good shot of this very jersey and the chain contraption, from the August 19th, 1972 preseason game versus the Houston Oilers:
It's something of a cliche that every game used jersey tells a story. Although it may not have the epic scope of a Mary Shelley novel, a game used jersey with an interesting customization often tells a pretty good one.
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