Georgia football: The curious case of the black jersey’s from 1941

Black jersey’s are now a part of the Georgia football uniform rotation to be worn once a year. But was the original blackout in 1941?

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When Georgia football debuted the black jersey’s in 2007, it was a moment that helped define that season and created a memory that has persisted with fans to this very day. But one interesting thing about the reveal of those jersey’s goes overlooked.

During the broadcast, Verne Lundquist mentioned that it was the first time Georgia has worn black jersey’s in the modern era. Not the first time ever. Now ole’ Verne might not have wanted to make a statement that he wasn’t 100 percent certain of. Or maybe, in a pre-modern era of college football, Georgia did wear black jersey’s.

History aside, fans loved the black jersey’s. Georgia trounced Auburn that day 45-20 and then embarrassed Hawaii 41-10 in the Sugar Bowl while wearing them. But in September 2008, Georgia held one more Blackout against Alabama. A 31-0 halftime deficit and a 41-30 defeat later and the mystique of the black jersey’s had vanished.

And then they were gone, not to be seen again until 2016. Which is pretty typical of Georgia Football. Besides the Jim Donnan era, the 1991 Independence Bowl, scarce road games in the 1980’s and every road game from 1978 and 79, Georgia’s main uniform has not been altered much in 50 years.

But the most consistent part of Georgia’s uniforms throughout their entire history has been red jersey’s. The helmets have changed, pants have been four different colors. But besides fonts and stripes, Georgia didn’t wear anything other than red jersey’s from 1939 when Wally Butts became head coach until the Blackout in 2007.

Or did they? Georgia’s first game in which they wore an alternative black jersey might not have been the 2007 Auburn game. Instead a blackout of sorts may have taken place 66 years earlier in the dawn of the Wally Butts era.

Several photos taken of the Georgia football team in 1941 suggest that the Bulldogs had black jerseys. The photos are in black and white, but the long sleeve jersey’s have a triple stripe on each sleeve. Two of the stripes are white and one of the stripes is lighter than the main color of the jersey.

To see the photos in question, click the following links: Sinkwich and Butts, Van Davis, George Poschner.

There is even a painted picture of Georgia’s Heisman winning running back Frank Sinkwich that depicts him wearing a black jersey with the same stripe pattern.

Clearly, black Georgia football jersey’s existed in 1941. So why aren’t black jersey’s in the uniform rotation after 1941? What’s the story about these jersey’s? Why did Georgia have them? Why did they stop wearing them?