vikings belts colors in 1960s and 1970s

Hi everyone again thanks for the awesome site and hard work.

i notice that you have vikings belts including the purple pants in 1960 as being purple . I belive most if not all the years in the 60s they used white belts including for the purple pants. At some point in the early 70s at least by the time fran tarkenton came back they used purple belts (see all 4 Super bowl games for examples actually as SB4 was in 69 season you will notice they are white) I believe by 79 they had switched back to white belts If you like i could try to find some pictures as well but here is a link the 75 playoff game lost to dallas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tmchffBogE purple belts

www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/punter-harry-newsome-of-the-minnesota-vikings-watches-from-news-photo/81112059 sometime in the 1970s as Tarkenton and Grant as head coach.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/fran-tarkenton-quarterback-for-the-minnesota-vikings-throws-news-photo/56403578 his second go around with team base on jersey style (note you can't always trust dates on getty pictures "circa 1980s" as he had retired after 1978.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/super-bowl-xi-minnesota-vikings-qb-fran-tarkenton-in-action-news-photo/139023259 Super Bowl 11

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/quarterback-for-vikings-francis-tarkenton-news-photo/50543315 getty date of 1965 would appear to be correct based on gold trim on numbers and use of white tape on socks ( vikings used clear tape after grant became coach)

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/fran-tarkenton-of-the-minnesota-vikings-in-action-against-news-photo/110337383 ( not from 1974 as getty states probably 1964 or at least 63/62) notice white belt purple pants

playoff bowl AFTER 1968 season
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/quarterback-don-meredith-of-the-dallas-cowboys-is-sacked-by-news-photo/84186903

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/the-minnesota-vikings-famed-defensive-line-featuring-jim-news-photo/81644957 date has it as 1971 against San Diego with purple belts

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/defensive-end-carl-eller-of-the-minnesota-vikings-gets-news-photo/81888115 another 1971 San Diego game


http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/fran-tarkington-of-the-minnesota-vikings-runs-with-the-ball-news-photo/78197396 this picture has to be from 1978 note black arm band that was use late in 78 season and the game is at Oakland Vikings played at oakland late 78 purple belts.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/s-fran-tarkington-of-the-minnesota-vikings-is-set-to-throw-news-photo/78179563 another black arm band game 1978

perhaps purple belts 1971-78?

8/1/63 Pre Season:


November '64:


10/3/65:


9/22/68:


October '68:


9/21/69:


11/16/69:


1/4/70 Playoffs:

1971
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/the-minnesota-vikings-famed-defensive-line-featuring-jim-news-photo/81644957

1972
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/wide-receiver-john-gilliam-of-the-minnesota-vikings-runs-news-photo/80387612

1973 (Super Bowl VIII)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/runningback-chuck-foreman-of-the-minnesota-vikings-tries-to-news-photo/55725652

1974
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/super-bowl-ix-pittsburgh-steelers-franco-harris-in-action-news-photo/81802552

1975
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/8459/index.htm

1976
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/8507/index.htm

1977
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/minnesota-vikings-qb-fran-tarkenton-in-action-making-pass-news-photo/82064275#

OK guys.
Give me a set of dates.
196x-6x = ??? belts for white pants and ??? belts for purple pants
197x-7x = ??? belts for white pants

It looks like 1964-70 is white with both sets of pants.

1961:
http://www.apimages.com/OneUp.aspx?st=k&kw=%22minnesota%20vikings%22%201961&showact=results&sort=relevance&prds=10001&intv=None&cfas=__p%2C-1&sh=10&dtebf=12%2F31%2F1961&dteaf=9%2F1%2F1961&kwstyle=or&adte=1338215759&pagez=60&cfasstyle=AND&rids=756ce1d83ee1da11af9f0014c2589dfb&dbm=PY2000&page=1&xslt=1&mediatype=Photo

1964:


1965:


1968:


1969:


1970:
http://www.apimages.com/OneUp.aspx?st=k&kw=%22minnesota%20vikings%22&showact=results&sort=relevance&prds=10001&cfas=__p%2C-1&sh=10&dtebf=12%2F31%2F1970&dteaf=9%2F1%2F1970&kwstyle=or&adte=1338216162&pagez=60&cfasstyle=AND&rids=55aade869cfb4deba9a0d4bdc77a4e37&dbm=PY2000&page=1&xslt=1&mediatype=Photo

http://www.apimages.com/OneUp.aspx?st=k&kw=%22minnesota%20vikings%22&showact=results&sort=relevance&prds=10001&cfas=__p%2C-1&sh=10&dtebf=12%2F31%2F1970&dteaf=9%2F1%2F1970&kwstyle=or&adte=1338216162&pagez=60&cfasstyle=AND&rids=3fd2cf4d26954859ab7fb3c1cbd4235c&dbm=PY2000&page=1&xslt=1&mediatype=Photo





I'm not sure about 1961-63...I've seen both white and purple belts with the white pants, and haven't seen any good pictures with the purple pants.


The permanent switch to purple belts appears to have taken place in 1971:
http://www.apimages.com/OneUp.aspx?st=k&kw=%22minnesota%20vikings%22&showact=results&sort=relevance&prds=10001&cfas=__p%2C-1&sh=10&dtebf=12%2F31%2F1971&dteaf=9%2F1%2F1971&kwstyle=or&adte=1338216322&pagez=60&cfasstyle=AND&rids=02b1d51abd34430382c7ed89ccc9e2f3&dbm=PY2000&page=1&xslt=1&mediatype=Photo

http://www.apimages.com/OneUp.aspx?st=k&kw=%22minnesota%20vikings%22&showact=results&sort=relevance&prds=10001&cfas=__p%2C-1&sh=10&dtebf=12%2F31%2F1971&dteaf=9%2F1%2F1971&kwstyle=or&adte=1338216322&pagez=60&cfasstyle=AND&rids=c167d7bd508142ea924d51bb37040d24&dbm=PY2000&page=1&xslt=1&mediatype=Photo

Are they black or purple?

I'm leaning towards white belts on the purple pants for 62-63.
This photo is from 12/9/62...

Bill Schaefer wrote:Are they black or purple?

Good question. The only color picture I've seen with the dark belts is the one above against the Rams in the pre season. Most of the others show them with white belts.

1961:

BD Sullivan sent me this shot from 1962.
Its grainy but definitely shows white belts on the purple pants.


I'd say that all purple pants had the white belts (62-64).

The photo that BBL linked to above from 1961 of Fran T (http://www.apimages.com/OneUp.aspx?st=k&kw=%22minnesota%20vikings%22%201961&showact=results&sort=relevance&prds=10001&intv=None&cfas=__p%2C-1&sh=10&dtebf=12%2F31%2F1961&dteaf=9%2F1%2F1961&kwstyle=or&adte=1338215759&pagez=60&cfasstyle=AND&rids=756ce1d83ee1da11af9f0014c2589dfb&dbm=PY2000&page=1&xslt=1&mediatype=Photo) shows a white belt for 1961 with the white pants.

The real anomoly in the group seems to be the 1963 Preseason game up top vs the Rams that shows a black/purple belt with the white pants in 1963. Were it not for this photo I'd be inclined to believe nothing but white belts from 1961-70 for Minny.

Here are a good one - belts are white:

10/8/61:

I think we're safe to say that white belts were the rule from 1961-70.

The lingering question remaining is...

In 1971, when they went away from the white belts, did they go to black or to purple belts?

Bill Schaefer wrote:In 1971, when they went away from the white belts, did they go to black or to purple belts?

I'm seeing more purple than black in this photo:

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/minnesota-vikings-running-back-dave-osborn-carries-the-news-photo/76848525

Lingering question #2...

We originally had white belts for all combos from 1969-2005. It wasn't until their horrid uni redo in 2006 that we show the use of purple belts.

If we agree that white belts were the thing from 1961-70 and (lets call them) purple beginning in 1971, how far forward did the purple belts go before Minny reverted to the white belts again?

A few photos were posted above showing the purple belts up through 1978 but I didn't see any photos posted after that.
So...
2 photos from September 1979 (both in white belts)



White belt in 1980 (Jan 1981 Playoff)


White belt in Aug 1981 Preseason


White belt for 1982 (Jan 1983 Playoff)


I guess this means the purple belts went from 1971-78.
Can we all agree on this?

I was looking for that earlier today too. I had seen purple through '78, and white by '80. 1979 was unclear to me.

White in the 12/2/79 game in Los Angeles (with white jerseys):
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/ahmad-rashad-of-the-minnesota-vikings-runs-the-ball-against-news-photo/53897121

11/20/83 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/linebacker-matt-blair-of-the-minnesota-vikings-runs-past-news-photo/79753042

10/7/84 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/linebacker-fred-mcneill-of-the-minnesota-vikings-stands-on-news-photo/82891000

10/6/85 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/minnesota-vikings-cornerback-carl-lee-breaks-up-a-potential-news-photo/82911516

10/12/86 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/kicker-chuck-nelson-of-the-minnesota-vikings-is-shown-on-news-photo/102282209

1/9/88--1987 Playoff (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/wide-receiver-anthony-carter-of-the-minnesota-vikings-news-photo/102282324

10/23/88 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/chris-dolemon-of-the-minnesotta-vikings-runs-during-a-game-news-photo/334859

11/12/89 (White Belt, Purple Jersey)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/minnesota-vikings-defensive-end-al-noga-in-action-during-a-news-photo/81701379

12/16/90 (White Belt, Purple Jersey)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/michael-brim-and-running-back-cedric-smith-both-of-the-news-photo/95481499

9/7/91 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/linebacker-greg-manusky-of-the-minnesota-vikings-watches-news-photo/81112095

11/8/92 (White Belt, Purple Jersey)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/minnesota-vikings-quarterback-rich-gannon-looks-to-pass-in-news-photo/80981722

9/5/93 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/quarterback-brad-johnson-of-the-minnesota-vikings-looks-to-news-photo/357572

9/18/94 (White on White)--THROWBACK JERSEY
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/quarterback-warren-moon-of-the-minnesota-vikings-looks-to-news-photo/293134
12/11/94 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/minnesota-vikings-qadry-ismail-celebrates-after-making-a-news-photo/51550886

9/24/95 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/quarterback-warren-moon-of-the-minnesota-vikings-looks-to-news-photo/298881

9/22/96 (White Belt, Purple Jersey)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/quarterback-warren-moon-of-the-minnesota-vikings-looks-down-news-photo/72536979

11/12/97 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/minnesota-vikings-qb-randall-cunningham-in-action-making-news-photo/81416273

9/13/98 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/cornerback-corey-fuller-of-the-minnesota-vikings-in-action-news-photo/335186

10/31/99 (White on White)
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/cris-carter-of-the-minnesota-vikings-points-to-th-sky-news-photo/495484

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/quarterback-tommy-kramer-of-the-minnesota-vikings-moves-as-news-photo/57540117 this pciture can not be any later than 1979 because in 1980 team swich to white facemask. I assume it was taken in 79 not 77or 78 because 1979 was kramer's first season as starter-white belts.


also question of if the belts could be black instead of purple i have never seen any color phots that suggest team wore black belts.

It seems the belts are purple





(1975 playoffs)