We do not associate certain well-known sporting goods brands with football, but that does not mean they did not sell gridiron gear in the past. Everlast started as a swimwear manufacturer in 1910, manufacturing swimsuits guaranteed to last a full season. Everlast transitioned into a full-line sporting goods retailer in New York City’s Bowery in 1917.

Their tie to boxing began in 1919 when Jack Dempsey asked them to create training headgear capable of lasting more than fifteen rounds. Apparently, they met Dempsey’s request and were still selling football equipment at rock-bottom prices when this newspaper ad with the long-legged punter went to print in 1925.

For an oddball story about football’s connection to boxing, check out:

Football Archaeology

Early Testing of Helmets and Protective Cups

Every so often, an image circulates the internet showing a man wearing a helmet as he flies headfirst into a wall. The picture, which appears to be from the first decades of the 20th Century, is purportedly a test of a football helmet's efficacy. But as Phaedrus, the 1st century Roman poet, noted, "Things are not always as they seem…

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2 years ago · Timothy P. Brown

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