West Virginia
1955 Mountaineer Sam Huff
(Authentic Reproduction)
Sam Huff grew up in a rural coal mining town in West
Virginia. His father, two brothers and uncles worked in the town's notorious
mine number "9". Sam refused to follow in their footsteps -- the helmet he
would wear to earn a living would not have a lantern affixed to it.
Sam was a star football player for Farmington High and he earned a football
scholarship to nearby West Virginia University. The future Giant's Hall of
Fame linebacker was one of West Virginia University's "Fab Five of '55". Along
with Sam that group included fellow tackle Bruce Bosley, quarterback Freddy
Wyant and halfbacks Joe Marconi and Bob Moss, all seniors on the 1955 football
team. Those five were chief contributors to a combined four-year record of
31-7 under the tutelage of Coach Art "Pappy" Lewis. Highlighting that period
were an unprecedented three straight victories over Penn State and two
conquests of Pitt. Those and a 26-6 upset of nationally ranked South Carolina
in the 1954 opener at Columbia are among all-time Mountaineer great wins.
Ironically though, the five players enjoyed their biggest thrill as
sophomores. That's when WVU was invited to play in the Sugar Bowl on New
Year's Day of 1954 and bowed 42-19 to Georgia Tech.
Sam earned All American honors as a senior in 1955 and this authentic
Helmet Hut reproduction of his West Virginia helmet is a great representation
of both the famed player and the greatest period of West Virginia University
football. The helmet features a vintage six point suspension, perfectly
matched WVU metallic gold paint and the identical striping and player
numerals that Sam wore. The "Riddell" tubular one bar facemask was invented
during this period and although it offered minimal protection for a lineman
like Sam, it was a welcome addition to the mask-less helmets that he had
previously worn.
In his office Sam proudly displays the very
first one of these authentic Helmet Hut reproductions of his WVU helmet (along
with similar
reproductions of his
Giant's and the various styles of his Redskin's helmets). Perhaps it may be a
reminder that although the WVU campus in Morgantown is less than 30 miles from
where he was raised in Farmington, the glory he experienced starting with the
numeral "75" on his helmet was light years away from the lifestyle he would
have realized had he chosen to stay home to work at mine number "9".
If interested in any of these WVA helmets please click on the
photos below.
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