I'd heard that there was a copy of Beyond Balderdash at one of the local flea markets. I've been looking for a copy, so I made my way out there this morning. Wandering around, I found a few vaguely interesting games (Quiddler for $3), but no Beyond Balderdash. I was cursing my ill fortune, and making my way to the front when I decided--for who knows what reason--to poke my head in one last stall. I didn't see anything, but subconsciously I looked again, and saw a box of hats on the ground.
Oh my God, I said to myself, I thought they'd burned these.
Those of you who weren't in St. Louis, or closely following the NFL, in 1993 probably don't recognize what that is. That's a hat for the St. Louis Stallions--often called the "Purple Stallions" for the obvious reason--the ill-fated St. Louis pro football expansion team bid.
Back in 1993, the NFL decided to add two new NFL teams. The finalists were Baltimore, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Memphis, and St. Louis. Charlotte and St. Louis were the leading cities from the get-go; they were the largest TV markets without a team at the time. It seemed like it'd be impossible for St. Louis to not get the team; this was taken as a challenge.
The St. Louis bid became increasingly confused and chaotic. There were two competing groups, each claiming to be the "real" Stallions backers. Some of the money men turned out to not really, you know, have the actual money. Then the PR people decided that the team should be called the "Stallions" and have a purple-black-gold color scheme. This was a deadly combination, and the NFL eventually decided to give the expansion franchise to Jacksonville.
Still, a bunch of sweatshirts, memorabilia--and caps--were produced for the team, in the expectation that the Stallions would enter the NFL. Naturally, when Jacksonville's name was called, the merchandise was quickly pulled off the shelf. I assumed it was all either recycled, destroyed, or sent to relief agencies (the eventual fate of much of the "Ohio State 2007 BCS Champs" stuff); however, some still pops up. A sweatshirt, mini-helmet, and whatnot hits eBay from time to time--and a box of caps, $2 each, somehow found its way to a little flea market in Springfield, Missouri. They still have the Starter tags and everything.
As a memento of one of the most ridiculous episodes of St. Louis sports history, I think it's quite a bargain. I should go to a Rams game wearing it...
