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Joe Gilliam Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl X Ring
The consignor of this magnificent Joe Gilliam Super Bowl X ring purchased it in the late 1970’s and just recently consigned it to us, brining it to the open market for the first time. We, at Lelands, have handled more championship rings than just about anyone (Balfour and Jostens excluded) and recognize this as one of the most significant Super Bowl rings to surface in recent years. This ring, which is 10K yellow gold, has two large diamonds separated by an image of the Super Bowl trophy, surrounded by the words "Pittsburgh Steelers World Champions 1975." One side of the ring says "Superbowl X" and has the game score and the other side reads "Gilliam" above the Steelers logo. EX condition, with a small ding in the first "I" in "Gilliam." It is a size 11.5. Joe Gilliam aka “Jefferson Street Joe” was and is, to this day, one of the most important quarterbacks of the 20th Century for several reasons. Not only was he just the second black quarterback to ever start an NFL game; he also changed the game dramatically for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gilliam got the chance to be a starter on the Steelers squad amidst a player strike controversy but once he took to the field he changed Pittsburgh’s emphasis from a running game to one dominated by passing. After the player’s strike Chuck Noll had no other option than to leave Gilliam in as the starting quarterback after leading the team through one of the greatest pre-season records in NFL history. Racial tensions took their toll on Gilliam who had to endure threatening letters, death threats, and even a reported bomb threat to Three Rivers Stadium. Pressure got the upper hand on both team and player and Terry Bradshaw replaced Gilliam mid-season and the Steelers went on to win Super Bowl IX and X. From an athletic perspective one must wonder if Gilliam had made his way to the NFL a decade or two later (when the man with the fastest arm in the game could have played without unjust scrutiny) what the record books would look like today. Former Eagles quarterback, Ron Jaworski has stated (in 2008) that he thinks Joe Gilliam threw the ball harder than any other quarterback that he has seen. From a historical perspective Tennessee State Representative Thelma Harper had this to say about Joe Gilliam: "Every black quarterback who is and ever will be rides on the shoulders of Jefferson Street Joe.” Articles can be accessed on the internet which refers Joe Gilliam’s battles with personal demons; we don’t want to do that here. Jefferson Street Joe died before his time, four days short of his 50th Birthday. He devoted the last few years of his life helping others with addiction problems. Some of the same articles that refer to the demons that Gilliam faced have reported that Gilliam had pawned or sold his Super Bowl rings in the late 1970’s and that both of his rings were ultimately returned to his father. It is not our goal to diminish the intentions of those who have claimed to have returned the rings to Gilliam’s father but the ring that we are auctioning off is the genuine ring issued to Joe Gilliam for Super Bowl X.
Past Sports Card, Memorabilia, Non-Sports Card and Collecitble Auction Items
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1891 Football Noseguard
Turn of the Century "Melon" Football
1964 NFL Champion Cleveland Browns Signed Team Photo
1999-2000 Baltimore Ravens Game Worn Jerseys (11)
Late 1960’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Signed Letterhead
1999 CFL Grey Cup Trophy
1969 Minnesota Vikings Championship Ring
