Tudor 613
What you describe is the classic midsize board, circa 1967; it originally came with the Bears in white and Cardinals in dark. Rumor has it that the NFL always wanted a logo or distinguishing feature on the classic orange Browns helmet, what shows up on the side of the 613 is light orange helmet with the initials “CB†for Cleveland Browns. It also shows up on the 620 box lid (scoreboard backdrop). The Browns never complied. Your early model 613 shows a black Saints helmet because when that board went to press in 1967, the exact logo and color scheme were not decided. I guess Tudor knew the colors and the logo but guessed wrong on the logo and background colors. The Saints began play in the NFL that fall. That board is well constructed and the gauge on the metal used to construct the field is perfect for its size and width because these boards hardly ever have crowns or a flimsy feel. I believe that board may have been sold exclusively through Sears and Roebuck of Chi. IL., hence the Bears and Cardinals in the set. That same board design became the basis for the 615 NFL board in the early 70’s and the later 1970’s Superbowl games after they downsized from the traditional 620 size. Ray F.
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