History You Can Wear: Ebbets Field Brings Irish Tradition to Life

Tradition is often overused, but in South Bend, it holds a different meaning. You hear it in the band on a freezing Saturday, you feel it when the house that Rockne Built shakes on 3rd down, and you see it in the quiet of the grotto when the crowd’s gone. That’s not a marketing pitch, that’s life at Notre Dame.

That’s why this fall, The Irish Tribune is proud to partner with Ebbets Field, a brand built on the same love for legacy that defines Notre Dame. Since 1988, they’ve been preserving history with the kind of detail that makes old jerseys, jackets, and ballcaps worth pulling out of the attic. Their Notre Dame gear doesn’t just nod to tradition, it carries it forward.

Rooted in Craft

Most apparel companies are busy chasing the next drop. Ebbets looks to the past to create new classics. Heavy cotton, thick wool, leather sleeves that break in like an old mitt, chenille patches stitched just the way they used to be. When you put one on, it doesn’t feel new. It feels familiar, like something passed down.

They’ve already paid tribute to some of the sport’s biggest names this fall: Harvard, Yale, Penn State, Michigan, Texas A&M, UNC, and UConn. Now, Notre Dame takes its rightful spot in the lineup.

The Collegiate Collection

Ebbets’ newest launch, The Collegiate Collection, digs straight into the roots of college athletics. It’s not about flash or gimmicks. This is gear built to last. The sweatshirt that holds up on freezing gamedays, the varsity jacket you’ll never part with, the cap that feels broken-in the second you put it on.

For Irish fans, the centerpiece is clear: the Notre Dame Wool and Leather Varsity Jacket, the same style worn by Irish legends and immortalized on screen in the blockbuster Rudy. Pair it with a ballcap stitched with the old-gold ND, and you’ve got the kind of look that says you don’t just cheer for the Irish, you carry them with you.

Other standouts in the collection include a 1948 Yale Wool Ballcap celebrating a Bulldog baseball title run and a 1940 Harvard Shawl Collar Sweater, the kind a young JFK might have slipped on after class. That’s the sweet spot for Ebbets, reviving pieces that carry the past into the present.

The Varsity Jacket

Few items in sportswear carry the weight of history like a varsity jacket. For Notre Dame, it is woven into the fabric of championship lore. The Authentic Wool and Leather Varsity Jacket from Ebbets is a faithful reproduction of what the Irish wore in 1966 when Ara Parseghian’s team stormed to the school’s eighth national title.

That defense, captained by Maxwell Award winner Jim Lynch, surrendered only 38 points all season and recorded six shutouts. Terry Hanratty’s offense piled on enough firepower to keep Notre Dame at the top of the nation. When you picture Irish champions from that era, this is the jacket that comes to mind.

It is built with a navy wool body, navy cowhide sleeves, and gold chenille lettering stretched across the back. The clover patch on the chest and the quilted lining complete the look. Made in the USA, it feels less like new merchandise and more like something pulled straight out of a South Bend locker room in the Parseghian era.

The Heavyweight Crewneck

Notre Dame’s last national championship came in 1988. Lou Holtz’s Irish went 12-0, capped by the 31-30 upset of top-ranked Miami in what is still remembered as one of the greatest games in NCAA history. That season remains a modern high point for the program.

The Heavyweight Cotton Terry Crewneck taps directly into that era. Inspired by sweatshirts from the 1980s, this piece is cut from thick grey cotton terry and features a vintage Notre Dame graphic pulled from the archives. Ribbed details and a classic oversized fit make it feel like the originals students wore across campus that year.

It is a sweatshirt that does not just look the part. It carries the memory of the last time Notre Dame stood at the top of the college football world.

The Varsity Cardigan

Before varsity jackets became the standard, sweaters set the tone. The style first appeared on Harvard’s baseball team in 1865 and quickly spread across American campuses. By the 1940s, Notre Dame had made it its own during one of the greatest decades in program history. Four national titles, two Heisman winners, and a perfect season in 1949 defined the Golden Age of Irish football.

The Varsity Cardigan from Ebbets recreates that look. Knit from heavyweight cotton yarn in a chunky gauge, it features two-hole urethane buttons and a chenille “ND” patch sewn on the chest.

This piece pulls you straight back to the 1940s, when Notre Dame ruled college football.

The Grounds Crew Jacket

Not every champion wears a jersey. Some work behind the scenes to make sure the field is ready for battle. The Cotton Grounds Crew Jacket pays tribute to those workers at Notre Dame Stadium, especially during Ara Parseghian’s 1966 national title season.

That year, Jim Lynch captained a defense that gave up only 38 points all season and delivered six shutouts at home. The players left the trophies, but the grounds crew left the canvas. This jacket honors them.

Made from durable cotton twill with a soft lining, this piece features a zip front, a chest pocket, side-entry hand pockets, and felt lettering across the chest and back. Adjustable hem tabs finish the workwear look.

It is a rugged layer with roots in utility and a place in Notre Dame’s story.

The 1943 Ballcap

In 1943, Notre Dame claimed its fourth national championship and first under Frank Leahy. Quarterback Angelo Bertelli won the Heisman Trophy that season while the Irish outscored opponents 341 to 69. The Dome yearbook summed it up best: football had become synonymous with the name of Notre Dame.

The 1943 Authentic Wool 8-Panel Ballcap honors that year. Hand-sewn from navy wool broadcloth, it features an embroidered old-gold ND on the crown, a green satin under visor, and vintage construction details inside. A leather strap with a brass closure ensures a fit that will last.

This is not a souvenir. It is a cap that connects directly to one of the most important seasons in Notre Dame football history.

The Leprechaun Ballcap

The Notre Dame Leprechaun is one of the most iconic mascots in sports. First appearing on the sidelines in 1960 and officially designed by sports artist Theodore Drake in 1964 for fifty dollars, the image has become a global symbol of Irish pride.

The Leprechaun Authentic Wool Ballcap is built to honor that legacy. Made from navy wool broadcloth, it features an embroidered felt patch of the Fighting Irish mascot, a green satin under visor, and vintage construction inside. The adjustable leather strap and brass closure make it as practical as it is authentic.

It is more than headwear. It is a celebration of an icon who has been standing with the Irish for more than sixty years.

The 1956 Baseball Jersey

Notre Dame’s legacy extends beyond the gridiron. In 1956, catcher and co-captain Elmer Kohorst became the first Irish baseball All-American, leading the team to a fourth-place College World Series finish a year later. The 1956 Authentic Wool Baseball Jersey is a replica of the jerseys worn by the players of that era.

The home set comes in cream flannel, while the road version is heathered grey. “Notre Dame” is stitched in navy and gold felt across the chest, with the number 42 on the back. Japanese urea buttons finish the classic look.

This is not just a throwback. It is a reminder that Notre Dame tradition has been written on diamonds as well as football fields.

The Satin Windbreaker

Step back into the 1950s and '60s. Coaches pacing the sidelines in crisp satin, wind cutting across the stadium, Irish football at the height of its mystique. The University of Notre Dame Satin Windbreaker captures that look, a vintage-inspired coach’s jacket that shines like the Golden Dome.

Made from navy satin with a cotton backing, it features a gold-on-navy ND patch on the chest, an embroidered Fighting Irish mascot on the sleeve, and bold “IRISH” lettering across the back. Heavy-duty snaps and front slash pockets finish the build.

Available in navy or green, the jacket brings back a style that once defined Irish sidelines and lets you wear it into the modern day.

For Fans Who Believe in Legacy

Legends don’t fade at Notre Dame. They’re in the songs, the murals, the helmets glinting under the lights. Ebbets understands that, and this collection reflects it.

Check out the full collegiate collection line at ebbets.com and follow @ebbetsvintage.

The echoes of the Fighting Irish live on. And now, the style does too.