L.B.J's Open Road

[TomS]

I thought you guys might find this interesting...
Best,
Tom

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/18321482_lyndon-baines-johnson-stetson-hat

 

[Missouri Mason]

Wow. It's cool, but my pockets aren't quite deep enough to bid on that lol.

 

[jlee562]

IIRC, LBJ had these hats made to give away to his ranch guests.

 

[Rick Blaine]

...another delusional dope.



...who got quite grumpy when I told him


"if THIS Texan was a size SEVEN, I am a striped-butt baboon."

 

[rlk]

...another delusional dope.



...who got quite grumpy when I told him

"if THIS Texan was a size SEVEN, I am a striped-butt baboon."

Both box and hat say 7-1/4--so much for accuracy.

 

[RBH]

LBJ: Program Transcript from PBS AMERICAN EXPERIENCE


McCullough: [voice-over] LBJ, Lyndon Baines Johnson -- Texan, Democrat, political virtuoso. He rises up out of the 1960s like a Colossus, like something from Shakespeare, filling the stage -- 10, 12 characters in one. He is admired and he is detested. Everybody who knew him had stories.

Yet Lyndon Johnson was hard for the country to know. He seemed so stiff and colorless on television, not at all himself. The real Lyndon Johnson was a mover, a driver, a charmer, a bully -- six feet four inches tall with a size 7-3/8 Stetson hat. He loved food -- chili and tapioca pudding. He loved attractive women. He was a good dancer, a brilliant mimic. He was funny, often hilarious. They all say that.

 

[mingoslim]

Nice to hear the backstory . . . I sure did not think that LBJ would be a 7 1/4.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

My brother visited the LBJ Ranch while on vacation a couple of weeks ago. He said that they had a room with a whole wall of hat boxes with hats in them. The tour guide said that he would give each visitor a hat as a memento of their visit.

 

[Atticus Finch]

I've always heard that LBJ actually wore Resistol San Antonios...Resistol being a Texas company in those days.

AF

 

[suitedcboy]

I have read the same thing about LBJ and Resistol San Antonios. When he was in political offices Stetson was still a Yankee hat company. A Texas politician would not likely have worn a Stetson then. Stetson may have gifted hats to him though.
Also it was common for any brand of hat that was even a hint western to be called a Stetson.

 

[RBH]

Fashion and Merchandising Fads By Frank W. Hoffmann, William G. Bailey 1994

 

[RBH]

 

[DougC]

I can see why JFK didn't wear a lot of hats...that is one big noggin! (to me anyway, I wear a 7 or 7 1/8)

 

[hatophile]

I can see why JFK didn't wear a lot of hats...that is one big noggin! (to me anyway, I wear a 7 or 7 1/8)

It was all that hair on his head!

 

[Atticus Finch]

Here's a rare photo of JFK in a hat...and the hat is clearly too small. Now I know why Kennedy didn't wear hats. It must have been as difficult for him to find good size 7 5/8 hats on ebay as it has been for me.

AF

 

[gtdean48]

... Now I know why Kennedy didn't wear hats. It must have been as difficult for him to find good size 7 5/8 hats on ebay as it has been for me...
AF

Tell it like it is, my LNL Brother!!!!

 

[Brad Bowers]

Here's a rare photo of JFK in a hat...and the hat is clearly too small. Now I know why Kennedy didn't wear hats. It must have been as difficult for him to find good size 7 5/8 hats on ebay as it has been for me.

AF

Yeah, you'd think if the president of Hat Corporation of America is going to present a hat to the President of the United States of America, he'd at least check to see what size he wore first!

Brad

 

[suitedcboy]

Who is Jimmy Walker on that list?

 

[gtdean48]

Who is Jimmy Walker on that list?

Kid-o-Dyanomite! Comedian & star of Good Times sitcom?

He spelled it Jimmie tho....Past mayor of New York?

 

[Atticus Finch]

This is one of my favorite photos of LBJ and Lady Bird. To my eye, Johnson's hat...at least this one... appears to have the boxy crown of a Resistol.

AF