The Story of Chuck Knox's 200 Seahawk Caps

1 hat's off limits to Seahawk fans

By Don Fair 
P-I Reporter (1987)

Head Seahawk Coach, Chuck Knox wears his custom made cap from Northwest Embroidery

Some football fanatics will pay scalpers' prices to watch Sunday's American Conference championship game in the Los Angeles Coliseum, but the cap protecting the scalp of Seattle Coach Chuck Knox is not for
sale.
​​
​Not even for the $100 offered yesterday by one Seahawks caller.

​Knox favors a simple, navy-blue baseball-type model with the words "Seattle Seahawks" printed in white across the front crown.

​And while several different Seahawk hats are on general sale, you need good friends on the team, not money, to wear a cap like the coach's.
​
​The hat was designed by Walt Loeffler, the Seahawks' equipment manager, who has turned down a number of offers to mass market it.

​"I've been fighting it," says Loeffler. "I don't want 6.5,000 fans wearing the same hat worn by Coach Knox. I want it to be something a little special.

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200 Special Caps
"I knew Knox liked hats. I didn't like the one our coaches used to wear (blue with a Seahawks logo patched on the front), so I designed this one," Loeffler said.

More than 92,000 tickets were printed for Sunday's game but Walt Loeffler, the Seahawks' equipment manager, ordered only just over 200 of these special Knox caps. Members of the coaching staff wear them.

One fan, an admirer of Knox's headgear, telephoned Seahawks headquarters yesterday and offered to pay $100 for the head coach's hat.

When told it wasn't for sale and that none is available for public purchase, the fan yelled "Go Hawks!" and hung up.

Three Seattle assistant coaches  join Knox in wearing the cap during games. They are assistant head coach Tom Prohaska, offensive coordinator Tom Catlin and backfield coach Chick Harris.

​There are five different styles of Seahawks caps available to the public. The most popular model for sale has a blue brim, a gray crown, and the team logo running along either side of the crown.

3,500 tickets gone

​Meanwhile, only 150 tickets to Sunday's game against the Raiders at home in Los Angeles are still available in the Seattle area. They are at Doug Fox Travel, and they are expected to be gone later today.