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Russ Hawkins bleeds maize and blue. His paint-speckled hands and clothes will attribute to that.

Every year the University of Michigan sends him a burlap sack of scratched helmets after spring practice, so he can repaint the yellow-winged emblem that adorns each one.

Over the years, Hawkins has perfected his craft, cranking out helmets in a matter of minutes. Last week coworkers at Capitol Varsity celebrated the sum of those minutes equaling 50 years of service.

"I started working here in January 1957. I was almost 19-years-old," Hawkins said. "Believe it or not some of the high schools still had leather helmets when I first started here."

Approximately 10 years into his career at Capitol Varsity, Hawkins began painting the Wolverine helmets. According to the former Capitol Varsity owner, the Ringwood Road business started fixing Michigan helmets after Bo Schembechler left Miami University and moved to the "state up north" in the late 1960s.

Talawanda and Miami graduate Jon Falk became the Wolverines' equipment manager in 1974 and has kept the bond strong between the university and Capitol Varsity to this day, former owner Frank Dodd said.

When Hawkins first started painting the helmets, he would sketch the outline of the yellow wing before taping over it to spray-paint the rest of it blue. Over time he learned to bend thin strips of tape to outline the helmet's wings. Today he is the only man, who still paints Michigan's headgear without a stencil, the current Capitol Varsity owner noted.

"It's amazing the way he bends the tape around," said owner Bob Fawley, whose company fixes more than 60,000 helmets a year including some from Miami University.

Sitting on a stool in a paint room with compressors rattling, Hawkins curves the straight tape effortlessly over a yellow helmet as if it were a boiled spaghetti noodle. After filling in the outline with masking tape, he affixes three stripes that flow from the wings. It's usually completed in under five minutes, Hawkins said.

During a break Friday, Capitol Varsity employees celebrated the 50-year party, a few days after the actual mark because of Hawkins' modesty.

"One of the amazing things, Russ being Russ, is that he didn't say a word to anybody," Fawley said. "He walked in here and said, 'You know I've been here 50 years ago today.' "

During his celebration, Hawkins said he can spot a helmet he has painted whenever he is watching is favorite team play on Saturdays.

"I've been a Michigan fan for a long time," Hawkins said. "I've painted (their helmets) so long I know how to do it by heart."

While USC and Ohio State may have tarnished Michigan's hopes for an undefeated season, Hawkins can mend the Wolverines' scars and scratches with a fresh coat of paint.

Contact this reporter at (513) 523-4139 or jgiordano@coxohio.com.