I collect old lures and was looking through a old Heddon catalog of Bass lures... and I came across a rig made by Heddon called a "Gang of Shiners". I found it interesting in how much it "resembles" and carries the same "train of thought" of the ALABAMA rig used today... Here is the link, you must scroll down in the catalog to see the rig...

http://www.antiquefishinglures.com/1972heddon.htm

I am not taking sides in the dispute of the use of the alabama rig,as for me not fishing tournaments anymore, it doesnt matter to me at this time.
I just thought this was "interesting" when i stumbled across it. I wonder how many people back then actually bought one of these and then eventually made casts with this rig instead of trolling it as described..
It is amazing how many "old" techniques recycle there way back and become popular "once again"... I remember "Froggin" in matted grass the first few years I fished...mainly in farm ponds because they were so clogged with grass that was all that you could do ... Froggin lures were quite popular in the late 70s. The Bill Plummers Super Frog, the Mister Twister Hawg Frawg, and the "SnagProof" frog were some of the frog-type lures used in the 70s to fish on top of matted grass.