MIEDEMA’S MAILBOX
Q: I had a buyer who returned a 2000 Majestic game worn baseball jersey to me for a refund. He said that the jersey was a fake due to the lack of a 0062 tag inside the shirt. This jersey has no code…am I uninformed or is he?
A: He is, depending on the team. Majestic’s first year as a licensed MLB game uniform supplier was 2000. They were awarded seven teams: Cubs, White Sox, Blue Jays, Brewers, Orioles, Phillies and Astros. The first four listed, because of workload constraints were subcontracted to Wilson, and the Wilson-produced unies have no code on the inside tag. The other three should carry the 0062 tag. An odd coincidence: the four teams who were farmed out to Wilson were the four Majestic users who carried strip tagging in their jerseys. The other three teams employed no name, number, year, nor set tagging.
Q: Another Internet site has claimed that all pre-2003 MLB Majestic pregame jerseys should carry a 0006 interior tag. I have one from 1994 that has a 6000 tag. Do I have a bad BP top?
A: If from 1994, then no. The 0006 tag is correct for more recent examples, but the earlier BPs did, indeed, use a 6000 tag. I have two Cubs BP tops, worn by pitchers Bob Patterson and Kent Bottenfield, that were given to me by the two players, and they are tagged 6000. I’ve tried to research the point when the pro jerseys interior tagging changed from 6000 to 0006, and have been unable to narrow it down further than either 1997 or 1998.
Q: For the 1987-90 style of Rawlings White Sox jerseys, did any years/styles use tagging other than a Rawlings flag tag?
A: The 1987 homes and roads used strip tags that include names and years (can’t recall if sets were part of the strip tagging, and I don’t have access to the MEARS database here in Chicago). Often these were used along with flag tags. A minimal number of 1987 unies, as well as all 1988-90 gamers, used just a flag tag. Also, concerning that style, the 1990 road greys were the only examples to carry NOBs.
Q: I have a White Sox BP jersey of Carlton Fisk that was rejected by an auction house. They claimed that McAuliffe should be the manufacturer. What’s your thoughts?
A: During the doubleknit era, the White Sox haven’t ordered a single game or BP jersey from McAuliffe. Fisk’s uniform connection with McAuliffe is limited to pre-1979 Red Sox gamers. The style you sent photos of (red with white horizontal SOX trimmed in navy, 72 in similar color scheme on back) is of the 1983-86 era, and would either be made by Roman Sport (1983) or Majestic (1984-86).
AUCTIONS BY THE PROS
The NBA, on their website, has a link to an auction of MeiGray certified pre-Olympics game worn jerseys of both the mens’ and women’s USA teams.
Also, the Diamondbacks Foundation, the charitable arm of the Arizona National League team, has been and will be auctioning off the August 30th black Los D-Backs gamers worn that night. Their eBay seller ID is diamondbacksfoundation. So far, Randy Johnson and Juan Cruz have been offered…who’s next?
ANOTHER ONE
My mid-week article that mentioned MLB pitchers wearing their MLB jerseys in a minor league game drew a response from Patrick Williams, of the Braves Museum and Hall of Fame. He added the rehab stint for Atlanta’s John Smoltz earlier in 2008, which found Smoltzie rehabbing in a road game for the AA Mississippi Braves in his road grey Atlanta shirt. The photo he sent did not show the front clearly, but the jersey clearly had a cool base underarm panel (not yet seen on minor league gamers) underneath Smoltz’s throwing arm. Thanks for the alert, Patrick.
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
Finally, the information on third style NFL uniforms from last time out should have been attributed to Wisconsin dealer Murf Denny (www.murfandpat.com) . My apologies to Murf for the initial omission.
CUBS FANS: ENJOY OCTOBER!