MLB MANUFACTURER PRIMER
Following is a primer on who had MLB uniform contracts from 1987 (the first year of the first official uniform contract) through 2008.
1987-91: Official=Rawlings
Unofficial: Wilson (all Braves and Yankees, Tigers and Red Sox home); Goodman (some Astros, Nolan Ryan Rangers, 1990-91 Padres home).
1992-99: Official=Russell
Unofficial: Wilson (1992-99 Braves home, 1992 road, some 1992 White Sox road and 1993-99 all styles, a few Blue Jays, 1996 Angels); Rawlings (many 1992-99 Pirates, 1992-94 Dodgers, 1992-99 Cardinals, some 1997-99 Mets, 1997-99 Angels, Barry Bonds and a few other Giants, 1992-99); Goodman (1992-93 Nolan Ryan); Victory (1995-99 Astro home and road Bagwell and Biggio. select others in 1995); AIS (some 1997-99 Mets); Majestic (1998 Mariners alternates).
2000-02: Official=Russell, Rawlings, Majestic
2003-04: Official=Russell, Majestic
2005-08 (and likely 2009) Official=Majestic
Also: MLB and Negro League Turn Back The Clock: Rawlings (1990 White Sox, 1991 Giants, Phillies and Reds);1992-2008 Russell, Mitchell and Ness, Ebbets Field Flannels, AIS, Majestic.
BP jerseys (first contract 1990): Official: Majestic
Also official: Rawlings (1990-91), Russell (1992-99),
Unofficial: AIS (some 1990s Mets).
WINTER CLASSIC SWEATERS UNVEILED
Both the Blackhawks and Red Wings are going retro for the January 1st outdoor game at Wrigley Field. Both teams will wear a Winter Classic patch and have their garb produced by Reebok. The Blackhawks will reach back to a 1935-36 design: black with red and white body stripes, and a smaller Indian Head logo inside a circle, with the team name around the upper (Chicago) and lower (Blackhawks) borders of the circle. Detroit will don 1926-27 style attire: white with a solid red body stripe, a white Olde English D in the stripe, and smaller secondary shoulder logos of the current wheel-and-wing insignia. Both will use tie-front necks on their wearables. NHL.com is already selling the replica versions on their website.
NEW STYLES
The Boston Celtics broke out a special jersey for their home opener. The special jersey was similar to the normal home top, but had gold trim on all letters and numbers, and a special championship patch.
The Pacific Coast League Colorado Sky Sox have new uniform styles for 2009. The home version will be white, the roads will be grey, and a P/Sunday alternate top will be navy blue. The new Sky Sox logo, a range of mountains with the team name at the bottom and a menacing pair of cartoon-style eyes above the team name, will appear on both the homes and roads, with an interlocking CS on the third jerseys.
The New York Islanders are going to wear an alternate jersey 15 times this season, a dark blue, orange and white design patterned after their 1970s/80s sweaters. One difference: the hockey stick in the logo will have four lines on the stick portion, in recognition of the Islanders’ four Stanley Cup winners.
HANGING CHAD
The good news for Chad Johnson of he Bengals is that his new legal name, Ocho Cinco, will be allowed on his uniforms by the NFL. The bad news, however, is that it won’t be permitted until 2009, to allow Reebok and the NFL to sell as many Johnson NOB jerseys as possible.
NEW MUSEUM ADDITIONS
Sports Collectors Daily reported the donation a Green Bay area man made to the Packers Hall of Fame. The donation included a pair of Johnny “Blood” McNally’s shoulder pads from the 1930s, as well as a ’30s Packers sideline coat.
Also, it has been made public that Joe Blanton of the Phillies, who hit a game 4 home run in the Phils’ rout of the Rays, will have that specific bat donated to Cooperstown.
OLD IS NEW
Bill Haelig emailed in to tell me of a November 12th event hosted by the Baltimore Orioles that will include an announcement that the 2009 Orioles road jerseys will be restyled to change the front script from Orioles to Baltimore.
The last time Orioles road jerseys carried the city name on the front were in 1972, with their Spalding-made road unies. The team went to the Orioles front on all their styles in an effort to regionalize their team’s fan base by courting Washington DC fans, who had lost their expansion Senators after the 1971 season. Now that Washington has a team again, the O’s are concentrating on their Baltimore area supporters again.
OBITUARY
Karl Kassulke, a safety for the Vikings from 1963-72, died from a heart attack. He was 67. Kassulke’s career, which included a Super Bowl start and a Pro Bowl appearance, was cut short by a motorcycle crash that left him paralyzed.
CONGRATULATIONS, PHILLIES>>>BUT I WISH IT WOULDA BEEN THE CUBS INSTEAD.