JERSEY JAM
The weekend before this one saw some new special-issue uniforms being worn.
First off, the White Sox and Reds dressed up in Majestic knits resembling their 1964 MacGregor flannels at the Civil Rights Game in Cincinnati. Both styles of uniforms were made well, though not totally accurate to the 1964 originals. The powder blue White Sox jerseys had a CHICAGO front at lease an inch taller than the original flannel did. Meanwhile, the Reds vests…well, on the good side, they replicated the originals’ NOB under the number, a first in pro sports at that time. Not so good: those NOBs were in a smaller, wider font than the originals. Still, a good uniform overall with a nice added touch: the Civil Rights Game patch on the back of the neck, where the MLB logo is normally found. I wonder if the MLB website or the individual teams will get the nod o market these? In the past, most Chisox TBTCs were sold at the next Sox Fan Fest.
On Fathers’ Day, the AAA Syracuse Chiefs promoted prostate cancer awareness by wearing white caps with a light blue logo on the front, and a blue ribbon on the back. Check www.syracusechiefs.com for availability of game-worn or other versions.
Finally, for those keeping track, the one game in which Manny Ramirez played for the Albuquerque Isotopes before his return from suspension found him in an Isotopes home white #99 jersey.
MORE JERSEY JAMMIN’
Tag carryovers happen, but rarely this extreme: Eric Atkinson noticed a common player Red Sox road knit up for auction that was tagged for 2000. Provenance was fine, as it came from Kruk Cards, normally not a game-used dealer but an entity that did obtain a sizeable number of Red Sox gamers at last winter’s Fenway Park Garage Sale. This 2000 Bosox piece carried a Russell manufacturers’ tag…the style used in 1992!
Just curious…what will happen to the Lakers Game 2 NBA Finals uniforms? The Game 1 apparel (Lakers gold, Magic blue) as well as the Game 3 outfits (Magic white, Lakers purple) were tagged and recorded by MeiGray were sold through NBA Auctions. Game 2, though, found the Lakers wearing the Sunday home whites for the only time in the 5-game series. Where will these end up? Will MeiGray obtain these, as well? Will the Lakers auction/sell them on the team website? Will Lakers expert and dealer Dan Cisneros acquire them? Someone else? I guess we’ll have to stay tuned.
DID YOU KNOW…, That, while the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB have made league anniversary patches pretty much and all-for-one concept in terms of uniform display, be it a patch (MLB 125th Anniversary, for example) or a special uniform feature (gold Jerry Wet logo for the NBA’s 50th Anniversary), one defunct league only found a single team wearing its anniversary logo? Yep, the American Football League celebrated 10 years of life in its final year before the NFL-AFL merger. The only team wearing the 10-year AFL patch was the Kansas City Chiefs, and only on their Super Bowl 4 unies, which were the home reds.
The bulletin board on MEARS posted the news of the game-used sale of Red Wings NHL gear this past Saturday in Troy, Michigan. If you couldn’t make it, you may be in luck, as the Red Wings will make any unsold item from the sale available to non-attendees on July 1.
Team contact is Christi Forgacs at christi.forgacs@olyent.com .
HAVING A BALL
Finally, the recently held Midwest League (low A) All-Star Game involved a first. For the game, Rawlings made a limited number (240) of 2009 Midwest League All-Star Game baseballs for the event, held at the home park of the Clinton Lumber Kings. The original plan called for 60 to be put aside for game use and the other 180 to be sold as souvenirs. No word on the team website as to current availability, but try checking again in the near future (www.lumberkings.com) .
QUOTE: “I don’t know a steroid from a reefer.”…Cubs manager Lou Piniella, after being asked about former Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa’s failed 2003 drug test.