Welcome to my first turn at the Sunday News Extra(SNE). My interpretation of SNE will be part Shirt Off My Back, part tidbits that used to be Bulletin Board posts. I hope it’s to your liking.
ALL-ORIGINAL CUBS KNITS? NOT LIKELY:
Before you accept the word of the seller as to his “all-original” 1994 or 1998 Cubs gamers, look for one specific potential flaw. When the Cubs offered these through ballpark and convention sales, these styles, almost without exception, weren’t offered until the 125th Anniversary patches (1994) and the Caray and Brickhouse memoriams (1998) were removed. Numerous ads have touted all-original 1994 and 1998 Cubs gamers, but, based on what I observed at those sales, very few actually are. Check for a stitch mark imprint in the vicinity of where the current patch is…if you see one, you’ve got a restoration.
MORE EXTREME NFL RECYCLING
I saw an odd, but fully legitimate football jersey on eBay recently. The jersey was a 49ers road gamer of Troy Wilson, a rookie on the ’93 squad. Being one of the low men on the totem pole for the Niners ended up with Wilson getting a c.1988 Russell gamer modified with TV and NFL logos. By 1993, and for 3 or 4 years beforehand, Wilson supplied the 49ers. And, in support of the jersey’s legitimacy, a 49ers team LOA, with the specific player cited, came with the jersey.
PATCH NEWS
NHL fans will be pleased to know that the January Winter Classic game in Buffalo with the Sabres hosting the Penguins found both teams’ sweaters sporting a special Winter Classic patch.
NBA RETRO NIGHT:
Last Sunday evening at the Staples Center found a Hardwood Classics game with anew retro twist. The visiting Boston Celtics wore green road unies that resembled the Bill Russell-era threads, with an arched, serafed BOSTON on the front. The host Lakers, however, went one up on them. Jerseys were the tank top variety worn in 1987-88, but the item that had fans and commentators buzzing were the short shorts the Lakers wore that were the NBA norm in the pre-Michael Jordan days, as opposed to the baggy knee-length attire of today. The Lakers are supposed to wear the 1987-88 retro tops roughly 7 more times this season. As for the John Stockton-style shorts surfacing again, only time will tell.
OBITUARIES:
Christmas Day was the date of death for 11-season National Leaguer Jim Beauchamp, since then a longtime coach on the Atlanta Braves and in their farm system. Beauchamp died at age 68 after a long battle with leukemia. As far as jerseys he wore go, the easy pinnacle would have been a 1964 Houston Colt .45s home flannel by Wilson. This wildly popular style with the smoking pistol front rarely transacts for under four figures, even for little-known players.
SEAN TAYLOR FOLLOW-UP
While there were no strict guidelines issued by the NFL, it turns out most member teams wore the 21 decal for murdered Redskin Sean Taylor on their helmets. One team that didn’t was New England, due to a memoriam decal for a member of the team already being present.
That’s it for this go-round…see you next Sunday.
Dave Miedema