My dad was always making stuff out of wood down in the basement workshop…As a kid, I loved going through the “scrap box”, looking for a block or section of wood in the rough shape of something I could use. It needed to be along the lines of what I was looking for since I could not use the power tools or saws. I found that if looked hard and long enough, I could see things I may not have envisioned before.
This feeling came back over me in the re-look of the “Called Shot Jersey.” It seemed I became both my father with a specific project in mind such as doll house or cavalry fort; and the little kid gathering scraps for use in the future. While a complete article will run in the near future with my conclusions on the offered “Called Shot” jersey, I thought I would share some of the scraps.
SCRAP: How many home or road uniforms did the New York Yankees, or at least Ruth or similar star players have? I have heard many theories on this subject and the number usually is two. One of the things offered with this theory is that one of these uniforms was a carry over from a pervious year. I knew this to be the case at least with respect to the 1960s, but what about this time frame. What I saw in the form of photographic evidence is that the population was likely three jerseys per year, with one of those being a carry over from the previous year. This is all detailed in my evaluation. I found this very useful in looking at a pending evaluation of a 1937 Lou Gehrig home jersey as I found photographic evidence of Gehrig with three separate home uniforms for 1937.
SCRAP: From Dr. Harold Seymours “Baseball: The Golden Age. “Poorer clubs like the St. Louis Cardinals might make the same set do for two seasons.” (VOL II, page 128).
SCRAP: From March 15th 1930 Saturday Evening Edition of the Syracuse Herald states that “It cost the Detroit baseball club more than $6000 to uniform the Tigers for this seasons play” and that “the Tigers sartorial purchase included 120 complete uniforms and 35 coats Each player will have two home and two road uniforms and their will be sufficient replacements in the stock room to care for any emergences that may arise.” The article goes on to say that “Players used to get by on two uniforms but the modern fan demands neatness of appearance as well as performance and untidy players quickly are called by umpires who always have the welfare of the laundry business at heart.”
SCRAP: Requests by the Base Ball Players Fraternity from Baseball Magazine, January 1914. Eighth: Every club shall furnish each player with two complete uniforms, exclusive of shoes. The player shall make a deposit of $30 therefore, which shall be returned to him at the end of the season or the termination of his contract, upon the surrender of the uniforms by him to the club. The words “complete uniforms” shall be construed to mean two pairs of trousers, two shirts, two belts, two caps, stockings as required, and a coat or sweater.
SCRAP: Answer to requests by the Base Ball Players Fraternity from Baseball Magazine, March 1914. The players were successful in having most of their requests granted. This meant more for the Commission than giving away in principle, for it means that much money will have to be spent to live tip to their part of the agreement. It may be seen how much it will cost the magnates when it is remembered that in such a small matter as that of uniforms the magnates agreed to furnish two uniforms a season to the ball players free of charge. As there are 20 to 25 players on a team, one can figure what it will cost them at $15 a suit. Forty suits is about the smallest number that any club can squeeze along with, which means $600. Every club has for its players a home suit and a road uniform. It was brought out that only the National League had failed to buy the uniforms for the players. This will mean a saving of at least $30 for each player in the National League a season.
Keep looking for and collecting scraps. You never know when they will come in handy.
As always, enjoy what you collect and collect what you enjoy.
MEARS Auth, LLC