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HIGHLIGHTS |
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- Over 1000 Electronic (and
printable) Pages
- Over 6000 photographs
- Complete detailed coverage of
every team's HOME, ROAD, ALTERNATE and BATTING PRACTICE Jerseys
going back to the start of the Double Knit era in 1970-73.
- "Turn Back the Clock" Game-worn
uniforms included
- Dozens of Team Prototypes and
actual oddball uniforms worn on the field are detailed
- Representative examples of team
year and set tagging shown for every team
- All Team, league and post-season
patches are catalogued
- All player name and number fonts
for every team are detailed and catalogued
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An Illustrated Guide to MLB Jersey Styles and Lettering:
The Double Knit Era Collectors' Reference (1970-2005)
Third Edition |
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by William
Henderson |
Background
I have been collecting game worn
uniforms for over twenty five years, chasing the elusive and
unofficial goal of finding “one of every style” for every team
since the Double Knit Era began. Over the years I generated
a huge quantity of photographs and notes to myself that I kept in
a dog eared notebook and flexible files in my drawers. When going
to shows or seeing items advertised for sale, I’d check my files
to see if what was being offered looked authentic. If I didn’t buy
it, I’d often take pictures anyway, just to have for the future.
Since I started in 1979, I have amassed a collection of about 500
authentic jerseys; more than half of them game worn.
Below: Game worn Phillies 1972
Road Jersey with chain stitched logos and numbers, 1979 "Saturday
Night Special" oddball jersey style worn only once and retired
forever.
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| The hobby has
changed incredibly in the past five years. Now, with the Internet
available to everyone, dealers and private collectors are buying and
selling MLB memorabilia in ways that would have been unimaginable to
us in the mid- 90’s. Back then, you had to “know somebody” to find a
game worn uniform. Today, buying one is just a mouse click away on
Ebay. |
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The problem is, not all of these jerseys being sold are truly
authentic. Some are outright fabrications, being sold by people
trying to separate enthusiasts from their hard earned money. Others
are being sold by dealers who may have no real idea that an item
they are offering for sale is not authentic, as they may have bought
it themselves believing in its authenticity. Others are simply
incorrectly restored |
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People often ask me “How can I tell if it is authentic?” It’s often
a difficult question to answer, because sometimes it is impossible
to be completely sure. But relying on my hundreds of pages of notes
I can supply clues that can tell a collector if an item he is
about to buy is probably NOT authentic. A convincing “Letter of Authenticity”
can also be fabricated, by anyone with a devious mind and a dollar
to spend at Kinkos.
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I compiled this
massive guide after many fellow collectors asked me for copies of my
notes and research. The “first edition” of this guide was made for
friends. Now, in this Third Edition, I have completely rewritten
the entire book, researching and collecting thousands more period
photographs and comparing them to items in private collections and
offered for sale through dealers and private individuals. |
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| I am
a member of SABR- the Society for American Baseball Research. I
compiled this guide as a service of sorts for other collectors. This
work was never intended for wide distribution, and was not
commissioned or licensed by Major League Baseball. |
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Contents of the Guide |
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The Double Knit
Era Collectors’ Reference is divided into 34 sections:
- One chapter
for each of the 31 teams (including the Washington Nationals) in
the Major Leagues, covering every variation of game jersey,
alternate jersey and Batting Practice (BP) Jersey worn by the team
since the start of the 1970’s. Shows trim changes, whether names
on back are used, if nameplates are used, what patches are on the
sleeves, who the official manufacturer was for the team for most
years, the colors of the lettering and examples of representative
team tagging.
- A chapter
explaining the basics of authentication: detailing what to look for when collecting; tips to spot a fake, a
fabrication or a recreation.
- A Chapter
dedicated to all the sleeve patches worn by the teams, for
Post-Season Play, All Star Games, Anniversaries and MLB
Memorials.
- A chapter
highlighting and showing examples of all of the many dozens of
variations of typestyles used for player numbers and names during
the Double Knit Era.
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Click
Here to see a sample chapter from the
guide. |
