Question regarding 1972 Angels Jersey

[Rob L]

Hey all,

I have been watching the following eBay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Del-Rice-game-used-1972-California-Angels-Jersey-NICE_W0QQitemZ370010398108QQihZ024QQcategoryZ60597 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The jersey is a 1972 Del Rice jersey. He managed the Angels that year. From what I can tell from the Henderson guide, the font on this jersey was not used until 1973. Del Rice did not manage the Angels that year. Any thoughts?

Rob L

[kingjammy24]

lelands previously sold the del rice shirt:

http://www.lelands.com/bid.aspx?auctionid=710&lot=141

perhaps you could email mike heffner and asked how they verified the style. it's not just the font that's different from '72 to '73, it's the entire style; from button-down to pullover.

bill's guide is great but it's not bullet proof. there are errors here and there. if you're genuinely into angels shirts, the best thing you could do for yourself is to build your own library - yearbooks, programs, cards, books, videos, etc. you'll become a niche expert.

in this particular case, i'd try to track down some SI, Sporting News, or newspaper photos from 1972. they'd have the best chance of showing the 1972 team as opposed to using old pictures as cards often do.

rudy.

[Rob L]

Exploring the database of uniforms on the HOF website shows the 1972 font on the uniforms to be the lower case "angels" while the 1973 uniform had the capitalized version.

Del Rice was fired after the 1972 season. Even though the jersey was manufactured in 1972, would it be possible that the jersey was a blank holdover that was then used in 1973? According to the eBay auction, there is no sign of alterations so it is possible that the "ANGELS" lettering is the original lettering to the jersey. Del Rice wore #7 in 1972, however,
Billy Grabarkewitz wore #7 in 1973. I just wonder if this assumed to be a Del Rice jersey because of the 1972 year tag.

Rob L

1972 jersey, 1973 jersey

[kingjammy24]

if both henderson and okkonen state that lower-case buttondowns were used in '72 and upper-case pullovers in '73, then it's probably correct.

"..would it be possible that the jersey was a blank holdover that was then used in 1973?"

i'm not sure how "blank" you mean. even if it was devoid of the team wordmark, the style is different. in '73 the angels wore pullovers. would mcauliffe have grabbed a button-down in preparing the '73 teams pullovers? i can't see one player trotting out to the field wearing a noticeably different jersey than the others.

it's a '73 style jersey with a '72 tag. some possibilities:

- salesmans sample. mcauliffe made it up to show how the upcoming new jerseys would look. they made it in '72. somewhere along the line it became a "gamer".
- mcauliffe mistakenly applied the wrong year tag
- spring training? although, spring training jerseys for 1973 would still have been made in 1973, not '72.
- it's altered/doctored

in determining the year a jersey was really used, i'd depend more on the style than the year tag. it may be as simple as mcauliffe just sewing the wrong year tag on. not unheard of. if rice wasn't on the '73 team, then i'm much more inclined to think it's a grabarkewitz jersey. as i said, style trumps the year tag.

rudy.

[Rob L]

"..would it be possible that the jersey was a blank holdover that was then used in 1973?"

i'm not sure how "blank" you mean. even if it was devoid of the team wordmark, the style is different. in '73 the angels wore pullovers. would mcauliffe have grabbed a button-down in preparing the '73 teams pullovers? i can't see one player trotting out to the field wearing a noticeably different jersey than the others.

Rudy,

I think you are right with the year tag being wrong. The jersey for sale is a pull over and the Angels definitely were not using those in 1972. As you said, style trumps the year tag.

Thanks,

Rob L

[012562]

Rob L.,

Note that the jersey on eBay should have a California state patch on the sleeve.

Can anybody tell if this is supposed to be a home white or gray road? I cannot see anything in the eBay listing, although it looks like a gray road to me. In 1973, the Angels wore McAuliffe at home with name on back, and Rawlings on the road without name on back.

Tom Duino

[Rob L]

Rob L.,

Note that the jersey on eBay should have a California state patch on the sleeve.

Can anybody tell if this is supposed to be a home white or gray road? I cannot see anything in the eBay listing, although it looks like a gray road to me. In 1973, the Angels wore McAuliffe at home with name on back, and Rawlings on the road without name on back.

Tom Duino

Hey Tom,

The jersey is white. The year tag has me thrown off though. I would think it could be a spring training jersey (therefore, minus the state logo) but in 1973, the old lower case jerseys were still used with the new hats (with capital A). I have been in contact with the owner so I will see if he can tell whether the name imprint is visible and/or state logo patch.

BTW, per the other thread, I can be reached at:

loefflerrd@cox.net

Thanks,

Rob L

[012562]

Thanks for the update. Good discussion.

I don't have any notes or recollection that the Angels ever took the sleeve patch off their jerseys for spring training, although they did remove the names off the back. I have at least a few dozen Angels jerseys from 1972-1975, and none have the state patch removed. I also just checked some files and unfortunately cannot locate my 1973 spring training wirephotos that would show what was worn in Palm Springs for games, since all the wirephotos show game action. I did see some Salt Lake City (Angels AAA team) photos from 1974 while looking for the spring training wirephotos, and the SLC photos show what look like Angels hand me down regular jerseys being worn with the state patch on the sleeve still. This may be another indication that they did not remove the state patches.

It would be interesting to find out why there is a 1972 year tag on that 1973 style Angels jersey. The comment I saw about it possibly being a sales sample is interesting. I suppose most vintage sales samples from any team or manufacturer over the years have been "converted" into game used along the way.

Tom Duino

[Rob L]

Tom,

Wow. You have market cornered. Who's jerseys from the 72-75 era do you have? Sounds like an awesome collection.

Rob L
loefflerrd@cox.net

[ryan4fregosi]

Photo taken at '73 Spring Training:
http://i7.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/ce/4d/98d0_1.JPG

[Rob L]

The baseball card clearly shows the 1972 jerseys being used for Spring Training in 1973 with the new 1973 style hat.

Rob L