DISCUSSION THREAD: How do you think so many Game Worn Jerseys entered the public

[droop685]

Specifically from the 90s and back, before Steiner and team programs. With thousands upon thousands of game worn jerseys out there, how do you think so many, including the superstars, got out in to the public over the years. How did they get from the players locker in to our hands. Granted every jersey has it's own story but what do you think is the explanation?

[Samets]

I would imagine every team treats these things differently...

I can tell you that in the 1990's Chicago Bears had a grab bag that you could have purchased at the convention and you would get a jersey. You didn't know what you got until you opened the bag.

[ivo610]

For the packers it was the tent sales, collections from staff and players, and they sold through a company in the 90s.

[droop685]

I know some teams do a raffle on the last game of the season for jerseys

[grandeleague]

Back in the 1990's the braves would sell the entire supply of regular season and bp jerseys to a single entity and the buyer was given one letter on club letterhead signed by equipment manager bill acree. The buyer of the bulk lot of jerseys would xerox the loa and give a copy to each buyer. Most of the time the jerseys would be sold from a full page ad in sports collectors digest. The first known bulk sale of jerseys was in the fall of 1992 for the 1991 jerseys. Hartel sports had the 1991 jerseys.They were offered in sports collector digest. Starting in 1995 they auctioned a signed set of 1995 home game worn jerseys in a silent auction for charity. I forget the edaft date but the jerseys were from the game in which Maddux won his 15th game of the 95' season.The 95 auction was the first time i recall a braves foundation auction of game used items. Starting in 1997 was the first time the braves issued individual coa's with jerseys with exact date of use. This was a home set of jerseys sold in sports collectors digest. That ought to help shed some light on braves jersey provenance. I also know many 1991 star jerseys like justice and deion sanders were already in the hobby during the regular season. How those got into the hobby was anyones guess.

[droop685]

I wonder how so many NBA jerseys got out there

[jake33]

In the coming years you will see more and more standard operating for each major league.

MLB has a "best practices" meeting in Las Vegas each November for each team's lead "Authentics" coordinator to go over best ways to collect and sell product. In general, there will be more of a uniform (no pun intended) way to sell products.

[droop685]

I know the Mets have a game used store at the stadium

[mad87man]

I would guess they got out as gifts and things like that and just passed down or sold off. Sometimes they gave them to people in hospitals also.

[sox83cubs84]

Back in the 1990's the braves would sell the entire supply of regular season and bp jerseys to a single entity and the buyer was given one letter on club letterhead signed by equipment manager bill acree. The buyer of the bulk lot of jerseys would xerox the loa and give a copy to each buyer. Most of the time the jerseys would be sold from a full page ad in sports collectors digest. The first known bulk sale of jerseys was in the fall of 1992 for the 1991 jerseys. Hartel sports had the 1991 jerseys.They were offered in sports collector digest. Starting in 1995 they auctioned a signed set of 1995 home game worn jerseys in a silent auction for charity. I forget the edaft date but the jerseys were from the game in which Maddux won his 15th game of the 95' season.The 95 auction was the first time i recall a braves foundation auction of game used items. Starting in 1997 was the first time the braves issued individual coa's with jerseys with exact date of use. This was a home set of jerseys sold in sports collectors digest. That ought to help shed some light on braves jersey provenance. I also know many 1991 star jerseys like justice and deion sanders were already in the hobby during the regular season. How those got into the hobby was anyones guess.

Actually, there have been bulk purchases as far back as 1978. The Phillies had their 1977 unis stolen by a notorious game used thief of the era, and reordered. The stolen items, however, were recovered fairly quickly, and the Phils then had too many jerseys. The two sets of homes and roads they no longer needed were sold to TCMA, not a game used dealer but a big name in the then fledgling hobby, and were sold in an SCD ad. Schmidt, Luzinski and Carlton were priced at $200 each (I bought a road Schmidt at the time) and others were less.

Dave Miedema

[Vintagedeputy]

When I was a kid (1986), I met a guy at a card show in NJ. He had a large gym bag filled with 1985 Yankees home jerseys. His story was that his buddy was a Yankees clubhouse guy with a gambling problem, so the players would donate stuff to the gambler to sell to pay off his debts. This guy would buy the jerseys from him and sell them by walking around shows. I bought a Dan Pasqua jersey from him (and I still have it), but I seem to remember that he had Mattingly, et al.