Jersey Detective Work Needed - 1968 Flannel Jersey

[Rob L]

Hey all,

I picked up this 1968 Angels jersey a couple of days ago. Jeff (Birdbats) and I have been emailing back and forth on this and have come up with a couple of cool things.

1. This jersey was issued to Bob (Hawk) Taylor for Spring Training in 1968. Taylor ended up hurt and didn't make the big club during the season. Jeff knows Hawk Taylor who indicated that it would have been issued for Spring Training.

2. The lettering is not consistent with the lettering used in 1968. No numbers were on the front of the jerseys at that time. In addition, "Angels" was in all caps across the front of the jersey until 1971 when they went to the lower case Angels with halo over the "a". After discussing this with Jeff, I noticed that the old lettering imprint can be seen on the jersey under the current lettering (see photo).

3. Jeff and I figured that this is a recycled Spring Training jersey that obviously lasted at least 3 years. We could not find a #56 for anyone that played in the regular season. Does anyone have a source to figure out who may have had this number during spring training in the 1971 era?

Thanks again to Jeff for helping me out with this one.

Rob L

[kingjammy24]

media guides sometimes have spring training invitees.

here's a 1971 angels guide:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110206315225

rudy.

[012562]

The 1971 Angels media guide lists #56 in spring training as pitcher Bruce Heinbechner. He never made the big leagues, and was killed a few years later in an automobile accident during spring training while still with the
Angels organization. The 1975 Topps cards of some of the Angels, including Nolan Ryan, show the players at spring training in 1974 wearing a black cloth strip on their sleeves in memory of Heinbechner.

The Angels did use these same flannel jerseys with the 1971 one year only style lettering like your shirt during spring training in 1972. There are 1972 Angels programs showing photographs from 1972 spring training where players are wearing these 1971 style uniforms. One of the photos shows Nolan Ryan wearing one of these style jerseys, and his first spring with the Halos was 1972. So, your shirt could have even been used in at least 1972 spring training.

As indicated, the Angels would reuse jerseys like yours for spring training. However, you can't assume they were used in big league camp since many were also used for minor leaguers and not at the big league camp.

Tom Duino

[sforaker]

I have the exact same style Angels jersey with same exact lettering labeled '68 #57 Egan. The only differences are that the manufacturer is Spalding not Rawlings and it has a size tag attached to the wash tag.

Scott

[Rob L]

Thanks for the info Tom. Definitely is a bit more intriguing.

Scott, I would like to see your Egan jersey. Can you post a picture?

Rob L

[lon lewis]

Rob L

What you probably have here is a jersey ordered for Taylor and not used since he didn't play in '68. It is doubtful that this jersey was used in '68 spring training as the Angels like most teams ordered their jerseys in late February or early March for delivery just prior to the start of the upcoming season. For Spring training they would have used the previous seasons jerseys. The lettering imprint that you refer to is probably the residue of the old lettering that was done in "fancy block" or "tiffany" style of the '68 era. The front was changed later, possibly for use in '72 spring training. The curent lettering is not the same as a Rawlings mfr'd jersey would look as both the cut of the letters and the placement are incorrect, suggesting it was done at the local level either by whoever did the Angels in-season jerseys or by someone in the spring training area.

[Birdbats]

Lon's comments make perfect sense, but there's one piece of the puzzle that isn't fitting for me. Hawk remembered wearing #56 during spring training 1968 and he was with the team until the final spring cut. In 1967, Hawk wore #16. If they were using recycled jerseys from '67 in the spring of '68, why wasn't he wearing the same shirt he wore in '67? I guess it's possible he wore someone else's #56 in the spring of '68 and the team later made a new #56 jersey with his name in the tail, assuming he'd be called up at some point. But, he didn't say anything about wearing a jersey with another name in the tail during ST '68.

Assuming the '68 shirts weren't delivered until just before opening day, that leaves just two possibilities, really. Either Hawk wore another #56 shirt and was oblivious to the name stitched in the tail... or the Angels took a blank jersey that was in stock already and stitched Hawk's name in the tail at the outset of spring training. Thoughts?

Also, I was told yesterday by another collector that he's seen '68 Angels jerseys made by Spalding. This one is made by Rawlings. Does that conflict provide any clues?

[cohibasmoker]

Attached is a scan of my 1968 Angels jersey. It was made by McAuliffe.

Jim

[lon lewis]

Birdbats,

Without getting too carried away over this jersey, and since seeing this jersey in person is not an option, I would like to see a close up photo of the back numbers for comparison to the front numbers and letters. I'm sure that we can agree that the front has been changed so it would be interesting to see if the back has been as well.

[cohibasmoker]

I forgot to add the scan of the back of my jersey.

In looking at the original thread, what I found interesting was the McAuliffe style of numbers on a Rawlings jersey.

Jim

[cohibasmoker]

Birdbats,

Without getting too carried away over this jersey, and since seeing this jersey in person is not an option, I would like to see a close up photo of the back numbers for comparison to the front numbers and letters. I'm sure that we can agree that the front has been changed so it would be interesting to see if the back has been as well.

So, is the verdict in? Which jersey is an authentic jersey from 1968?

Jim

[Rob L]

The 56 on the back of the jersey is has been redone and is not the original number that was placed on the jersey in the 60s/70s. The fabric around the number on the back does not show any indication that another number was on this jersey (ie. #16) like the front shows the faint imprint of the original Angels 1968 font. This would suggest that the jersey was #56 originally and the number stayed when the new font (and number) was added to the front of the jersey. The fact that Bob "Hawk" Taylor remembered wearing #56 during his last spring training with the Angels lends credence to this.

As far as the manufacturer goes, it's interesting that there we now know there were Rawlings, Spaulding and McAuliffe jerseys from that year. Maybe the Rawlings was used for the ST jerseys.

Any thoughts?

Rob L

[Rob L]

Scott (sforaker), can you email me at loefflerrd@cox.net.

Thanks,

Rob L