Packers 1950's Game Worn Jersey ?

[cohibasmoker]

I just picked up this vintage durene jersey that looks like a 1950’s Packers jersey. In checking the Sand-knit tag, the jersey was made by San-knit BUT distributed by Shea Sporting Goods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

It is my understanding that during this era, Sand-Knit made the jerseys but used local distributors to sell and/or distribute the jerseys to local teams. With that said, would the Packers use a distributor in Pittsburgh, Pa to purchase their jerseys?

Another though would be, could the tag be a carry-over? Around the time this style of jersey was worn by the Packers, Sand-knit moved from Chicago to Wisconsin. If there was a Sand-Knit tag on the jersey with a Wisconsin distributor, the odds would greatly increase that the jersey could be a Packers jersey. Remember, we are talking about the 1950's where things weren't thrown away like they are today.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jim

Flaa1a@comcast.net

[gwh11]

Jim,
Despite the similarity in style, this wouldn't be a mid-'50s Packers jersey. In addition to the issue of the distributor's tag, the font style is different from what the team used (the "5" is a different style compared to what was worn at the time).
-Guy

[Doodles]

Jim,
Despite the similarity in style, this wouldn't be a mid-'50s Packers jersey. In addition to the issue of the distributor's tag, the font style is different from what the team used (the "5" is a different style compared to what was worn at the time).
-Guy

Sure it doesn't look like the correct five...turn it upside down though and you have a correct "2"

[cohibasmoker]

Sure it doesn't look like the correct five...turn it upside down though and you have a correct "2"

It's an interesting research project - thanks guys for the input.

Jim

[Doodles]

It's an interesting research project - thanks guys for the input.

Jim

What does the 5 on the other side look like? Also transposed? Perhaps this is a reject.

[cohibasmoker]

What does the 5 on the other side look like? Also transposed? Perhaps this is a reject.

Here's the front and back of the jersey - looks like the same thing - an inverted #2. There is nice wear to the jersey. The numbers are sewn onto the jersey but there are small sections of the numbers that have come loose from the jersey.

Jim

[gwh11]

Jim,
Another factor in ruling out a Packers connection is the color. Don't let the colorization job on the Topps card mislead you; the actual bluish color on those Packers jerseys of that era was much darker.
-Guy

[invintagewetrust]

Hi all,

Frequent reader, seldom poster.

I think this might be a university of pittsburgh panthers jersey from the late 1950's to early 1960's. The piping and coloring looks correct. I used to have a few photos from this era, but that hard drive is long gone.

I have encountered new sand knit jerseys, ie one's from the late 1970's to mid 80's that have distrubutor tagging from areas outside of the state that the team that used the shirt resided in, but never shirts from this era.

Just my two cents.

In Vintage We Trust.

[BrianK]

Reviving an old thread to throw out another possibility. This Heritage East-West Shrine game jersey caught my attention as looking very similar. Of course it has a yellow yoke and different manufacturer. But maybe another year. For example, the second photo is 1949.

Sources:
http://sports.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=7032&lotIdNo=153009
http://sflib1.sfpl.org:82/record=b1020148~S0

[genius]

I "solved" this mystery and then went ahead and lost the link to the photo I had found. But I think this is a Washington & Jefferson college jersey, they were blue/gold in the 50s and I had found a photo that was a perfect style match.