team issued jersey vs back up jersey

[philliephyl]

I know team issued jerseys are mlb authenticated and listed as issued because the authenticator does not see the player actually wearing the jersey. I recently purchased a jersey that the team said as team issued and when I looked it up it says ALTERNATE BACK UP #2. it shows use.

Is there any real difference between a jersey being listed as a back up as opposed to just issued? or is it just another term that mlb is using.

[jppopma]

I have also seen the term "back up" used to describe a jersey worn by a player who does not play in the game. Usually related to specialty jerseys. A new grey area in between GI and GU.

[xpress34]

I have also seen the term "back up" used to describe a jersey worn by a player who does not play in the game. Usually related to specialty jerseys. A new grey area in between GI and GU.

And this is where there should be a solid distinction between 'Game WORN' and 'Game USED'.

For an example, I have a Jason Hirsch 2007 Game WORN World Series Hat with LOA from the Rockies.

Hirsch was NOT on the WS Roster, so it can NOT be Game USED, but he was on the bench IN UNIFORM for every game of the series, so it is technically Game WORN.

Regardless of whether he played in the Game, he WORE the uniform on the field for National Anthem and in the dugout for the entire 9 innings of the game.

I for one do NOT believe Game USED/WORN are one in the same.

A USED or even just WORN item has already gone further than simply being an ISSUED item that made it to a locker in the clubhouse.

Just my .02

- Smitty

[emann]

To me the whole "team issued" vs. "game used" hologram designation is seriously lacking. Adding "game backup" or anything else into the mix seems silly...

Still, if somebody passes over an obviously game worn jersey with a "team issued" holo on it of a player I collect, I'm totally fine with that. ;)

[gingi79]

The lexicon of terms is the most underdeveloped and over discussed topic in our hobby. Smitty even gave us a new and rational distinction between worn and used. It is truly sad we can't just get Larry P, Barry Miesel, Murf Denny, Spivik and Kraut and Chris Cavalier together and make a damn list of what we should call everything.

Jerseys worn in a game are called this:
Jerseys worn by a player when they didn't participate are called this:
Jerseys owned by the team for use but weren't are called this:
Jerseys made for to specs by the manufacturer and sold to the public are called this:
Jerseys made for public sale that look like the ones on field are called this:
Jerseys for public sale that aren't similar to on field are called this:

Then nail them down as THE description for a particular type of jersey, with codes in the wash tag to prove it so we can have no questions asked and we can finally put this to bed.

(I realize I can be a pretentious and caustic member at times but I'd like to think this might be the greatest idea I have ever had for this hobby :) )

[xpress34]

Gingi -

Thanks for the comment.

I have held the following as my own PERSONAL distinctions over the years - now keep in mind that I am a BASEBALL guy and baseball (with a few exceptions I'm sure - such as Pujols with cut off shirt tails) doesn't deal with 'Player Spec' jerseys like Football and Hockey do - that said, here is MY 'definitions' in order from BEST to WORST:

GAME USED - Item worn or used by a player while PARTICIPATING in the game.

GAME WORN - Item worn but NOT used during the game or during participation in the game. This applies to a LOT of Relief Pitchers 'Specialty' or 'One Day' use items since a lot of them never take the mound.

GAME/TEAM ISSUED - Item made and ready to be WORN or USED but never actually put on by a player or even taken to the dugout (bats, helmets)

AUTHENTIC - identical to ISSUED/WORN/USED item except made for 'high end' retail sale. Better materials, etc.

RETAIL - similar to AUTHENTIC but lower quality materials, etc.

REPLICA/KNOCKOFF - any item that doesn't meet any of the above criteria - specifically 'iron on' jerseys, the Majestic jerseys they made in the early 90's with team names in script on front and FELT numbers on back (no name) that corresponded to a star on the team, etc.

That said, there are some 'one-off' exceptions to the rule - for example the 1971 Brooks Robinson Orioles jersey I recently acquired.

Everyone says it is a SALESMAN's SAMPLE (and I have no reason or proof not to believe that), but from what I can tell, it looks EXACTLY like the 1971 Orioles Game Jerseys and back then, you didn't really have 'AUTHENTICS' and 'RETAIL', etc.

Anyone else want to chime in here? Maybe we can actually get a firm grip on our definitions here.

- Smitty


The lexicon of terms is the most underdeveloped and over discussed topic in our hobby. Smitty even gave us a new and rational distinction between worn and used. It is truly sad we can't just get Larry P, Barry Miesel, Murf Denny, Spivik and Kraut and Chris Cavalier together and make a damn list of what we should call everything.

Jerseys worn in a game are called this:
Jerseys worn by a player when they didn't participate are called this:
Jerseys owned by the team for use but weren't are called this:
Jerseys made for to specs by the manufacturer and sold to the public are called this:
Jerseys made for public sale that look like the ones on field are called this:
Jerseys for public sale that aren't similar to on field are called this:

Then nail them down as THE description for a particular type of jersey, with codes in the wash tag to prove it so we can have no questions asked and we can finally put this to bed.

(I realize I can be a pretentious and caustic member at times but I'd like to think this might be the greatest idea I have ever had for this hobby :) )

[G1X]

Still, if somebody passes over an obviously game worn jersey with a "team issued" holo on it of a player I collect, I'm totally fine with that. ;)

+1 :)

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

[jppopma]

Or just be like auction houses and some ebay sellers....don't call claim it to be anything and watch the buyers line up none the less.