Frank Viola Red Sox jersey

[Swoboda4]

Ah...,I don't know how to say this.. but.. there's a manager for Tim Marburger Dodge in Concord N.C.named Bob Zupcic. He was given number 16 in September of 1991 when he was called up from Pawtucket to the Red Sox. Romine left Boston and baseball on Aug 4,1991. Anyway,by the time Viola signed with the Sox it's January of 92. Who knows when he came around to ask Zupcic for #16? Zupcic used #28 in 92. Anybody feel like calling Zupcic (704-784-9270)?

[Swoboda4]

This jersey gotten so much attention,I may just bid on this Zupcic jersey.

[kingjammy24]

hmm.
Viola - 6'4, 209
Zupcic - 6'4, 200
Romine - 5'11, 185

In an era when jerseys were worn smaller/tighter, I'd offer than 46 might be too large for Romine. Perhaps this was a jersey made for Zupcic at the tail end of 1991 and tossed to Viola in 1992? They seem to be practically the same size, with Romine being the odd-man-out in terms of size.

I did find some photos of mighty Bob Zupcic in '92, with the JRY patch, in a Russell. Couldn't find any clear shots of him in a 1991 home uniform.

Anyway, this was a fun jersey to discuss. Hopefully nobody had their buttons pressed too hard.

Rudy.

[kingjammy24]

After some private discussion with BPH/Kim Stigall, I think this thread warrants an update and conclusion. For me, it was all an interesting lesson in some of the finer points of this hobby.

I initally found this jersey confusing for a few main reasons:

- In 1992, Red Sox jerseys were supplied by Russell. Kim confirms this. Yet this was a 1991-tagged Wilson with a 1992 patch removed.

- Not only did I think the manufacturer was incorrect for 1992, but also for 1991. I believed that as a 1991 Red Sox jersey, it should've been a Rawlings. The reason behind this was because I have a ton of photos of the 1991 Red Sox clearly showing them in Rawlings jerseys. What I failed to realize was that all of the photos showed them in their road jerseys. Of the handful of 1991 Red Sox home jersey photos I have, none showed the right sleeve. Since it's somewhat uncommon for a team to have road jerseys from one manufacturer and home jerseys from another in the same year, I made the 'leap of logic' that if their road jerseys were Rawlings, then their home jerseys most likely were too. Here's where I made my main error. I failed to make the distinction between their home and road jerseys.

- I was also confused as to why the patch would be legitimately removed from this Wilson jersey for subsequent use in 1993 when in 1992, the team knew it it would be wearing Russell in 1993.

In my mind, these were some relatively substantial issues; 2 consecutive incorrect manufacturers and the illogical removal of a patch.

After speaking with BPH/Kim, here is what I believe the truth of the matter is and where I went wrong:

In 1991, the Red Sox road grey's were indeed supplied by Rawlings (and Rawlings only as far as I can tell). Kim and I both agree on this. Their home whites, however, were supplied by Wilson. (Although rare, it's not the first, or second, time I've seen this happen. Bill Henderson's guide furthermore states that both road and home jerseys for the Red Sox in 1990 and 1991 were supplied solely by Rawlings). So in 1991, it turns out that the home and road jerseys were supplied by different manufacturers and that is where I made my main error.
So as a 1991 HOME Red Sox jersey, the Viola jersey is not incorrect to be a Wilson. The Red Sox received this jersey in 1991. Size 46, #16. Most likely meant for Bob Zupcic, who was practically the same height and weight as Viola. Zupcic relinquished the number in 1992. In 1992, the Sox received their Russell jerseys and sewed on the JRY patch. However, it seems they also took their old 1991 Wilson home jerseys and sewed the JRY patch on those as well. In 1992 then, the Red Sox took the field at Fenway wearing a combination of 1992 Russell and 1991 Wilson jerseys, all with the JRY patch. It appears they were even sloppier than the Yankees when it came to uniforms. As for the removal of the patch, it was suggested that this was done for spring training and I believe this makes sense.

For me, the discussion was never about BPH or Kim Stigall. I've purchased from them before and would not have done so if I thought they were shady. It was solely about this initially-confusing 1991/92 Viola. Hope others learned as much as I did from it.

Rudy.