The terms Game Used/Game Worn

[Dewey2007]

I wanted to ask the following question of forum members. What is your definition of game used and/or game worn? Do they mean the same thing to you? I know the terms are pretty interchangeable and seem pretty straightforward but to me there is a subtle difference.

Game Used means that an item was used by a "player" who participated in an actual game (spring training, preseason, regular season, playoffs). That means at least 1 at-bat or pitch thrown, 1 down played or 1 second on the court or ice in basketball or hockey.

Game Worn means that an item was worn by a player who didn't play in a game or by a coach or manager. I see coaches/managers jerseys listed all the time as game used. I think the term game worn is more appropriate since they don't actually play. Most game worn ends up being game used at some point but I think there is always that instance of a player who got called up from the minors or activated from the practice squad but may have never gotten into a game. He was on the active roster and suited up but didn't play. His items would then be game worn. Or do you call it game used with light wear?

Then there's the Game Issued which is pretty clear cut.

Does use of a jersey or other item in batting practice or a pre-game shoot around in basketball or football practice constitute game used? I know they use separate jerseys for these activities but I see BP jerseys or practice jerseys listed as game used all the time. It was stated in a previous thread that according to MLB standards batting practice constitutes game used for a bat (not sure if this applied to other items too?). Is MLB's standard your standard in regards to BP items?

I'm sure this must have been addressed before here on the forum but I'm too lazy to do a search. I'm sure I'm overlooking something or maybe I'm way off base on this whole thing? Is everything that is not game issued then considered game used/worn with just different levels of wear or use? I know there will never be a consensus on the definition or use of the terms for the whole hobby but I'd be interested to hear what others have to say.

[mvandor]

Game worn and used mean the same thing to me, but issued is not clear cut, it's misused all the time to describe, for example, football helmets that have been customized to approximate a player's actual game helmet.

[David]

In common auction usage, I think they are interchangible. Though, obviously a bat can only be game used.

[David]

I should add that, from personal point of view, practice or shoot around jerseys aren't game used/worn-- though if someone says 'game worn warmup jacket' or 'game used practice bat' the meaning is clear and there is no deception.

[David]

One last point. Even little kids make a clear distinction between 'sitting on the sidelines' and 'being in the game.' What is and is not 'game' should be clear. There's 'in the game' and there's everything else. Sitting on the bench isn't 'in the game' and a batting practice is only warmup for the game. A player never wore his shower flip flops in a game. 'Batting practice used jersey' and 'Warmup used jacket' are appropriate terms.

[kylehess10]

Game Used and Game Worn are the same to me. I just seperate them when saying specific things like a "game used bat". It's not like you can wear a bat, so I say "game used". When it comes to jerseys I say "game worn", becuase you can't use a jersey, you WEAR it.

[bigtruck260]

I understand those terms, however, for my personal preference...(and this is only for bats over $200:

GAME USED BATS - Spring Training is OK, but BP is not. There are games played in spring training...and from the spring games I have watched (Cards only here) most players use their regular lumber, and use is consistent with regular season game use. MOST OF THE TIME.

When I watch BP at the stadium, MANY times - I see players use bats that they would never use in a game. I have seen Pujols use Mizuno, one of Brian Barton/Brendan Ryan's "A" bats and what looked like a BWP (this was sitting at close range with binoculars). I would never buy a Pujols Mizuno bat...it is pretty well documented that he does not use them in games. I also saw Rolen use a black bat last year in BP - though I have never seen him use one in a game (and if he did it was a fluke, and I missed it).

DonTheLegend can verify this one -

Some players will recycle thier gamers into BP use. I know that I owned a few Lankford bats that had tape on the barrel - and after the tape was removed...there were clear ball/ink marks. This is the only instance where I might make an exception...as long as the other traits matched up.

There are dealers who shall remain nameless that will list a bat as "game used" when it is clear that it is a BP bat...the same way there are dealers who will list a bat as "game used" when there are no ball marks/tar or anything other than rack streaks - which I have discovered are not even rack streaks sometimes. Blonde bats that are shipped next to black bats end up with paint marks that can be misinterpreted as rack streaks.

THIS IS WHY -

No matter how reputable the dealer is, you need to do your homework. especially if you are about to drop a grand or two on a Jeter, Pujols - or A-Rod gamer. Reputations are fine but - research still has to be done. Not every dealer is schooled on the nuances of every player.

I have seen Reggie Sanders gamers from his Cardinal days (on MLB.com) with no handle tape...just like I have seen Jim Edmonds bats with no handle tape...the same way I have seen A-Rod/Jeter bats with clean handles (no tar/mota)...

Terms are terms are terms.

[Neely8]

Game used and game worn mean the same thing to me.

[suave1477]

Game Worn and Game Used are basically the same thing but when you refer to a bat you can't call it game worn because you do not wear a bat, so you would say Game Used.
Game Worn and Game Used Jersey are the same exact thing no matter when it was used. That is why an item usually but not always will be specified if it was Game Used/Worn for BP or ST or Regular Season.

DO A SEARCH ON THE FORUM AS THIS TOPIC HAS ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT UP

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET MORE IDEAS

[CampWest]

For jerseys... to me Game Used means the player played a game in that jersey. Game worn may mean that it was worn but the player didnt play, ie day-off for a starter, reliever or bench player that didnt get into the game.

A year or two ago, I saw on MLB.com a negro league throwback jersey and when I checked the box score several of the players did not get into the game. MLB listed some of those as Game Worn, not Game Used.

I think they are different when applied to uniforms. A game worn, but not game used could have big differences in appearance and value. A clean jersey that looks the same as a never worn game issue, would be different than a jersey with dirt, tar, sweat, and grass stains.