Mile High Card Co. - Willie Stargell Coaches Jersey

[Sangy 35]

Looking again on second glance ... and this is the key. At that point in Stargell's life, he gained a TON of weight. If you can find a photo of him coaching first base you will see that.

I've seen one of the Stargell Braves game used jerseys and the thing is HUGE! No way was Willie fitting into a size 50 in 1986, esp when those things were snug to begin with.

And there lies your answer on this one. That's an MiLB jersey with a #8 and a nameplate was added most likely. Can't tell for sure without holding is and checking alterations ... but my guess that's an MiLB Bucco special! $50 jersey ... maybe! ; )

I do have some pics of Willie, from August of 1985, I'll try to dig them up at my old house and post them. The jersey is what you said it was. They sent most of their jerseys down with nameplates removed at least until the late 1980's. When they started selling stuff at their store in the William Penn Hotel in 1987, the jersey's had NNOB, but did have a printed card Id'ing the player who originally wore it. They had a ton, I mean a ton, of use, and were priced what today is cheap, say, $75.00 for a Gene Tenace yellow jersey, too steep a price for a 16 year old kid then, despite them having several Bonds bats, I passed them up for a $15.00 Terry Harper bat, my first game used purchase, I still have it to this day.


Floyd Hartel made a bulk purchase in the early 90's. These jersey's mostly had new name plates, the lettering was thinner than what was on the jersey originally. Floyd, to his credit, noticed the mistake on the Tanner jersey, asked if I still wanted it, I did, and he cut the price. But, I purchased a Darnell Coles 1987 road from Murf Denny that was all original, in this same time period. Most of the stuff from this era is pretty beat up, and I tend to stay away from anything with a restored NOB due to most of the use coming from the minors.

[steelpenguin]

I do have some pics of Willie, from August of 1985, I'll try to dig them up at my old house and post them. The jersey is what you said it was. They sent most of their jerseys down with nameplates removed at least until the late 1980's. When they started selling stuff at their store in the William Penn Hotel in 1987, the jersey's had NNOB, but did have a printed card Id'ing the player who originally wore it. They had a ton, I mean a ton, of use, and were priced what today is cheap, say, $75.00 for a Gene Tenace yellow jersey, too steep a price for a 16 year old kid then, despite them having several Bonds bats, I passed them up for a $15.00 Terry Harper bat, my first game used purchase, I still have it to this day.


Floyd Hartel made a bulk purchase in the early 90's. These jersey's mostly had new name plates, the lettering was thinner than what was on the jersey originally. Floyd, to his credit, noticed the mistake on the Tanner jersey, asked if I still wanted it, I did, and he cut the price. But, I purchased a Darnell Coles 1987 road from Murf Denny that was all original, in this same time period. Most of the stuff from this era is pretty beat up, and I tend to stay away from anything with a restored NOB due to most of the use coming from the minors.

You are dead on about the old store there at the William Penn ... I shopped there too. I forgot about the jerseys and if I am not mistaken they sold the nameplates at one point as well for like $10 or so did they not?

I remember who DID have those at one point and I purchased some of the 100 year patches from 1987 there. Remember when "The Sports Deli" was in Station Square and it was actually a good store? They sold nameplates in there for a while too. Now that you mention it, it came to my memory as I have that $35 patch with the 1887/1997 date on it. They said then that those were extras that came from the Pirates, hence why I got one. It's one of the white ones too that appeared on Pirates jerseys for a short period of time. I don't know of those loose white patches are worth anything now but I still have one.

Odd ... you mention the William Penn and the memories all come back! Good post. Thanks Sangy!

[Sangy 35]

You are dead on about the old store there at the William Penn ... I shopped there too. I forgot about the jerseys and if I am not mistaken they sold the nameplates at one point as well for like $10 or so did they not?

I remember who DID have those at one point and I purchased some of the 100 year patches from 1987 there. Remember when "The Sports Deli" was in Station Square and it was actually a good store? They sold nameplates in there for a while too. Now that you mention it, it came to my memory as I have that $35 patch with the 1887/1997 date on it. They said then that those were extras that came from the Pirates, hence why I got one. It's one of the white ones too that appeared on Pirates jerseys for a short period of time. I don't know of those loose white patches are worth anything now but I still have one.

Odd ... you mention the William Penn and the memories all come back! Good post. Thanks Sangy!

I have been a Pirate fan since birth. My Dad was a fan, his father before him....you get the idea. We first got the Bucs on cable here in West Virginia in 1986, in 1987 they happened to mention the "Pirate Clubhouse Store" in the William Penn. We were headed up for a game, so I dug up the info, called ahead for directions, and begged the old man to take me there before the game. Of course we got lost, I drive around Pittsburgh like a native today, but eventually found it. They had about four racks of these jerseys. I was amazed they had a Tenace, but my $3.35 an hour salary dipping ice cream and making sandwiches made the price tag unaffordable. They had some Bonds bats, they were priced at $40.00. Like a damned fool, I bought the Harper that was more in my price range. The bats were in a garbage can, over by the cash register. LOL!


I shopped there until they closed it down, mid 1990's. The best buy was a John Smiley batting helmet, my kids caught up with John at an alumni signing at PNC a few years ago and had him sign it, he was amazed someone would have a helmet he used that long ago. This was also the place I learned that those selling equipment didn't always know what they were talking about. My second game used purchase, hey my boss had raised me to $3.70 an hour by 1988, was a Bill Almon bat, with #14 marked on both ends. That was of course, Mike Diaz, who was a half season wonder back then. Had myself a hell of a steal, so I thought. I paid for the bat, mentioned Diaz must have used it, and the guy behind the counter says " no, these guys are major leaguers, no way they use another player's equipment". I knew he was full of it, but it wasn't long until Diaz was shopped off to the White Sox, and my "steal" didn't look so good. I shudder at the prices for game used stuff at PNC, times were much more simple, and cheaper, at the William Penn in the late 80's.

[steelpenguin]

I have been a Pirate fan since birth. My Dad was a fan, his father before him....you get the idea. We first got the Bucs on cable here in West Virginia in 1986, in 1987 they happened to mention the "Pirate Clubhouse Store" in the William Penn. We were headed up for a game, so I dug up the info, called ahead for directions, and begged the old man to take me there before the game. Of course we got lost, I drive around Pittsburgh like a native today, but eventually found it. They had about four racks of these jerseys. I was amazed they had a Tenace, but my $3.35 an hour salary dipping ice cream and making sandwiches made the price tag unaffordable. They had some Bonds bats, they were priced at $40.00. Like a damned fool, I bought the Harper that was more in my price range. The bats were in a garbage can, over by the cash register. LOL!


I shopped there until they closed it down, mid 1990's. The best buy was a John Smiley batting helmet, my kids caught up with John at an alumni signing at PNC a few years ago and had him sign it, he was amazed someone would have a helmet he used that long ago. This was also the place I learned that those selling equipment didn't always know what they were talking about. My second game used purchase, hey my boss had raised me to $3.70 an hour by 1988, was a Bill Almon bat, with #14 marked on both ends. That was of course, Mike Diaz, who was a half season wonder back then. Had myself a hell of a steal, so I thought. I paid for the bat, mentioned Diaz must have used it, and the guy behind the counter says " no, these guys are major leaguers, no way they use another player's equipment". I knew he was full of it, but it wasn't long until Diaz was shopped off to the White Sox, and my "steal" didn't look so good. I shudder at the prices for game used stuff at PNC, times were much more simple, and cheaper, at the William Penn in the late 80's.

West Virginia guy huh? I KNEW IN LIKED YOU! It sounds like we are about the same age as well. Drop me a line and if you are on facebook, LMK I will look you up (I have some of my GU stuff uploaded there). Once we get to chatting, I bet we may know some of the same people depending on when end of the Ohio Valley you grew up in! Small world! I like this site more and more by the day! ; )

Hit me up ... SteelPenguin53@yahoo.com

[momen55]

sangy35, email me as your pm's are not on. oldz70@yahoo.com.

[steelpenguin]

sangy35, email me as your pm's are not on. oldz70@yahoo.com.

Will do ... never did work that feature out yet. I did not know it was off. What's more, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TURN IT ON!

[Utopian2630]

OK so i had to jump in on the 'remember when...' discussion.

I remember the Pirates Clubhouse Store at Allegheny Center Mall (I dont remember the one at the William Penn since that was a couple years before my time of collecting). I do remember going to the Pirates Clubhouse store around 89 or so and getting my very first game-used item.....an Al Pedrique game used bat! I remember paying $25 dollars for it and was sooooooooo excited about that purchase. I remember because I saved up all of my money from doing chores around the house and stuff ( hey i was 8 years old so $25 was a lot). I was the envy of all my friends because I had a real major league ball players bat. I remember FREAKING OUT because one of my friends started taking cuts with it!! haha....
I dont remember any jerseys, but I do remember the bats being in a garbage can right by the cash register. I also remember seeing a cracked bonds bat for $150 and Van Slyke and Bonilla were $100. I remember these prices because I remember BEGGING that I would do chores for the next year for one of those bats. Turns out that never happened!! haha

[momen55]

Will do ... never did work that feature out yet. I did not know it was off. What's more, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TURN IT ON!

email me steel. i have something of interest for you. oldz70@yahoo.com.

[momen55]

sangy35;
email me please. oldz70@yahoo.com.