1970s Brewers prototype

[BorchertField]

I'm wondering if any Brewers collectors have ever come across this in their wanderings. It's the original prototype Brewers flannel jersey designed in Spring 1970 for the soon-to-be-relocated Pilots.



I believe there was only one made, worn in various publicity photos by pitcher Marty Pattin, manager Dave Bristol, and even the stewardess on the Brewers' first flight to Milwaukee.



The following day, the new Milwaukee Brewers took the field. And for whatever reasons, the basic jersey was redesigned. The piping was discarded in favor of keeping the Pilots' custom job, but would return the following year (when, presumably, there was finally enough time to change it). I have no idea why the "baseball fancy" letters were discarded in favor of an arched name (which is more complicated to manufacture).

Perhaps this prototype jersey was thrown away in April of 1970. It seems unlikely that it was re-purposed for the club, since the sleeve stripes don't match and I don't know where the Brewers would have found more Pilots sleeve treatments. It could have been sent down to the minors, or it could have languished in the closet of a Brewers employee.

In the possibility, however remote, that it did hang on, I was wondering if any fellow Brewers collectors might have stumbled on its whereabouts in their travels. It's too good a story to just let go.

[gwh11]

Chance,
I've seen these photos as well, but I've not run across that prototype. I have no idea of it's whereabouts either.
Hopefully folks will check out your informative Borchert Field blog post concerning this.
I do have a different take than you regarding the transition from Pilots to Brewers jerseys, however. Based on a few examples I've owned in the past, I tend to believe the Brewers didn't use recycled Pilots jerseys for the regular season. I wrote an article for SCD a few years ago titled "Technicolor Gingerbread and Scrambled Eggs: Collecting the Uniforms of the 1969 Seattle Pilots" (MEARS published this as well). If you'd like I can email you a copy and you can tell me what you think.
-Guy

[BorchertField]

I'd love to read it! Shoot me a copy at pack998874 (at) me (dot) com.