Have the Mets ever worn a blue jersey at home?

[Doodles]

We know that the Mets used a blue alternate jersey on the road in 1982 (my favorite):

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ik-whAMm5...diazcarlos.bmp

We know they wore a slightly different blue alt in 1983-1984:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4mpMfOkjsH...strawberry.bmp

We know they used a blue BP jersey at Shea:

http://www.thewrightstache.com/wp-co...bbyosigned.jpg


My question...did they ever wear a blue jersey in a game at home? I don't think so. It would take photographic proof to change my mind.

[Doodles]

They will tonight!!!! It is a Los mets, but beggars can't be choosers, as it has no black and no dropshadow!

Unfortunately, it still has the crooked Wilpon Script, where the M in Mets is not in line with the rest of the script...look at this mess:

[TNTtoys]

There is a 1983-1984 "Home" blue alternate jersey. I have one in my collection, a good friend has one in his collection, and I have seen several others in my time. The jersey is blue with "Mets" across the front in orange, bordered by gray (opposite pattern as the 1983-1984 road blue alternate -- which we know they wore in many games). The big question is whether or not these actually made into any games, and I have yet to be able to prove this by photo evidence. The lack of photos and video from back in the day make it very hard to document.

[Doodles]

There is a 1983-1984 "Home" blue alternate jersey. I have one in my collection, a good friend has one in his collection, and I have seen several others in my time. The jersey is blue with "Mets" across the front in orange, bordered by gray (opposite pattern as the 1983-1984 road blue alternate -- which we know they wore in many games). The big question is whether or not these actually made into any games, and I have yet to be able to prove this by photo evidence. The lack of photos and video from back in the day make it very hard to document.

I have no reason to doubt you...but I want to solve this conundrum...2 questions:

1) What makes your jersey a "1983-1984 Home blue alternate"? Tagging? Documentation? Can we see pictures?
2) If it was never worn in a game, can it still be called that? or is it then a prototype?

My memory tells me it was never worn at Shea in a game. I can't prove a negative, but in the 1984 and 1985 yearbooks, the 1984 Highlight film I saw recently, in all my books, on google and baseball card pics, I have never seen a photo of this in a game at Shea.

[TNTtoys]

I have no reason to doubt you...but I want to solve this conundrum...2 questions:

1) What makes your jersey a "1983-1984 Home blue alternate"? Tagging? Documentation? Can we see pictures?
2) If it was never worn in a game, can it still be called that? or is it then a prototype?

My memory tells me it was never worn at Shea in a game. I can't prove a negative, but in the 1984 and 1985 yearbooks, the 1984 Highlight film I saw recently, in all my books, on google and baseball card pics, I have never seen a photo of this in a game at Shea.

Answers:

Like the 1983-1984 road alternate, the 1983-1984 home alternate was made of the same polyester material, contained all of the same tagging (set and year tags), nameplate and name on back. The only difference as I mentioned earlier was the color pattern. Rather than the gray on orange that the road had, the home had an orange on gray pattern (unlike the home BP which was orange on white).

It cannot be called a prototype. There was an entire set of these jerseys made for the team, as I have come across many of them in my travels (keeping one of them for my own collection).

When prototypes are made, they are generally done up as one or two star players of that team, and in a generic size. The Rawlings prototypes of this era were also generally done as size 42s (that size was most common size) and irrespective to the actual player whose number is on back being that size). They also never included a name on the back; just a number. A jersey that is part of an entire team set in all of the correct jersey sizes is not by any means a prototype.

I can photograph my jersey for you later this week. If I have any other photos handy prior to then, I will share them on this thread.

[TNTtoys]

The following photo is from Bill Henderson's guide. Note that any resemblance to white on the sleeve stripes or the lettering in the photos is just due to poor lighting / camera flash. It is in fact gray.

[Doodles]

Are the sleeve stripes on your's the same in the picture? If so, that is unlike the 1982 road alt or the 83-84 road alt. That makes it a different animal, possibly a home alt. But that leaves 2 questions:

1) Why use gray on a home uni?
2) When if ever did they wear them at Shea?

[TNTtoys]

Yes, the sleeve stripes on mine are the same.

Why wear gray stripes on a home uni? My guess is that they wanted to explore the concept of having a home and road alternate, making one the reverse of the other? I kind of like it because it separates the look of the gamer from the look of the BP.

Your second question is the million dollar one... Unless there is photo or video evidence of it (and believe me I have tried lots but have come up empty), we will never know the answer.

Here are 2 more pics of the 83 John Stearns home gamer. The close-up shows the tagging as well as the true gray color on the stripes and lettering. All far away shots using a flash make the gray look white.

[Doodles]

Thanks...very cool...that means there is a Seaver and Strawberry rookie version somewhere.

I have to think if it were ever in a game, we would have found a picture by now. So the final question is:

If it was never worn, why not?

[ultimetfan]

Quote: "Here are 2 more pics of the 83 John Stearns home gamer. The close-up shows the tagging as well as the true gray color on the stripes and lettering. All far away shots using a flash make the gray look white."

Nick,

I like that Jersey! Any idea where it is?