Unique Frank "Hondo" Howard GU Tigers Jersey

[ironmanfan]

While looking through some of the many wire photos available on eBay currently, this one certainly caught my eye...

When Frank Howard was sold to the Detroit Tigers back on 08/31/72, he joined the team in Oakland while the ONLY jersey they had to fit the newly acquired Hondo was one that belonged to fellow "big boy" Mickey Lolich...

So, if you own a 1972 Tigers road jersey of Lolich, you may now own a gamer from Howard too!!

[BaseballGM]

Thanks for posting that wire photo. It's helping me with some research I am doing on a Frank Howard 1972/73 home jersey. The year tag has been removed, so I'm trying to figure out, or have an educated guess, as to why. This will really help, thanks!

I'll post some info and pics for feedback from the forum.

[BaseballGM]

First - the jersey.

[BaseballGM]

Dave Grob in 2009 wrote an article about Hondo jerseys in the hobby. Part of that article had these listed:

Frank Howard Uniforms in the Hobby-
1960 Dodgers home jersey; Rawlings, size 50
1969 Senators road jersey; Wilson, size 52
1970 Senators home jersey; Wilson, size 52
1970 Senators road jersey, Wilson, size 52
1981 Padres road jersey, Wilson, size 52

So, we see that Frank Howard was traded on 08/31/72 and joined the team on the road on 9/1. Mickey Lolich was wearing a 48 size as best I can tell, maybe a 50. With the first home game being 9/5, the Tigers didn't have much time to order a new jersey. My guess is that they only had a size 50 blank to use. I can't locate any photos of Hondo playing during September 1972 at home. The 1973 Tiger yearbook shows the locker-room celebration for winning the division - taken on 10/04/72. They jersey Hondo has on at the time has different font lettering. He also was wearing sleeves underneath the jersey, meaning it had to be a big size, maybe 52. Notice the "A" Kaline jersey shows. Hondo's font are different -A,R the chubby "O" etc.

[BaseballGM]

So maybe the tag was removed from the size 50 jersey and sewed onto the Jersey shown in the celebration. It would have happened between 09/01 & 10/04/72.

These are pics from the '72 Tigers Yearbook. The Lolich photo shows the piping on a jersey hanging in his locker (left side).

[BaseballGM]

Here are some photos from the '73 Tigers season. Hondo's jersey shows the consistent team font. It also appears to be loose.

[BaseballGM]

Sorry about the large pics. My opinion is that the jersey is from the '72 season.

[BaseballGM]

I've been trying to locate Hondo photos from September 1972 Tigers home games, especially 9/5, 9/9 or 9/13 without much luck. If anyone has some or knows of a source, it would be much appreciated.