NY Yankees Jersey Help / Thoughts?

[shafrancollectibles.com]

This jersey just came in from a longtime collector but I fear it cannot possibly be what it is authenticated as - "Dave Winfield #31 Old Timer's Day Home Jersey". The jersey is a Russell Athletic with an armband on the left sleeve, which reduces the years it could have been used, of course. I do know that it is exactly as originally sold, with no alterations to it or the LOA, but I fear it is not actually a Winfield jersey. Can anybody help?

[joelsabi]

If I had to guess, I would think it was a Tim Raines 1996 jersey or another player who wore 31.

I dont think it is Winfield because I found a jersey from 1995 that was a size 52. When he retired do you think he reduces to a size 46?

It makes more sense that he jersey was used by Tim Raines since he wore a 46 at this time of his career. The Russell tag dates to 1996 and there was an armband that was placed on the jersey later in the middle of that season.

Armband makes sense on either Winfield and Raines as the armband was placed in June and Old Timers Day is traditionally in July. How soon after retirement to players get invited to Old Timers Day? Could it be another past Yankee who wore 31 who wore it at the Old Timers game like perhaps Frank Tanana or Ed Figueroa, who are smaller in stature.

So the main question is the size of Winfield after retirement, imho, and if there is evidence that it was tagged as an Old Timers Day jersey by the equipment manager.

[commando]

Good points Joel, but the MLB logo on the back of the collar was placed there no earlier than 2000. It may not be original to the jersey, but certainly adds more mystery to what this might be.

[joelsabi]

Good points Joel, but the MLB logo on the back of the collar was placed there no earlier than 2000. It may not be original to the jersey, but certainly adds more mystery to what this might be.

good catch. the russell tag are from 1995-1999 but maybe there is some carryover of some russell tags into the 2000 season.

on the armband, it could make sense as a old timers jersey in 2000 as it has the armband for Bob Lemon but would not have a world series patch on the other sleeve if it was removed from use after the old timers game and before the world series. i verified that winfield was in attendance the old timers game in 2000, the debut of Mattingly to the Old Timers Day ceremonies.

it could make sense as a Glenallen Hill jersey if he is a size 46 too as he was the person wearing 31 out on the field on that day.

again the verification through photo of Winfield from 2000 could help.

here are photos of winfield in 1995 (when he wore a size 52) and 1999 (0ld timers game).

again the main question is the size of Winfield after retirement, imho, and if there is evidence that it was tagged as an Old Timers Day jersey by the equipment manager.

there are usually a yankee inventory tags on these jerseys attached to the top button of the jersey. is there one present on this jersey?

[Misha]

Color of MLB logo would make it 2000-2011. Russell was used 2000-2004 and 2010. Armband was used 2000/2001/2010, but 2001 was only used after September 11th and the Old Timer's Game was before that, so it narrows down to 2000 or 2010. Winfield was on the roster in 2000, but not 2010, so it looks like you need to find a photo from that 2000 game. At first, I thought the Russell tag is not the 2000 tag, but the style used through 1999, HOWEVER, upon googling Yankees 2000 GU jerseys, they all have the tagging seen on your jersey. I think then it all points to 2000 and checks out. Just need to confirm his size in 2000

[joelsabi]

Color of MLB logo would make it 2000-2011. Russell was used 2000-2004 and 2010. Armband was used 2000/2001/2010, but 2001 was only used after September 11th and the Old Timer's Game was before that, so it narrows down to 2000 or 2010. Winfield was on the roster in 2000, but not 2010, so it looks like you need to find a photo from that 2000 game. At first, I thought the Russell tag is not the 2000 tag, but the style used through 1999, HOWEVER, upon googling Yankees 2000 GU jerseys, they all have the tagging seen on your jersey. I think then it all points to 2000 and checks out. Just need to confirm his size in 2000

Nice research and explanation.

Where did you find the roster for 2000 old timers game? Did you have a program in your collection? Did you check if any other oldimers happen to use no. 31 in 2000 or could you copy and paste the roster here. Was Ed Figueroa on the 2000 roster?

2001 was also the year Winfield went into the HOF wearing a Padres cap and did not attend old timers day.

Only other thought was if there is a remnant of a 5 on the left sleeves that was used in 1999 just in case they reused the jersey again.

Only reason I bring up misidentification is because of this thread i remembered

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_f...tified+steiner

[cliffjmp33]

To follow up on Joel's comments the 2000 Old Timer's Day, I just took a quick look and seems it was originally set for July 15, but moved (assuming weather, to September 2.

Not sure what that adds to the puzzle, but thought it was worth noting.

[joelsabi]

To follow up on Joel's comments the 2000 Old Timer's Day, I just took a quick look and seems it was originally set for July 15, but moved (assuming weather, to September 2.

Not sure what that adds to the puzzle, but thought it was worth noting.

as you know, sometimes the armband is on for the full season if the person's death occurred during the offseason and sometimes armbands appear on jerseys only after the person's death during the season. knowing whether an armband was present by the time of the old timers day can narrow the years of the jersey's use like Misha explained succinctly. (ie. in 2001, no armband since death rememberance occurred after the date of the old timers game)

this list on this link is helpful for dating yankee jerseys (as one factor)
http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_f...4&postcount=21

here's something odd.
i found a photo with ed figueroa at an old timers game and he is wearing no. 24, a number he never wore as a Yankee.
http://churchwhisperer.files.wordpre...09/yankees.jpg
All the other old timers numbers for the players in the photos were identifiable from the caption.
Whitey Ford (16), Yogi Berra (8), Reggie Jackson (44), Don Mattingly (23), Ron Guidry (49), Rich Goose Gossage (54), Paul O’Neill (21), Scott Brossius (18), Ed Figueroa (25) and Chris Chambliss (10). Why didn't Figueroa use 31?

[TFig27]

as you know, sometimes the armband is on for the full season if the person's death occurred during the offseason and sometimes armbands appear on jerseys only after the person's death during the season. knowing whether an armband was present by the time of the old timers day can narrow the years of the jersey's use like Misha explained succinctly. (ie. in 2001, no armband since death rememberance occurred after the date of the old timers game)

this list on this link is helpful for dating yankee jerseys (as one factor)
http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_f...4&postcount=21

here's something odd.
i found a photo with ed figueroa at an old timers game and he is wearing no. 24, a number he never wore as a Yankee.
http://churchwhisperer.files.wordpre...09/yankees.jpg
All the other old timers numbers for the players in the photos were identifiable from the caption.
Whitey Ford (16), Yogi Berra (8), Reggie Jackson (44), Don Mattingly (23), Ron Guidry (49), Rich Goose Gossage (54), Paul O’Neill (21), Scott Brossius (18), Ed Figueroa (25) and Chris Chambliss (10). Why didn't Figueroa use 31?

25 there appears to be Joe Pepitone

[shafrancollectibles.com]

Thanks for some great research / help. My original concerns centered around the fact that I thought it to be from 2000 but I had not found evidence that Winfield was at the event in 2000. Knowing he was there does certainly help (anyone have a link to that info?). I know it is not a 2010 jersey for sure.

The jersey does appear to have signs that it was prepared / used for a special event like OTD as the Russell logo is still visible under the armband on the sleeve, which is common and still done today.

I guess I need to keep digging and find a photo from 2000 to figure this one out.