Why the different labels?

[Swoboda4]

I'm not going to open with my usual sarcastic line because both jerseys are offered by respected sellers. But with both game-used home pinstriped Chicago White Sox 1998 jerseys displaying different labels how do we explain that? Also I believe one set of buttons close on the pinstripe and the other closes between them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Jeff-Abbott-1998...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/1998-Chicago-Whi...QQcmdZViewItem

[Swoboda4]

Kingjammy24, after reviewing your Russell primer would there be an individual Wilson jersey "carryover" to 1998-6 years after Russell took over?
Robert

[kingjammy24]

robert,

the explanation is simple. from 1992 to about 1999, the white sox were supplied by both Wilson and Russell. sometimes, some teams have one style of jersey supplied by one manufacturer and another style supplied by a different manufacturer. with the white sox, they had all styles supplied by both manufacturers during the early-late 90s. the sox would the field with some players wearing russell and some wearing wilson. crazy huh?

if you'll look at photos from these years, you'll notice that, within identical styles, some of the jerseys have the russell "R" on the sleeve and others don't. players seemed to independently determine which manufacturer they preferred to wear. you'd have frank thomas wearing russell and robin ventura wearing wilson in the same game. if purchasing a sox jersey from this era, your best bet is to study which manufacturer a specific player seemed to prefer. thomas, for example, seemed to prefer russell.

the white sox market is filled with items like a 1994 frank thomas russell home jersey and a 1994 frank thomas wilson home jersey. both legit.

rudy.