Lou Whitaker BP

[TwinLakesPark]

Photos of a similar jersey that came directly from the Tigers. Interesting thing to note on this one is the Name on Back (NOB), correct size (44), 2-letter tag code of "DX" and strip tag.

[sox83cubs84]

This one seems odd. The DX tag would date it to 1991, but the strip tag shows the year as 1989. That doesn't make sense, unless I'm missing something.

Dave Miedema

[yankees159]

This one seems odd. The DX tag would date it to 1991, but the strip tag shows the year as 1989. That doesn't make sense, unless I'm missing something.

Dave Miedema

Great point Dave, is the size 44 correct? A 89 Whitaker in auction is size 40.

[sox83cubs84]

That does seem a bit large for that time frame. In today's sizing Sweet Lou in a 44 would likely be correct. But from 30 years ago? I'm kinda skeptical, also.

Dave M.

[TwinLakesPark]

That does seem a bit large for that time frame. In today's sizing Sweet Lou in a 44 would likely be correct. But from 30 years ago? I'm kinda skeptical, also.

Dave M.

So I know very little about a lot, but I know a lot about very little, and that is Lou Whitaker for me. Lou's sizing ranged between 38 and 44 throughout his career. Due to the scarcity of his late 70's and early 80's jerseys, it is hard to get good sizings from 77-83, but my database (with samples from 77, 78 and 84) suggest he wore a 38 from 77 to 84. 85 to 86 is scarce, but there is evidence of him wearing of 42 from 87 to around 89, where he then wore a 44 until the end of his career in 95. If the "DX" truly does represent a production date of 91, then a size 44 is spot on with all other examples from that time period, in which there are plenty.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, both of the white BP jerseys came from the exact same equipment room in Comerica Park, so the sizing difference really has me puzzled. However, I am putting my money on a 44 post-1988 all day long, and so are the collectors that have been paying thousands for his jerseys recently.

It's cool that Marc is finally clearing out the old jerseys from the "upstairs" equipment room, but there sure is some odd stuff in there...

[sox83cubs84]

Point taken. Still, how does a jersey with an alpha year code of 1991 have a 1989 strip tag in the tail?

Dave M.

[TwinLakesPark]

Point taken. Still, how does a jersey with an alpha year code of 1991 have a 1989 strip tag in the tail?

Dave M.

This would lead me to challenge to data source of the alpha year code. Where did this coding come from and what do we know about it? Did Wilson ever publish this? I saw a primer on it once but it clearly stated that it was for football jerseys.

[russyurk]

It's cool that Marc is finally clearing out the old jerseys from the "upstairs" equipment room, but there sure is some odd stuff in there...

Marc is no longer with the Tigers, not sure who is running things right now.

[TwinLakesPark]

Marc is no longer with the Tigers, not sure who is running things right now.

That would probably explain the purge...