Anybody wear any of your game worn items?

[xpress34]

xpress34...thanks for getting into this as you have.

I was unable to post a response to Nate's earlier comment ("shouldn't be in" the hobby...etc) until now. I too, was offended by this comment. I thought it was an over-arching, denounciation of those collectors that have a differing view to him.

Like you, I have nothing against anyone on the forum, nor do I wish to start anything. I won't let such a comment linger with me; but I do wish to back you up, say thanks for your feedback, and also that it is my opinion, there is indeed room in the hobby for both perspectives on this issue.

I will continue to wear my inexpensive, sized-appropriate, gamers to MLB games (even these, I wouldn't risk to wash the car etc. as I want to wear them again and again). This approach brings me closer to the game and makes me appreciate the hobby even more, as I am no major leaguer, but can experience just a tiny bit of what it would feel like to be a part of that circle. Much better in my estimation that just framing an item and looking at it when I am in my office (I do this too).

I will continue to love the hobby and respect the collecting habits of others, no matter how bizzare they may appear to me.

If I ever sell one of my Game Worn-then-ME-worn items, I agree it would be fair to mention the fact that it I am a "wearer".

My name - Chris Wood
Ebay handle - stealhome1

Thanks!

Chris -

I believe I have made peace with both NDevlin and Suave - at least I hope I have guys!!! - but I appreciated your comments.

I probably do get worked up more than I should over some things, but as (one of many I'm sure out here) Disabled Vet (20% - Shoulder/Back) - served 12 years in the USAF 1985-1997 - and being in an interracial marriage (my wife is 1/2 Filipino) certain things set me off more than others.

It doesn't mean that my comments are always right, but rather some reasoning behind why I am so adamant sometimes about things.

I think I have this whole issue pretty much out of my system now...

But I do have an ironic truth to confess... and this will sound really weird to some after all of this... but the ONE jersey I own that I have NEVER worn is NOT a GU, but an AUTHENTIC - and correct in every way to the year and patches, etc - and if you look at my board name, you'll understand my personal reverence for this jersey more than any of my current gamers:







Certified by the Ryan Foundation.

- Chris

[Instanton]

Yes, I managed to obtain a Koshansky Gamer for under 150 and Team-Issued Pants. If I ever get a hold of anyone that does wish to sell either a SkySox gamer or an entire uni, I will forward you an email towards that helmet.

[xpress34]

Yes, I managed to obtain a Koshansky Gamer for under 150 and Team-Issued Pants. If I ever get a hold of anyone that does wish to sell either a SkySox gamer or an entire uni, I will forward you an email towards that helmet.

Nice job! I don't remember what I gave for the Atkins in '04, but obviously as his star has risen, so has his GU items...

At the Rockies Dug Out store after the WS they wanted $275 for one of his GU WS hats!

In 2004/05 you could have gotten his hat for like $35 - $50 tops...

All the best -

Chris

[xpress34]

I can deal with people wearing gamers.

What I can't deal with are those who buy gamers and alter the name and numbers to have something of a different player to wear around.

What about if you are altering a jersey purely for display purposes?

I ask because I forgot to mention I just obtained a 2000 Rockies Purple ALT of Rick Croushore (4 yrs in the majors - 111 games - only 6 as a reliever for the Rox) for dirt cheap... he wore #54 here... I am looking to have the name redone for a Gossage display (he was a 'special assistant' here for a few years) to put out with my Gossage GU and AU Rockies hat (no, I have never worn it). I have no intention of every trying to present it as a Gossage jersey (besides the fact I am NOT removing the tail tagging and this is one of the Russell Rockies jerseys that actually has the NAME tag in the Tail tagging... for those of you that don't know, Russell had NO rhyme or reason to their tagging for the Rockies over the years...

I also have a 2003 Brain Banks Marlins Black ALT that is already being altered to be a Beckett 2003 WS jersey for display purposes only with a Beckett AU Marlins WS Hat (not GU - just Authentic) as Beckett had already Auto'd a '2' for me for the '21' on the jersey.

Just wondering if your thoughts are flat out against altering no matter what the reasoning.

- Chris

[Instanton]

Nice job! I don't remember what I gave for the Atkins in '04, but obviously as his star has risen, so has his GU items...

At the Rockies Dug Out store after the WS they wanted $275 for one of his GU WS hats!

In 2004/05 you could have gotten his hat for like $35 - $50 tops...

All the best -

Chris

Which Dugout location do you attend? Since the CU-D campus is within the coming blocks, the 16th street mall location suits me well.

[flaco1801]

to the guys that dont wear your gamers....do you buy bats that havent been swung???

[jonincleve]

just wanted to show what the buddy bell gamer my nephew and i used was going to become. it will not reach the hobby as a game used bat. this lamp is a duane kuiper bat.

take care
john

[Nathan]

What about if you are altering a jersey purely for display purposes?

I ask because I forgot to mention I just obtained a 2000 Rockies Purple ALT of Rick Croushore (4 yrs in the majors - 111 games - only 6 as a reliever for the Rox) for dirt cheap... he wore #54 here... I am looking to have the name redone for a Gossage display (he was a 'special assistant' here for a few years) to put out with my Gossage GU and AU Rockies hat (no, I have never worn it). I have no intention of every trying to present it as a Gossage jersey (besides the fact I am NOT removing the tail tagging and this is one of the Russell Rockies jerseys that actually has the NAME tag in the Tail tagging... for those of you that don't know, Russell had NO rhyme or reason to their tagging for the Rockies over the years...

I also have a 2003 Brain Banks Marlins Black ALT that is already being altered to be a Beckett 2003 WS jersey for display purposes only with a Beckett AU Marlins WS Hat (not GU - just Authentic) as Beckett had already Auto'd a '2' for me for the '21' on the jersey.

Just wondering if your thoughts are flat out against altering no matter what the reasoning.

- Chris

It's all well and good to say that the jersey will never be represented as being something other than what it is (an altered jersey) or will never be sold; unfortunately we can't predict the future for the latter and the former isn't the real concern.

See, I look at game gear as being a unique piece of history that goes beyond, dare I say our right, to tamper with. I am pleased to have a couple of extremely unique pieces in my closet that I wouldn't dare do anything with. I am the first person outside of the team to be in possession of them and I believe it is my duty to keep them in their last used condition. This is why nothing has been autographed in spite of a few opportunities and why nothing gets worn around the house, to a game, out shopping, etc. I have walked around a couple of jersey expos wearing one over a clean shirt, but that's about the extent of it.

My concerns are these when it comes to altering:
1) Altering removes a jersey from its last worn condition, essentially destroying said item except as a display piece
2) Altering creates a ton of confusion down the road if said jersey ever re-enters the marketplace ("Were the numbers and nameplate changed by the team? Was it worn by another player? Was it recycled, which explains the discrepancy in tagging?")
3) Altering creates a great possibility for fraud. Nearly any auction that we see has items that have various red flags. How would something that's obviously a gamer that's been altered to a more prominent (or just different) player be explained?

A few years back, there was some huckster that acquired a supply of Edmonton Oilers gamers from the 1980s who then proceeded to strip a bunch of them to turn legitimate other gamers into Gretzky jerseys. All displayed correct tagging, correct numbers, and (I believe) correct nameplates and fonts.

By doing this, said huckster succeeded in doing a couple of things.
1) He acquired a bunch of money fraudulently, and
2) He succeeded in destroying a bunch of Oilers gamers from their dynasty years

There was someone last year who bought a Rimouski Oceanic jersey from Crosby's days there, had the name and numbers stripped, and reattributed it to Crosby. In his eBay auction, it was declared to be exactly what it was (an altered gamer). But is the next person going to be so honest? How about the person after that? Or after that?

There's too big of a Pandora's box that is opened by altering, but we can always start at the fact that it destroys the original item.

[LastingsMilledge85]

This probably has been discussed before, but what I really am looking for is a concise answer and why it is that you do it. The question is...(drum roll) do you ever wear any of your gamers?

For me, I keep all my jerseys folded on storage shelves and the caps, helmets, glove, batting gloves, and cleats are in the same shelves as well. I like to unfold (even though I am a supposed "folding extraordinaire") my jerseys every now and then to just get them "loosened" and will occasionally wear them to help loosen but only briefly as I would never wear them out because I really don't want to risk anything happening to the jersey. As for caps I rarely wear them along with helmets only to dust off and things of that nature. The one GU Glove I have I love to at times just put it out and maybe toss a ball into it here and there, would NEVER play catch with it though. As for the bats I have I will take rare cuts with only two of the six I have because they are in decent enough shape to be swung and one remains in a case that I don;t feel like opening. That's my long (sorry) story, anyone else want to share???

[BrewCrewSackers]

I really feel sorry for you for some reason.