Vintage Joe Montana Game Used S.f. 49ers Home Jersey

[G1X]

Re: Vintage Joe Montana Game Used S.f. 49ers Home Jersey

Eric and Roger,

Not sure about the consistency of when the Koch Sporting Goods tag was attached. My experiences are much like Roger's - some have it and some don't during that era.

As for the Russell tagging, check out the attached photo, especially the 1983 year-tagged jerseys. The older gold-stiched Russell tagging and the newer "R" eagle-head tagging were used in 1983. This is consistent with other NFL Russell jerseys I've observed.

Also interesting to note is that Russell did not use the 100% nylon flag tag when they first went to the "R" tagging in 1983. I have never been able to pin down the exact year Russell started employing the 100% nylon tag, but my guess is circa 1985.

Further note that some of the Falcons jerseys from the mid-1980s included the Reeder-McGaughey Sporting Goods tag. This tag would often wash out of the jersey - sometime completely, sometimes all that remains is a dangling piece of white cloth. I have no idea if the Koch tagging in the Bengals jerseys had the same problem with remaining intact.

Hope this information is helpful.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange

[G1X]

Re: Vintage Joe Montana Game Used S.f. 49ers Home Jersey

I forgot to mention in the previous post that all of the jerseys shown in the photograph are Atlanta Falcons game-worn jerseys. The jerseys in the photo are excellent examples of "exceptions to the rule" which is quite common in collecting NFL game-worn jerseys. These inconsistencies can make collecting NFL game-worn jerseys - especially older jerseys - quite confusing and frustrating, but also a whole lot of fun!

Note the following inconsistencies on these jerseys:
1. On the 1976 tagged jerseys, the year tag is at the top of the Russell tag on the white jersey but at the bottom on the red jersey.
2. Also on the 1976 jerseys, there is a Redder-McGaughey tag on the red jersey but not on the white jersey.
3. Although it's difficult to see in the photo, the red 1978 jersey has the year tag screened directly on the jersey. The year tag on the white jersey has the "78" stitched on to a patch that is sewn on the jersey.
4. The placement of the year tag on the 1983 jerseys differ, and the Reeder-McGaughey tag is only on the white jersey.
5. The placement of the year tag varies from 1992 to 1993.
6. The Reeder-McGaughey tag is on the 1983 white jersey, but not the 1982 white jersey.

As a collector of Falcons game-worn jerseys, I could bore you to sleep with the many, many oddities and "exceptions to the rule". The point is, when collecting NFL jerseys, be prepared for the inconsistencies. Just because something like a year tag is not in the exact spot where you think that it should be does not mean that the jersey is not the real thing, especially if everything else on the jersey looks overwhelmingly legitimate.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange

[RKGIBSON]

Re: Vintage Joe Montana Game Used S.f. 49ers Home Jersey

Good stuff Mark.

Roger

[RKGIBSON]

Re: Vintage Joe Montana Game Used S.f. 49ers Home Jersey

I finally got the 1988 Bengal photos. The Brooks jersey does not match. The Turk Schonert does match the 12-17-88 Redskin game. Like I mentioned before, it is a cold weather jersey with a handwarmer pocket so, that is probably why it was still being used in 88.

Roger

[aeneas01]

Re: Vintage Joe Montana Game Used S.f. 49ers Home Jersey

The Bengals appeared to be mighty frugal during that era judging from Bengals jerseys picked up in a bulk buy made by Bob at Football Heaven back in the early 1990s. They were so frugal that they would occasionally screen a player's name directly to the back of the jersey.

a little off topic but the above portion of your post reminded me of an article i once read regarding the historically "frugal" bengals.

riddell, in a last-ditch effort to try and finally secure a chunk of the facemask market dominated by schutt since time began, came up with the idea of bundling their facemasks with their helmets at no extra charge - sort of a package deal a la windows / internet explorer. but even this ploy didn't work as almost all equipment managers simply dumped the free riddell facemasks in favor of the more popular schutts.

except for the bengals who tended to take as much advantage as possible of riddell's two-for-one deal rather than shell out additional cash for the better schutt masks...

[RKGIBSON]

Re: Vintage Joe Montana Game Used S.f. 49ers Home Jersey

Aeneas01,

You have incredable knowledge on helmets and a great eye for detail. Are you a obsessed collector or are you involved with the helmet or equpment business somehow?

Roger