Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

[33bird]

I have for sale a very rare Bill North game used 1976 Green A's jersey. It came via Lelands (still has Lelands tag pinned in collar). It's tagged front bottom tail: 1976 tag-McAulliffe-size 40 tag-Washing instructions tag. This jersey has great use. Maybe because Finley only issued them one green, one yellow, and one white jersey a season! Bill North led all of baseball in steals in 1976 with 75 and this jersey shows it. The back of this jersey was on the ground a lot! You know how tuff it is to find these jerseys. North won titles with the A's in 1973 and 1974 and was their speedy CF for many seasons. He also was the one who got in the famous fight with Reggie Jackson in the locker room. All original-no alterations. Real solid use. I have many photo matches. Email me with any questions.
549.99+ shipping
biggamebird@yahoo.com

[ironmanfan]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Where is the Liberty Bell patch that was on the sleeve of the 1976 A's jersey's? Is there evidence of it being removed??

[ironmanfan]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

All original-no alterations

you sure about that?

[33bird]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Except for the patch-I forgot about the patch that year-being removed.
Greg

[33bird]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Thanks for the offers guys, but I'm gonna try my luck on ebay. Things seem to be selling real good on ebay lately so please check it out on ebay if you have an interest in it. Thanks.
Greg

[G1X]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Greg,

Your ebay listing states, "They also sometimes wore a small 76 patch of some sort on their jerseys this season and Lelands stated that it was either removed on not put on this particular North jersey."

You stated in your first post in this thread that the A's were issued only one set of green jerseys in 1976. If that is true, then your North jersey would have had the Liberty Bell patch on the left shoulder at some point as evidenced by photos on pages 4 and 5 of the Street and Smith 1977 Baseball Yearbook showing North wearing his green jersey in a 1976 game against the Angels.

To avoid opening a debate regarding Lelands' claim that a patch may not have been put on this jersey in 1976, or whether the A's had more than one set of green jerseys with a 1976 year tag, or that it is possibly a 1976 tagged jersey that was not used until 1977 (all might be difficult to ascertain), please let me know if this jersey shows any stitch marks or other obvious signs that the Liberty patch was originally on the left shoulder.

Thanks!

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange

P.S. It is interesting to note that the Liberty patch is on the right shoulder of Vida Blue's jersey as seen in the Topps card posted earlier in this thread and the photo of Blue on page 56 of the Street and Smith 1977 Baseball Yearbook. Other photos that I could find and observing the A's team picture from the 1976 season seem to indicate that the patch was generally worn on the left shoulder. Another great example of an "exception to the rule".

[33bird]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

I'm just going by what Lelands said about it. It really doesn't look to me like a patch was removed, but there is no doubt that the jersey was used a ton. That being said, I've had some 1976 Reds jerseys that were suppose to have the Bicentennial patch on the shoulder too and some did and some didn't. They weren't removed either-they never had it. I have game film of the Reds vs. Phillies in '76 and SOME of the Reds players DO NOT have the patch on either shoulder. I've read in A's books that Finley was real cheap when it came to how many jerseys he allowed, etc. But, somebody emailed me and said they think they were issued two jerseys of each color-green, white, yellow. I'll look it over again real close and see if I can see any signs of removal. I know it would go for more if it had the patch, but I'm also certain it's a legit gamer. Everything is correct about it except for that. Tagging, #'s, name, material, spacing, right down to the tiniest details. That's why I originally bought it. Thanks
Greg
biggamebird@yahoo.com

[G1X]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Greg,

Thanks for the information.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange

[ironmanfan]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

I have many photo matches.

Do you really?

[33bird]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Yep-I am -Iron Man. Besides the patch not being there, find one thing that doesn't match up with the photos I've provided? Beggars can't be choosers when it comes to old jerseys sometimes. Many jerseys from the 70's were used in the minors and have had # changes and name's removed, etc. The ONLY thing on this 31 year old jersey is the patch. If you're not happy with the jersey then move on. Now sing the Iron Man song by Ozzy and relax.
Greg

[ironmanfan]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Its amazing after all this time that people still do not understand the definition of "photo match" vs "style match" (let alone have other people do their homework for them)

[33bird]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

You're correct. I never meant to say it was a exact photo match. Just that it matched style wise with 1976 photos.
Greg

[Moustache Gang]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Forum Readers,

Let me clear up the 1976 Bill North jersey for you...My background first...I currently own 60+ Oakland A's McAuliffe manufactured jerseys from 1968 to 1981. Most (40+) are knits from the 1972 to 1976 era....All I collect is Oakland A's jerseys and equipment from 1968 to 1981.

Based on my previous assessment of this jersey it appears as an original A's game used jersey from 1976. The tagging, "A's" on front and number on back appear to be original. The name on back in not original. The telltale sign is the "O" in North. The inside angles on numerous A's letters (O, J, C, D, G, P, R, U) from 1972 to 1976 have a 45 degree inside angle and not a 90 degree angle. The "O" on this jersey exhibits a 90 degree angle which is incorrect. This is clearly a restoration and not the original "NORTH". I currently own a '75 green North with all original lettering and I previously owned a '75 gold North with original lettering. Again, the lettering in "NORTH" is not original McAuliffe lettering.

As to why the 1976 patch is not on the jersey I do not have an answer, but I do know that that McAuliffe put the patch on the left sleeve for all the players. Vida Blue, Paul Lindblad and other A's left-handed pitchers complained that the patch bothered their throwing arm, so the A's management had McAuliffe place the '76 patch placed on the right sleeve for left-handed pitchers. As for the A's ordering only one set of green jerseys for the players in 1976, that would be against the norm. McAuliffe records from 1972 to 1975 show the A's ordered two jerseys of each color for their players (gold, green and white). I can check with Lon Lewis who has the A's McAuliffe order sheets from those years to see if they did indeed only order 1 pair.

Thanks,

Mark

[G1X]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Mark,

Thanks so much for the very helpful information.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange

[ChrisCavalier]

Re: Bill North Game Used 1976 A's Jersey Lelands

Mark,

Thanks so much for the very helpful information.

Hello Mark,

I second Mr. Hayne's appreciation for the very helpful information you posted. I'm sure there are also others who are really thankful that you took the time to share this information as well.

Sincerely,
Chris