Jersey experts? Help with maybe (?) Joe Torre Mets

[JoeDfan]

The mailman brought me my newest acquisition today...the seller was selling some Mets jerseys from "spring training or minor league use"; but me being a Torre collector, recognized the number. It has some clear evidence of use, so someone wore it...

Can someone tell me, did I just bag myself a real Joe Torre jersey?

[JoeDfan]

Here are the tags.

[JMEnglish27]

The thing that looked weird to me was the 2 button neck...didnt remember it. But yeah, I think you might have...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1071184-johnny-murphy-didnt-want-joe-torre-on-the-mets

[icollectDCsports]

Think you'd really need to know how the tags and location of the tags on the MLB Mets jerseys differed from those on the jerseys that players in their minor league organization wore that year.

[Jim65]

There are a lot of these jerseys out there, I believe they all originally came from the Mets and were purchased by Ballpark Heroes directly from the Mets so they are team issued. They are currently selling a #27 on Ebay right now.

This part is just my opinion as a 30 year Mets game used collector. Every jersey I have seen like this is tagged as 1981, 1981 was the first year the Mets wore blue batting practice jerseys, I believe the Mets might have ordered these gray jerseys to be worn on the road during batting practice or possibly spring training but ultimately decided against it and these were recycled to be worn in the minor leagues. IMO, what you have isn't a Joe Torre game jersey, sorry.

A legitimate 1981 Mets game jersey would be tagged with a Set # and jersey number, like this.

[icollectDCsports]

There are a lot of these jerseys out there, I believe they all originally came from the Mets and were purchased by Ballpark Heroes directly from the Mets so they are team issued. They are currently selling a #27 on Ebay right now.

This part is just my opinion as a 30 year Mets game used collector. Every jersey I have seen like this is tagged as 1981, 1981 was the first year the Mets wore blue batting practice jerseys, I believe the Mets might have ordered these gray jerseys to be worn on the road during batting practice or possibly spring training but ultimately decided against it and these were recycled to be worn in the minor leagues. IMO, what you have isn't a Joe Torre game jersey, sorry.

A legitimate 1981 Mets game jersey would be tagged with a Set # and jersey number, like this.

Great info.

[JoeDfan]

Thanks everyone!
Legit Mets team issue with Torre's number will still look awesome on my wall next to my Torre Yankees jerseys.

Although, that photo from the first reply looks mighty close...

[Jim65]

Thanks everyone!
Legit Mets team issue with Torre's number will still look awesome on my wall next to my Torre Yankees jerseys.

Although, that photo from the first reply looks mighty close...

Its a great looking jersey and judging by the condition of the Rawlings label and the lettering, it looks like it was used multiple seasons.

[Snapolit1]

I'm thinking Gregg Jeffries and not Joe Torre.

[bnorth]

I'm thinking Gregg Jeffries and not Joe Torre.

Not Gregg Jeffries for sure, he was not a Met till 87 and those uniforms are not even close to the same.

[Cliff Bowman]

Mets #9 players between Torre and Jefferies, Bruce Bochy 1982, Mark Bradley 1983, Jerry Martin 1984, Ronn Reynolds 1985.

[bnorth]

Mets #9 players between Torre and Jefferies, Bruce Bochy 1982, Mark Bradley 1983, Jerry Martin 1984, Ronn Reynolds 1985.

They changed the road jerseys in 82 and home jerseys in 83 to have stripes from the collar to the end of the sleeve. So all those guys are ruled out.

It looks same/similar to the 78-81 road uniform. I believe names were added in 79 to home and away jerseys. Would the manager have a BP jersey? Also not sure if the manager would have his name on the back of the jersey.

I could not find many pics of Torre as a manager and none from the back. The ones I did find did not match the jersey posted by Sean, there was a slight difference in the #9.

[roarfrom34]

In 1981 the Mets did have their NOB on their road jerseys...Is their evidence of a nameplate being removed? You can either turn it inside out or hold it up to the light to see evidence of such.

[Jim65]

These jerseys were not made with a nameplate, the number is too high up and leaves no room for one.

Here is a 1983 from my collection with a removed nameplate, you can see the number is lower. Sorry for the crappy pic, my phone doesn't take the best pics.

[Jim65]

They changed the road jerseys in 82 and home jerseys in 83 to have stripes from the collar to the end of the sleeve. So all those guys are ruled out.

It looks same/similar to the 78-81 road uniform. I believe names were added in 79 to home and away jerseys. Would the manager have a BP jersey? Also not sure if the manager would have his name on the back of the jersey..

You're right on all counts :)

A manager would have a BP jersey and their gamers would have their name on back

[JoeDfan]

Wow. Thanks everyone for the feedback. I looked very closely, and there is no evidence at all of any nameplate being on the jersey. I would think (inside and out) that I would see at least a few loose threads on the back if there had been one.


Thanks,
Sean