Vintage Baseball Uniforms - dating

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Posted By: Scott F.

Can anyone help me with this? My vintage baseball uniform collection is steadily growing, but in most cases my guesses as to age are in a range of about 25 years. This is a case of someone collecting an item before they know what they are doing, but I haven't been able to exercise any self-control. If anyone can provide any assistance, I have lots of good scans. Thanks!

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Posted By: Jeff O

For major league uniforms, the best reference is "Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century" by Mark Okkonen - provides a visual description for the uniforms of every major league team from every season. It's a larger format, hard-backed book, and very useful.

As for minors... can't help there. I'm not aware of any other reference.

Jeff

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

This website is always fun to play around with:

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/exhibits/online_exhibits/dressed_to_the_nines/database.htm

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Posted By: runscott

Very interesting resources - I also found loads of very nice uniform pictures in the Halper catalog.

But what I'm really looking for is clues about an unknown uniform that can help narrow down the date it was created - for instance, collars, trim, numbering (an obvious one), etc. I'm not looking to i.d. the team, just the age of the garment.

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Posted By: runscott

but it has an error - I checked all the Pittsburgh uniforms from 1900-1920, and none of them even vaguely resemble the ones in Patrick's picture of the Pirates. The HOF probably needs to be informed of their mistake.

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Posted By: jkirsch

I collect a wide variety of sports memorabilia and equipment. Within the past year I have begun to focus on vintage baseball uniforms. I started out a novice but have been researching "clues" and keeping notes of all that I have learned. Items that can help pinpoint an age include:

- Style - Pullover, button down, zipper
- Types of buttons
- Sleeve length
- Type of belt loops on pants
- Collar - Full Collar, Cadet Collar, V Neck
- Type of Material

These are major indicators, but the best way to pinpoint the age is to use these clues along with the Makers Tag. The label is by far the best way to determine age as labels frequently changed every several years by manufacturers. A label can help you pinpoint down to a 5 year period or less with some luck. My research has focused on creating a database (informal right now) of makers labels and date ranges. For example I can tell you that spalding used a specific label on most jerseys from 1936 -1942.

I keep track of Label styles and dates as they frequently changed. Also during the first part of the 20th century sports manufacturers went through many changes due to mergers, takeovers etc. By studying the history of the company you can learn about how they changed and how these chanages in turn impacted the labeling of their tags. For example in 1925 Thos E. Wilson changed their name to Wilson Western Sporting Goods. In 1931 WWSG changed their name to Wilson Sporting Goods. Also in 1931 Wilson acquired Lowe and Campbell and Horace Partridge. Wilson continued to sell jerseys under the L&C and Horade Partidge band, but HP and L&C jerseys prior to 1931 had the "CO." (Company) on the label, after 1931 the Co. was dropped from the labels. This is an example of a big clue.

I recently acquired a Spalding Jersey that I believed to be pre-1910 as it was a full collar three button pullover. The sleeves are long, the material heavy wool flannel and the buttons are made of Mother of Pearl. The label is unique as instead of saying "A.G. Spalding Bros AD 1876" as most Spalding labels from that period do, this label says "A.G. Spalding Bros Makers". Through researching Spalding Labels I determined that Spalding made this label for a very brief period from 1901-1904. Thus I have been able to poinpoint the Jersey to that period.

If you would like to discuss further or want to review any items you have drop me a message at vintagesportscollector@yahoo.com. I would be happy to chat and pass on some of the things I have learned.

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Posted By: Scott Forrest

"thread"...get it?...ha.ha....ha

That's great stuff - I'll get some stuff together and email you. In checking through my old label scans, it seems I had (sold) a pre-1931 "Horace Partridge", and kept a post-1931 "Lowe & Campbell". I have many of more of these old uniforms than I have business with, but I can't help it.

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Posted By: jkirsch

That's great. Send the scans along, I would be happy to look at them. As a fellow collector I would certainly enjoy hearing about and seeing some of your favorite unis, so send along some scans of some of your favorites. I could do the same. Who knows maybe we can do some business.

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Posted By: runscott

The one you provided with your logon was rejected by Yahoo so I can't send any scans.

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Posted By: jkirsch

Sorry. use vintagesportscollector@yahoo.com