Help With 1920's Detroit Tigers Jersey-

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Posted By: Brock G.

I just got this 1920's era Tigers gamer and I need some help trying to nail down the year and player. It came from a seller in Michigan who got it at a flea market. The seller wrote that he bought a glass pitcher and the man he bought it from used this jersey to wrap up the pitcher. He later returned and asked about the jersey and the man said his grandparents were neighbors with a trainer for Tigers in the 1920s and he obtained several jersey from his time with the Tigers. I guess he figured they had little value today.
Anyway, thats the back-story.
Unfortunately the patch on the chest is long gone but you can clearly see the blue-ish colored area in the vague shape of a D. So Its definitely a Tigers jersey. The name on stitched on the name tag is "Johnson". The only two players named Johnson from that era are Syl Johnson (1922-1925) and Roy Johnson (1929-1932). [IMG][/IMG]
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The jersey was made by Horace Partridge. Can anyone help me put a year with this tag?
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Here is the link to uniform database showing images of Tiger uniforms from this time period- http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/uniforms.asp?league=&city=Detroit&lowYear=1920&highYear=1933&sort=year&increment=18

I have little knowledge of game-used anything, but I do know pre-war flannels are rare. Obviously the missing 'D' on the chest hurts its value but is the jersey still worth having authenticated? The jersey is in great shape outside of the missing patch. Thanks for any help you can lend.

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Posted By: Chris

Great item! You may want to post in in the GUU formum. www.gameuseduniverse.com

I had a similar era, Tigers, pair of pants that I got help with on that site. Of course, not to say that this group won't be able to assit as well.

chris

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Posted By: Brock G.

Can anyone help me out with a photo of the 29' Tigers in their road uniforms?

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Posted By: jamie

is that spalding jersey? every 20's jersey i remember seeing was made by them

heres a 22 jersey: http://sports.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=707&Lot_No=19420&src=pr#Photo

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Posted By: Brock G.

Yea, it seems like 9 out 10 from the period were made by Spaulding but this one is made by Horace Partridge. I've found a '28 Tigers road jersey that was made by HP but the styles dont match so I'm thinking 1929 is probably the year; Roy Johnson's rookie year. But the home jerseys from '29 were made by Spauling. I imagine it was not uncommon to have different jerseys from different makers but I really dont know. Any information or opinions is greatly appreciated.

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Posted By: Brock G.

Just looking to revive this thread. Maybe someone can breathe new life into it for me. I posted on the GUU message board and didn't really get any answers there either. Thanks for any help/opinions you can offer.

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Posted By: Jimmy

Nice looking jersey, tag and design all appear to be from the late 1920s or early 1930s. I do not see to many Horace Partridge game used jerseys. The player maybe Roy Johnson as stated above, he was a rookie in 1929 and was on the Tigers for a few years making it more of a possibility.

Jimmy

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Posted By: Mark

Brock:

The only problem with 1929 is that Marc Okkonen's Book shows the road jersey from that year having navy piping along the buttons and around the collar. Okkonen's book tends to be incredibly accurate, but a few discrepancies have been revealed. It could be that the original piping has worn off, or that there was another variation not captured by Okkonen.

Considering the potential value, why not send it to Mears for authentication? Sure it would cost some $$ but would provide you peace of mind, and would significantly bolster the jersey's value. I would, however NOT use Lou Lampson or Grey Flannel for a rare piece like this.

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Posted By: Brock G.

Thanks for the help Jimmy and Mark. My best guess is 1929 but its safe to say I was less than scientific in coming up with that hypothesis. Looking really closely at where the "D" should be you can see remnants of what appears to be orange stitching. The 29 jersey had orange around the navy D so that was my first clue, but not iron-clad by any means. The Halper auction had Harry Heilmann's '28 Tigers raod jersey which was also made by Horace Partridge. So between those two bits of evidence, I deduced 1929.

The Halper auction also had a 1929 Tigers home jersey. The home jersey does not have blue piping. Mark, can you refrence Okkonen's book and see what he has for the '29 Tigers home jersey? Thanks

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Posted By: Mark

Brock:

The Uniform Database Link (that you posted above) is taken straight from Okkonen's Book. Click on that link and you will see the following...

Both the Home and Away Jerseys from 1929 are shown to have the blue piping around the collar and down the sides of the buttons.

The 1930 Tigers Jerseys appear to have no such piping (either Home or Away).

If the 1929 Halper example had NO piping as you say, then 3 things are possible....

1. It was not really from 1929
2. The piping was removed, or came off over time (which does happen)
3. Okkonen mistakenly illustrated the 1929 Uniforms to have the Piping.

Okkonen has said that his illustrations are based on extensive photographs which have been archived year by year. But there have been a few subtle discrepancies pointed out since the book was published around a decade ago.

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Posted By: Brock G.

I just got this 1929 Kashin Roy Johnson. Its the only image of Johnson that I have been able to find from 1929. It does not appear that the jersey has any piping. Is he wearing the home whites or road grey?
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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

Just write the National Baseball Library in Cooperstown, asking them to send you xeroxes of every 1929 wire photo they have of Johnson. The cost is minimal.

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Posted By: gotwins

I do not profess to know anything about game used uniforms, but I frequently use Okkonen's book (or online equivalent)as a resource. Mark, I'm not sure he intended the piping to be navy for the '29 Tigers uniforms- I think he just meant to show stitched piping. Compare the '29 uniforms to the '25 uniforms, and you can see where the '25 was clearly meant to show blue or dark piping in a tone different than that shown for '29. If he just meant to show the stitching for '29, then there's no discrepancy.

Seems to me that if it was indeed a gamer from the Tigers and that Johnson was the player, it would have to be Roy Johnson, who I believe is the only Tiger named Johnson close to the issue date of that uniform. Since Roy was a rookie in 1929 and the remainder of his years playing for the Tigers they wore the name "Detroit" on both home and road jerseys, then 1929 would have to be it.

Can you enhance the "D" somehow? The upper serif, or whatever you would call it on the D would end up pointing up for a home uni and and down for a roadie, at least from 1929. BTW, I find it interesting that Johnson appears in the '29 Kashin set, as he was a mere rookie and thus depicted in a 1929 uniform, meaning the photo was taken after that season was underway. Has the Kashin set been solely attributed to 1929?

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Posted By: Brock G.

Here is a enhanced picture which shows the 'D' a little better. Looks like it does have the down-turn at the top.