Newark Bears Jersey

[jerseygary]

I remember that uniform set when it was at auction, and I wasn't convinced it was for the NEWARK Bears.

I couldn't find any reasonable photo match of the style. Closest was the Walter Johnson photo that is posted above, but it is the road version from 1928. I found a photo taken at the Newark home opener in 1927, which does have "BEARS" across the front, but the trim is thin, like in the Johnson photo and there are diamond patches on the sleeves with an "N" in them.

Plus, more importantly, home jerseys would be white, not grey like the one auctioned off.

Here’s what I know about the history of the Newark Bears jerseys:

Before 1920 the team was called the “SAILORS” and “INDIANS.” I don’t have any firm dated photos showing the 1920-1923 uniforms.

1924-1925 the road jersey had "NEWARK" across the front in a serif typeface, plus the placket around the collar and down the front was a solid color.

1925 they wore plain white pinstripes at home, no lettering.

1926 home jerseys had "NEWARK" across the front in block letters. Don't know what the road version was but I would think they would have had "NEWARK" as well.

The 1929-1930 home uniform had a bear mascot on the front

The 1931 road jerseys have "NEWARK" in a serif typeface and after that they were a Yankees farm team and used plain pinstripes at home and grey with "NEWARK" in block letters from 1932 until they left town after 1949.

In short, Every road uniform I have seen of the Bears show "NEWARK" on the front, not "BEARS." All that being said, there are a few missing gaps which I haven't seen photos of.

Hope this helps a bit.