Well, that didn’t take long. Yesterday afternoon, a few hours after I posted yesterday’s blog entry about the White Sox No. 13 Mystery Man with the “Gallagher” NOB at the 1983 MLB All-Star Game, the Twitter account @QuirkyResearch lived up to its name by cracking the case.
@QuirkyResearch (which is tied to a website of the same name) turned up an article from the July 10, 1983, edition of an Illinois newspaper called The Southtown Star, about the National League’s honorary batboy from that game — an eight-year-old kid named Keith Istrieri. Here’s the key passage:
Keith, a fourth-grader at Kirby school, and Mike Gallagher, 13, of Chicago, were the lucky winners in the Coca-Cola/Chicago White Sox sponsored contest for a “dream job” at the midsummer classic. The boys were chosen from more than 30,000 entries from throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.
So that’s our guy — Mike Gallagher, honorary batboy. Mystery solved!
The rest of the article is all about Keith, not Mike. But there’s another relevant bit of uni-related info:
[T]he White Sox custom-fit authentic uniforms for both boys, with Keith wearing and keeping (perhaps for the rest of his life) the White Sox’ “traveling grays” [because he was batboy-ing for the visiting National League team], complete with his name and number “eight” on the back of the jersey.
So that explains why Gallagher wore No. 13! The eight-year-old kid wore No. 8, and 13-year-old Gallagher wore No. 13. AOB — age on back!
Here’s the full article (click to enlarge):
And what about the Coke/Chisox contest that the two boys won? @QuirkyResearch — whose real name, by the way, is Jeremy Snyder — found some info on that as well, from the June 16 edition of that same newspaper:
Hmmm — the article clearly indicates that the plan was to choose one boy and one girl, but instead they chose two boys. Wonder what that was about. Also, it would be interesting to see one of the entry forms. Like, did you just fill out your name and address, or did you have to explain why you wanted to be a batboy/girl in 45 words or less?
Meanwhile, the anonymous reader who brought this mystery to my attention in the first place got back in touch yesterday with some additional intriguing info. As you may recall, I mentioned in yesterday’s post that Giants pitcher Atlee Hammaker wore a “Croix de Candlestick” pin on his cap during that ’83 All-Star Game, and that he was the only player I knew of to wear that pin on the field.
But Mr. Anonymous said that all three Giants representatives at that All-Star Game — Hammaker, first baseman Darrell Evans, and pitcher Gary Lavelle — were wearing the pin during pregame introductions. Evans, in fact, was wearing four of the pins (or maybe some combination of Croix de Candlestick pins and some other pins — it’s hard to be sure). Here’s the relevant sequence of the pregame intros:
How wild is that?
We know Hammaker wore his pin on the mound. Lavelle didn’t get into the game, so we can’t know if he kept the pin on his cap after the pregame intros. But did Evans wear a pin, or maybe even all four pins? He didn’t start the game but was one of several defensive substitutions in the bottom of the sixth, so here’s broadcaster Vin Scully breaking down the players who’d just entered the game (he begins by mentioning Braves catcher Bruce Benedict and then gets to Evans):
It’s just a brief glimpse, but Evans was clearly wearing all four of his pins! I love that.
I remember watching this game (I was 19 at the time) but have no memory of the pins. Seems like something that would’ve jumped off the TV screen for me, even at that age. Odd.
And! While working on this piece, I (re)discovered that Giants pitcher Mark Davis is shown wearing the Croix de Candlestick pin on his cap during a game on his 1985 Topps card — something I’ve written about before but had forgotten until now. So we now know of at least four Giants players who’ve done this: Hammaker, Evans, Lavelle (although we don’t know if he ever did it during a game), and Davis.
All of these Giants players are now included in my photo set of MLB players who’ve worn pins somewhere on their uniform.
(My continued thanks to Mr. Anonymous for his tips and info, to @QuirkyResearch for cracking the case, and to everyone who suggested possible answers to the mystery Fun stuff!)
#Rockies RHP Daniel Bard is taking the mound in a makeshift jersey. His 52 looks to be electrical tape. Bard last pitched in @MLB in '13 with the #RedSox but has looked good in Spring Training and Summer Camp. pic.twitter.com/YSff0wdK8G
— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) July 16, 2020
MLB intrasquoddities, continued: Yesterday I showed you Phillies pitcher Garrett Cleavinger taking the mound in a jersey that had no number and no name. Rockies pitcher Daniel Bard apparently didn’t want to suffer that indignity, because he appeared in the team’s intrasquad scrimmage last night wearing a jersey with a makeshift number made from black tape!
(Big thanks to Shane Bua for this one.)
Too good for the Ticker: It’s worth waiting for the pre-roll ad to play just so you can get to this short TV news report about the Utah Shamrocks, a 1930s-1970s women’s softball team with absolutely spectacular uniforms. Trust me — don’t miss.
(Big thanks to Kary Klismet for this one.)
Click to enlarge
ITEM! New “Tour de Uni” cycling jerseys: I’ve previously partnered with Adelph Wear’s Nathan Haas to create tequila sunrise-themed Uni Watch cycling jerseys. With the Tour de France scheduled to start in about six weeks, we’ve now come up with a line of new Tour-inspired jerseys — yellow (for the overall leader), green (Points Classification leader), and polka dot (King of the Mountains).
Each jersey can be customized with your choice of number (there’s a bib-style panel on the back for that) and/or NOB — or you can skip those elements and leave the back blank. Up to you!
We’re taking pre-orders from now through July 24, which should allow us to get the finished jerseys to you by Aug. 29 — the first day of the Tour de France!
Full details, including rear views, a sizing chart, and more, here.
Click to enlarge
Mask update: The next batch of Uni Watch masks is being produced as we speak. We’re going with a new design this time around — the tequila sunrise pattern shown above. Slick, right?
Just like before, these are being produced and donated by the good folks at ProLook Sports, whose generosity has been remarkable and inspiring. And I will once again donate all of Uni Watch’s profits to charity. (For the first two batches, the proceeds went to Doctors Without Borders and Feeding America. Haven’t yet decided about this third batch.)
These new masks should be ready for ordering in a few weeks. If you’d like to be notified when they’re available, shoot me a note.
This is not a new piece of Uni Watch merch: Reader Stephen Murphy pointed me toward this listing for striped golf tees that look like they were made for Uni Watch! I’m not a golfer, but if I were, I’d definitely have to get these. In fact, I might have to get a pack anyway, just because I like the design so much!
The Ticker
By Paul
’Skins Watch: The son of the Native American designer who created the now-retired ’Skins logo says the logo was never offensive and was actually a source of pride. But the designer’s grandson says changing the name and logo is the right thing to do. … A Pop Warner football team in Stratford, Conn., will no longer be called the Redskins and is now having a fundraiser for new uniforms with a new logo. Those who donate at least $50 can leave a team name suggestion (from Timmy Donahue). … The CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos, under increasing public and financial pressure to change their team name, have doubled down, saying that the name signifies — get this — “toughness, hardiness and the ability to perform in [Edmonton’s] cold weather” (from Wade Heidt). … The Philadelphia Cricket Club is reassessing its Native-themed logo. … More schools moving to change their Native-based team names and/or logos include Glastonbury High School in Connecticut; Jamestown High School in western New York; and Lane Tech in Chicago. … The English rugby union team Exeter Chiefs is also reassessing its name and logo. … The rest of these — yes, all of them — are from Kary Klismet: KC Chiefs prexy Mark Donovan says the team won’t change its name but will consider whether things like fans wearing headdresses and doing the tomahawk chop should be dealt with. Donovan added some BS about KC’s situation being different from Washington’s because of the “true equity value in the traditions and the name and the history of the Kansas City Chiefs” — as if the same couldn’t have been said until recently about the ’Skins. … Here’s more about trademark squatters who’ve been trying to establish the rights to potential new names for the ’Skins. Meanwhile, the primary squatter has retained legal counsel and is apparently eager to make a deal. … Players from a segregated African-American high school football team in Georgia finally received championship rings last week, more than 50 years after winning the state championship. Unfortunately, the ring design features a Native American mascot character. … The Kanawha Redskins youth football program in Henrico, Va., is changing its name. … Watchung Hills High School in New Jersey is reassessing its Native-themed logo. … The school board for Tulsa (Okla.) Union High School is forming a panel to consider whether to keep calling its teams the Redskins. … Sewanhaka Central High School in New York is reassessing its “Indians” team name. … Rutland High School in Vermont, having already changed its logo from an Indian mascot to an arrowhead, is now reassessing the arrowhead. … Radnor High School in Pennsylvania may drop its Raiders name and Native-themed logo. … On the other hand, two schools — Donna High in Texas and Neshaminy High in Pennsylvania — plan to keep calling their teams the Redskins. … The Gallatin County (Mt.) Sheriff’s Department is reviewing its use of an Indian head uniform patch. … A bill in the New York State Senate that would have withheld state aid to schools using racially insensitive names and mascots has been amended to remove that provision.
Working Class Wannabes™: A recruit who’ll be attending Iowa on a football scholarship says, “I’ve learned that Iowa is a hard-nose, blue-collar football program.” … An article about a new commit to the NC State women’s hoops team says she’s a “blue-collar, low-post prospect” with a “blue-collar persona.” … An article about the upcoming Utah football season says offensive lineman Ashton Adams has a “tough, blue-collar attitude.” … An article about the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks says Justin Bailey “is the gruelling, ‘blue-collar’ forward general manager Jim Benning is fond of.” … U. of Minnesota women’s soccer assistant coach Maya Hayes says playing college soccer taught her “that work ethic and that blue collar mentality.” … An article about MLS’s return to action says (paywalled) the Philadelphia Union “personify a Philly-style blue-collar grit.” … An article about the soccer team Real Madrid says players Luka Modric and Toni Kroos “do blue-collar mopping up.” … An article about MLS’s Real Salt Lake says, “Training sessions the past couple weeks have had a very blue-collar feel to them.” This worked out well for the team’s recent match against the Colorado Rapids, “a similar blue-collar team.” … Colorado Rockies third base coach Nick Capra says utility player Danny Mendick is “a blue-collar player.” … The new girls’ basketball coach at West Creek High School in Tennessee says the team will succeed “if we all do our roles, we do our work, we put on a blue collar and come to practices every day.” … An article about former Indiana Pacers player Joe Young, who’s now playing in China, says, “Young had the blue collar work ethic Pacers fans love.”
Baseball News: Cubs prospect Brennen Davis is the latest player to appear in an intrasquad game wearing a jersey with no name or number (from Tyler Benner). … Check out this 1980 photo of Madonna in a Pirates T-shirt (from David Goodfriend). … Gross: Ad on the mound for last night’s Twins intrasquad game. I do like the “Blue vs. White” scorebug, however! … Here’s a gorgeous view of the Tigers’ quintuple-striped stirrups from the 1970s. … The great Savannah Bananas wore kilts (!) last night. … Fun project by Greg Kohn, who came up with home and road baseball uni concepts for 30 teams based on TV shows with city or state names in their title. … Kansas State baseball coach Pete Hughes has a big collection of baseball throwback jerseys. … As an aside, isn’t it odd that major and minor league baseball skippers are called managers, but college and high school skippers are usually called coaches?
NFL News: Big news out of Buffalo, where the Bills’ stadium will no longer be named after a headwear company. … Here’s the Patriots’ stadium rendered as a cake (from @PeskysPole). … The Packers will not allow fans to attend training camp or preseason games. A decision regarding the regular season has not yet been made (from Brian Kerhin). … Looks like the yard marker numerals at the Raiders’ new stadium match the font of the team’s jersey numbers.
College Football News: Arkansas is expected to add a new road uni shortly. … New 20th-season logo for FAU. No word yet on whether it’ll be worn as part of the uniform (from Ayden Maher). … Looks like FSU RB Jashuan Corbin, new to the team after transferring from Texas A&M, will be wearing No. 0. That graphic also shows the team’s new white uni numbers (from @VictoryCB). … Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey wore an Auburn mask while announcing the state’s new mask requirement yesterday.
Hockey News: The Oilers have added a memorial helmet decal for teammate Colby Cave, who died in April (from @VintageOilers). … Here’s a look back at one writer’s favorite Providence Bruins theme jerseys. … The NHL may allow perforated carbon fiber stick blades (from Wade Heidt). … Looking ahead, here are the newly revealed jerseys for the 2021 ECHL All-Star Game.
Basketball News: Here are the social justice jersey messages that will be worn by players on the Heat, Wizards, Bucks, and Nuggets. … On the flip side, here’s a look at some NBA players who aren’t wearing social justice messages on their jerseys. … Former Pacers star Reggie Miller has partnered with the cycling brand Castelli on a new social justice cycling jersey. … Here’s a feature about how a rare Seton Hall jersey had a big effect on hip-hop culture.
Soccer News: The indefatigable Kary Klismet says: “Want to see images of all the new stadiums being built in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup? This article has you covered.” … Leicester City’s new home kit has leaked. … More leak pics of Manchester City’s home shirt, whose official release is scheduled for today. … Tottenham wore black memorial armbands yesterday for he brother of their right back Serge Aurier, who was killed in France a few days ago (from Mark Coale). … The rest of these items are from Ed Zelaski: New home shirt for French side Stade Rennais. … AS Roma and Nike are parting ways, so the team is looking for a new outfitter. … German side Hertha Berlin is seeking a new shirt advertiser. … New home and away shirts for French side Lyon. … New third shirt for fourth-tier English side Scunthorpe United.
Grab Bag: All U. of Wisconsin teams will wear a black “W” to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Additional info here (from David Petroff). … There’s a new Swedish fragrance brand called Uniform. According to that article, “The unexpected starting points for [the company’s] fragrances are the stairwells of Swedish high-rises (which are often home to diverse and multicultural populations), and the various scents that gather in those in-between spaces.” … A North Carolina prison inmate reportedly managed to escape last week by wearing a janitor’s uniform. … With uncertainty hanging over the fall school year, parents can’t decide whether to buy school uniforms for their kids. … In a related item, Tulsa schools are dropping their uniform requirement. … New logo design for Nissan. … Cross-listed from the basketball section: Cycling brand Castelli has partnered with former NBA star Reggie Miller on a new social justice cycling jersey. … Penn State has trademarked the phrase “We Are Penn State” (from Stephen Babb). … Here are the finalists for Salt Lake City’s new flag design (from Brice Wallace). … New official mascot for the 2022 Central American and Caribbean Games in Panama (from Kary Klismet). … A slew of schools are changing or reassessing their Confederacy-based team names, including Westford Academy in Massachusetts; Cuba-Rushford High School in New York; Juanita High School in Washington; the Southwestern Jefferson County Consolidated School Corporation in Indiana; Howell High School in New Jersey; and San Antonio College. Amazing how all but one of those schools are located in states that weren’t even part of the Confederacy (all from, of course, Kary Klismet). … More Confederacy reassessment: Williamson County in Tennessee is reevaluating its county seal design, which shows, among other things, a Confederate battle flag draped over a cannon (from Timmy Donahue). … And still more: The school board in Montgomery, Ala., has voted to change the Confederacy-based names of three high schools (from Rob Haner). … The Pac-12 Conference created a graphic that puts the “mask” in “mascot,” to so speak (from Jeremy Brahm).
Click to enlarge
What Paul did last night: Some days, nothing much really happens on the porch. No dogs, no neighbors, no interesting strangers, no particularly notable conversation, no branch.
And that’s fine. Because it’s still really nice to be sitting there on a gorgeous summer evening, sharing drinks with someone you love.
As always, you can see the full set of daily Pandemic Porch Cocktails™ photos here.
Paul,
Good morning. Enjoy Uni Watch very much. Thank you for keeping this going despite the crazy times.
One input; the link doesn’t work for entry:
Fun project by Greg Kohn, who came up with home and road baseball uni concepts for 30 teams based on TV shows with city or state names in their title.
Stay safe,
Michael
Thanks, Michael!
Link now fixed. Here’s the proper URL, so you don’t have to scroll back up:
link
Thanks for the updated link! Fun project. My only gripes would be that WKRP needs some flashes of wild color or rainbow stripes, preferably in some 1970s-style sitcommy incongruous place. And that Dallas should use black, not brown.
I would go with Vega$ with Robert Urich as Dan Tanna. And what about the Mayberry RFDs?
Mayberry unis would be glorious, but there’s no geographic location in the name of the show so it doesn’t fit the project. Otherwise I’d want to see Magnum PI uniforms, with a tan road and a red flower-print alternate. Navy blue caps with a gold Olde English letter and scrambled eggs on the visor.
The name of the show was “Mayberry RFD.” The Andy Griffith Show is a different but way better.
Oh, right, I forgot about the spinoff! By the time I was a kid and Andy Griffith Show was in constant afternoon syndication on UHF channels, the spinoff show was largely un-aired. Thanks for the correction, and the reminder!
Thank you for the quick fix.
1. K-State coach Pete Hughes labels himself a “jersey snob”, but the Greg Luzinski throwback he included in the photos is an outrageously bad fake. It has a Mitchell & Ness jock tag but it isn’t up to their usual standard (and they’re based in Philadelphia, they know better). That looks like a cheap knockoff being passed off as M&N. Which is gross.
2. As good as the Tigers’ stirrup stripes were, I always loved that the Tigers (and Reds) used unusually large NOB lettering, and no kerning. Every WOCKENFUSS and CONCEPCION went armpit-to-armpit.
Merchandising! Merchandising! Where the real money from the blog is made. Uni Watch: the t-shirt, Uni Watch: the coloring book, Uni Watch: the lunchbox, Uni Watch: the breakfast cereal, Uni Watch: the Flame Thrower! And last, but not least, Uni Watch: the Doll; me. “For people who get it!” Adorable.
These days, I’m reminded of a different line from Spaceballs – “I’m surrounded by assholes!”
Where can I purchase the Uni Watch : the Flame Thrower!?…..I’m in!
Lighten up, Francess.
link
Proofreading in Grab Bag section: it’s “Westford Academy” (rather than “West Academy”).
Got it. Thanks!
If you look further, they’re called managers in baseball, but coaches in the other major team sports in the United States. That’s because baseball began professionally, rather than in schools, like the other sports. So someone leading employees is manager, but someone leading students is a coach. Notice that European soccer field bosses are called managers, since that sport began professionally.
Wow — never thought of the pro vs. scholastic distinction. Makes perfect sense. Thank you!!
But football never uses manager. Am I missing something?
Soccer didn’t start professionally, it started in schools like most other English-originating sports. “Manager” is probably more common than “head coach” in English, but they’re interchangeable and there’s no difference. Some English-speaking teams formally use a “head coach” title — Tottenham and Chelsea are two, but neither started as a school team. (The one high-level U.K. team that is a descendant of a school team, Scotland’s Hamilton Academical, also uses “head coach.”)
However, the word usually used for a manager/head coach in other European languages often translates as “coach” or “head coach,” e.g. “Cheftrainer” in German.
Also, baseball did not start out professionally. It was an amateur sport at first, though largely a sport of the professional middle class. By the time professional baseball arose, the sport was dominated by working-class participants. There was a later era when semipro teams, many based on workplaces, were a big deal, but that started generations after “manager” had become the accepted term for the job.
I suspect that it’s more related to the fact that most early baseball managers were also players. A manager was typically a player with some degree of added responsibility over other players, such as setting the lineup or naming substitutions. Basically a super-captain. Whereas football or basketball coaches don’t have such a history of also being players. A coach then is a separate class of participant, someone who doesn’t play but does, well, coach the players. Whereas the baseball manager was sort of first among equals among the players, and his role was not chiefly defined by his coaching of the players but his management of them.
Soccer didn’t start professionally or in schools. The origins go back centuries. English schools are responsible for codifying the rules and for the formation of the Football Association.
The distinction is perhaps slipping away a little, but traditionally there has been a big difference in England between a Manager and a Head Coach. A Manager in England would have full control of everything related to the team – equivalent to being both GM and Head Coach in North America.
Head Coach started being used in England when clubs started introducing the Technical Director/Sporting Director role who would be responsible for assembling the team.
Many of the current “Managers” in the Premier League would be more accurately described as Head Coaches based on their actual responsibilities.
How does the Quirky Research site work? DO you message Jeremy and he takes off running? Do he have to contact you? I have some old pictures for a Trivia contest I participate in, and would love to find the sources of them. Sounds like this guy could help.
In this case, he just saw yesterday’s post and decided on his own to crack the case. No idea if he takes assignments, so to speak.
You don’t have to golf to find a use for those Tees, Paul.
Interactive displays!
link
Great idea!
On a scale of “entire team uses stirrups” to “using the Oval Office to peddle beans because a CEO said nice things about you”, I rate the corporate logo on the mound a 6.5.
Part of me was hoping that Edmonton would use the phrase “blue collar” in their reasoning for sticking with their nickname.
Wouldn’t that be”fur collar?”
So disappointing, especially given that Edmonton Elks is so clearly a superior, readily available, and continentally distinct team name.
Alberta is a bit of a hotspot for wild elk herd recovery, to boot. I have a friend who fishes along the eastern slope of the Rockies up there every year, and he has brought back way more stunning photos of elk than of fish.
Exactly, Scott. As you know I am a huge proponent for Edmonton Elks for all those reasons and others. The team used that name during 1922 season. Team name would still start with an E so could keep the primary logo. A team name not commonly used in sports so it fits in well with other distinct team names in the league.
Imagine a 3rd uniform featuring elk antlers on the helmet. Could be amazing.
I love the attention given to cyclists! There’s a debate in the cycling community about the appropriateness of cyclists wearing team kits. It’s seen by some as poser-ish. Others see it as supporting your favorite team (like fans of other sports who buy a team jersey). I personally have some team kits of which I just like the designs.
However, there’s a lot more agreement on not wearing earned jerseys, like the rainbow world championship jersey, a national champion jersey, or, alas, a race leader jersey. If I wore one of those very fine-looking Uni Watch jerseys, I think I’d get sneers from other cyclists.
I’m certainly not trying to discourage anyone from getting these (really, they look awesome, and people should wear what they want), but if sales are low, it might be a reason why.
For what it’s worth, my Uni Watch membership card is the King of the Mountains polka dot jersey!
there’s a lot more agreement on not wearing earned jerseys, like the rainbow world championship jersey, a national champion jersey, or, alas, a race leader jersey.
Interesting! How come? Is it viewed as inappropriate cosplay? Putting on airs that you haven’t earned??
Yeah basically on the unearned thing for the pro jerseys and world championship bands. I don’t think plays off these classification jerseys is such a big deal, especially since they are available generically without pro team branding.
If you really want to go down a rabbit hole you can look into the cyclist slang of “fred” lol
That’s sort of my hesitation too. Same thing for me with jersey NOB: A number on back is abstract enough that I don’t feel like a poseur wearing a jersey with a number, but any name feels like a bit of “stolen valor.” I’m not my favorite player, so I shouldn’t wear his or her name, but also I didn’t make the team, so I shouldn’t wear my own name.
Then again I regularly wear a 2009 Ragbrai jersey I got on eBay even though I’ve never yet done Ragbrai. I wear it A) Because I’m a native Iowan, and Ragbrai is a cool Iowa tradition; B) The jersey features a slice of pie, so it’s just plain cool; and C) I am preparing to ride Ragbrai in 2021 or 22. It’s an aspirational jersey.
My jersey game needs a lot of work, I basically have 2 jerseys that I use at the moment, but I have 3 others of a former club that are nice but I feel odd representing a club I’m not racing/riding with. I also have 2 cyclocross skinsuits, which without pockets aren’t practical for day to day riding. I spend most of my training time indoors so not a real need for jerseys!
I don’t see anything wrong with wearing a Ragbrai jersey, it’s basically something anyone can do and not a competitive event, so you’ve got a pass in my book!
Saw this for sale while looking at my favorite soccer team’s website (they have a pro cycling squad as well). I’d commit two sins with this: pro kit and national champ colors. That said, still want lol
Phil P, please come back and share a link! I’m dying to know what you’re referring to.
My bad! Here it is!
link
That’s for the individual who is the Portuguese road champ, the following is the regular team jersey, which oddly doesn’t follow the same blue/white striping of the football side as they have in the past
link
I guess it would be like walking around with a replica Vince Lombardi trophy, or wearing the Masters’ green jacket. People’s dreams are to get them by winning a championship, so to just buy one is kinda cheating.
I don’t know that this needs to be a hard-and-fast rule for all sports, but it seems to be the culture of cycling.
Btw, here’s an article in defense of wearing a team kit: link
The only pro jersey I ever bought was a Phonak jersey (green and gold, hey!) back in the early 2000s. I bought it because it looked cool and I was a fan of Tyler Hamilton, their lead rider at the time.
One Sunday afternoon at a lonely rural crossroad I spotted another cyclist in an identical jersey getting a pop from a machine in front of a corner store. Naturally I rode over to say hi to my “teammate” — and it was Tyler himself!
Nice guy, offered to buy me a pop. Didn’t comment on the jersey.
That’s an awesome story!
For whatever it’s worth, I forwarded the cycling jersey designs to a good friend of mine who is a huge cycling enthusiast, and he responded much the same way as Bernie. His response, in part:
“[H]ugely argued and postured ‘rules’ exist on this topic. Before Velominati ‘rules’ were ever published in the 00s, I had already concluded as a racer nerd that no ‘team gear’ or ‘race leaders/points jerseys’ should EVER be worn unless it is 1) your own team, or 2) a jersey you won, or 3) _given to you by the actual owner/winner_. For me, it’s sorta a ‘one does not simply “walk into” Mordor’ understandings.”
He did go on to say, in a later communication, that “[t]here is an archness to the uniwatch tdf jerseys that might make one of them work in a ‘labored wrongness’ kind of way.” So hopefully, there are enough cycling enthusiasts out there who don’t care about others’ so-called “rules” or who otherwise find these cheeky or mildly transgressive enough to wear them as a way to stick it to the ones who would get their knickers in a twist about it.
Speaking of cycling enthusiasts who don’t follow the “rules,” I have a different friend who used to wear a polka dot “King of the Mountains”-style jersey when he rode. He follows the pro circuit pretty closely, but is just a casual cyclist himself, never a competitive rider. He’s the type of guy who probably wasn’t aware of the “rules” or wasn’t too concerned about them if he did know – definitely not the type to intentionally flaunt it.
In any event, he tells a story about how when he was out riding one day, he paused for a rest in a park. He saw a toddler nearby point at him and say something indiscernible to his mother. The mother responded, loudly enough for my friend to overhear, “No, honey, I don’t think he’s a real clown. He’s just wearing a clown shirt.”
“Labored wrongness” — I’ll take that!
I didn’t think the Velominati rules were to be taken seriously. I always thought they were a parody of cyclists who take themselves too seriously.
Other than Rule 5. Rule 5 is serious business.
“It’s still really nice to be sitting there on a gorgeous summer evening, sharing drinks with someone you love.”
Amen.
My Zayde used to say, “Life is somewhere to go, something to do, and someone to do it with.”
In light of the current situation, two out of three ain’t bad :)
Liked today’s close
Just curious, was there a reason the “bib” on the cycling jersey was placed so high on the back. Typically pro riders position them much closer the the waistline. I’m not sure if that design would be impractical given the stitching on the pockets, but I was just curious if a different placement was considered.
Either way, these look amazing and I will definitely be ordering all 3!
We wanted to try something different with the number styling and landed on the “bib” look. After some research, there typically are not NOB or numbers, other than “bib” numbers on racing jerseys. You’re right in your assumption about putting it on the pockets, it wouldn’t be impractical to place them there, but with the elastic and seaming, the bib and number would get distorted. So we opted for a “general sport” upper back placement and have the option to go no number on back if preferred.
Thanks! Team Sky has experimented with NOB, and I think NOS (name on side) but yea, it’s not typical. I actually wish they did, since the overhead camera view common in pro cycling would be conducive to a NOB. Either way I like the look.
Would love matching shorts for the Uni Watch cycling jerseys, too. Would be cool to have a matching kit!
I just realized that the branch is gone and I missed when it happened. Disappointed.
The good news is that I got my bobblehead pin yesterday and it’s AWESOME. You’ve outdone yourself with this one.
Hi, Judy. Here’s the story of the branch’s demise:
link
And the resulting follow-up project:
link
Hi Judy – I received a free membership card on purple amnesty day thanks to the generous donation of a Judy A. If that’s you, THANK YOU! It has brought me many much needed smiles.
Phife Dawg.
Rest In Peace, you funky diabetic.
I miss you and Yauch a ton.
Re: “Also, it would be interesting to see one of the entry forms. Like, did you just fill out your name and address, or did you have to explain why you wanted to be a batboy/girl in 45 words or less?”
If it was a *contest*, then there’d be a “skill” involved that had judging to determine winners; in this example, a short essay (in other contests it could be originally-created artwork, or a costume; you get the idea).
But the answer is in the second column where it gives the official legal name as “Bat Boy Sweepstakes”. It’s a *sweepstakes*, which means it’s just personal/contact info submitted and a randomly-selected winner. The mail-in entry is the AMOE (alternate method of entry) so people can enter without having to purchase the product (Coke).
Contests and sweepstakes get routinely referred to like they’re the same thing (the newspaper articles you’ve shown do this several times).
Also, nowadays it would be a parent/guardian entering the sweepstakes online and including their child’s information along with certifying they were the parent/guardian; COPPA compliance and all that…
Signed,
A person who uses a fake name when posting here and who also works for a sports league
Thanks for the sweepstakes explainer!
If the Chicago White Sox opted to take the field wearing kilts, I wonder what Chris Sale would have done.
I would suggest that Greg Kohn re-think that “Las Vegas Shooters” team name.
This is a really stand-up act by ProLook Sports to donate all these masks. I bought one from round 2 and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. I was thinking that as a way to pay it back to them, I would look into buying something from them. But a glance at their web site yesterday suggests that they are pretty much in the business of customized team apparel and uniforms, no real off-the-shelf items. Could there maybe be a future piece of Uni Watch merchandise made by ProLook? I would give serious consideration to buying something like that just to pay them back for this good turn they are doing with all these Uni Watch masks.
So has social media shamed the Savannah Bananas for cultural appropriation yet? Had they worn kente designs or kimono cloth I’m sure the tattletale mob would be all over them. Yes, I’m aware that this promotion was for St. Patrick’s Day in July which is nothing more than a merch push anyway. This smacks of nothing more than cosplay.
we’ve now come up with a line of new Tour-inspired jerseys
I thought, coming from Uni Watch, that said jerseys would Respect The Placket. Is it too late to tweak that uni glitch?
Looks
likeas if the yard marker numerals at the Raiders’ new stadium match the font of the team’s jersey numbers.They should have went the extra step of putting the numbers inside the Raiders shield, as they did back in the 70s!
Late to answer yesterday’s question about the bobblehead pins:
Yes, they’re cool. Exceeedingly so.
But I can’t pull the trigger on something like that these days…especially since there’s water-cooler talk about a line of UW glassware. I’m saving up money in hopes of a UW schooner glass. And perhaps a UW foam can koozie?
But it’s a zipper. So…no problem?
I’d hear you on the placket if this were a button-down baseball jersey.
Zackly.
I thought, coming from Uni Watch, that said jerseys would Respect The Placket. Is it too late to tweak that uni glitch?
Not a glitch at all when dealing with sublimated graphics on a zippered jersey, as you can see from our previous cycling jersey:
link
The lettering crosses the rubicon seamlessly!
Still looks glitchy.
Agree to disagree.
Scully and Garagiola talk about the Croix de Candlestick pin during the broadcast. In the Hammaker/Lynn grand slam at-bat, in fact! 1hr42min mark.
Yes, that was noted in yesterday’s post.
Love the Croix de Candlestick info! The Giants moved to Pac Bell Park when I was in middle school so a lot of my memories of Candlestick are a little fuzzy, but the Croix de Candlestick pins are one thing that have always been vivid in my mind. I’m actually wearing a hat based on the pin design as I type! As soon as I read today’s post I hopped over to eBay and purchased a few for myself. My dad is a bit of a Giants collector, but I’m not sure if he has any of these lying around anymore.
some soccer tidbits from my favorite team FC Porto, which won the league championship yesterday
They made a special jersey for retail with gold lettering on back with the year 20 and champions link
A ticket item had an alternate jersey of theirs posted, but they’ve also released their home and 3rd jerseys
home (personally don’t like the yellow lettering/accents): link
alt jersey (not bad)
link
3rd jersey (fine enough):
link
Have there been any Croix de Candlestick membership cards yet?
The Bills/New Era divorce has some nuance to it. Due to New Era laying off workers, the Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said that he would refuse to use New Era’s name when talking about the stadium going forward.
Having seen some defense of New Era on social media for their firing of local workers due to them hardly being the only company to do such a thing in the wake of Covid-19, I would remind everyone that New Era has been pulling up stakes from Western New York for years now and could not care less about the community where it started. They are a big business lifestyle brand now and honestly, people going out of their way to stick up for such an entity is pretty pathetic.
That said, sticking up for the Pegulas isn’t much better.
In any case, there is more to the story than what the announcement may say.
By New Era “laying off workers,” we mean, lay off unionized workers who specifically by CBA make MLB’s future game-issue and game-worn caps, so that New Era might be able to bolt to Florida and set up a small scab shop that cheaply puts together materials made in China and sell bad hats for high profit. We call that a runaway shop under the NLRA.
No sympathy. Capitalism has problems. Just call it Ralph Wilson! (I think there’s a shirt for that, LOL.)
More in depth article on the Wisconsin Badgers black W here. Explains how it all got started and how swiftly it came about.
link
That All-Star Game may have been the pinnacle for vertical arching…I saw
Angels
Padres
Royals
Cubs
Giants
Braves
Phillies
Pirates