Extremely tough one year style of an All American at Arizona whose career never played out as envisioned. Player and grade aside, if you’re a style collector this is a rare an attractive offering you won’t want to miss out on.
Player Attribution and Dating: The jersey is attributed to Charlie Shoemaker by the number 45 sewn to both the left sleeve and back of the jersey. This attribution requires some explanation since the supplemental embroidery in the tail of the jersey attribute it roster #42 and a coach for 1961. This style of jersey is a one year style unique to 1961 and as such, would have to have been ordered well before their home opener on April 21st against the Cleveland Indians. No jersey could have been ordered for Shoemaker at that time since he was still playing baseball at the University of Arizona. Shoemaker did not sign his contract with the Athletics until 12 June 1961 and period newspaper accounts will confirm this. The renumbering of a jersey is not an uncommon occurrence for circumstances like this, and given there would not have been a previous year’s style to use, this would be the only option if unnumbered extras were not available. If you consider the shared surface space of the numeral 5 and an inverted 2, you will see there would be very little in the way of open seam holes to observe. I am not suggesting that the numeral “2” was removed and inverted since to make this visually a “5”, it would leave the bottom color red twill fabric as the outer fabric. Shoemaker is listed as being 5’, 11” and 170 lbs. As such I would expect to see a jersey in the size 40-42 range as being provided. (PLATE I-II)
Construction: The jersey is constructed of professional grade 4.5 oz flannel; sleeve cut is Raglan. All lettering and numbering is done in a blue over red twill fabric. All of these materials are period team, manufacturer and period appropriate.
Use and Wear: The jersey features signs of moderate to heavy wear. The gathering of the flannel fabric behind the lettering and numbering is even and consistent as is the surface wear to lettering and numbering as well. The jersey features spot staining on the inside of the neck area as well as the upper back. The right sleeve features a half inch hole that is noticeable as the jersey is displayed. All seven buttons are original and remain firmly affixed to the jersey.
Opinion: This jersey possess all of the characteristics that I would expect to find in a Wilson home product provided to the Kansas City Athletics for use and wear in 1961. The MEARS data base includes other 1961 A’s home jerseys manufactured by Wilson as well. The MEARS grading criteria for pre-1988 jerseys begins with a base grade of 10 and five categories for deductions. I found this reason to deduct points from this jersey:
Category 3: -2 Team Number Change
Category 5: -.5 Staining; -1 Hole in Right Sleeve
As such the final grade for this 1961 Charlie Shoemaker Kansas City Athletics Home Jersey with Cert # 307548 is A 6.5.
Dave Grob
MEARS
Enclosures: PLATES I-II