1940's Joe DiMaggio Game Worn New York Yankees Jersey
imaged by Heritage Auctions, HA.com
1940's Joe DiMaggio Game Worn New York Yankees Jersey. No team in baseball has been more faithful to its time-tested uniform format than the mighty New York Yankees, and while any collector of vintage sports memorabilia will have a strong respect for tradition by default, the Yankees' consistency can complicate the assignation of a specific vintage to the team's garments. The experts at MEARS are able to narrow the probable season of this road grey gamer's use to 1940, 1941 or 1946, a conclusion based upon the specific tagging format and the absence of any war-era sleeve patches, or signs of their removal.
The detailed letter of examination from MEARS lifts goosebumps with the suggestion that, "This type of Wilson collar tag is an almost identical match to the 1941 DiMaggio road sold at Sotheby's," a fact that might place the garment within that blistering span of two months during which Joltin' Joe never failed to record a base hit. That famous 1941 hit streak remains one of the most impressive feats in the long and eventful history of our national pastime.
imaged by Heritage Auctions, HA.com
As was standard Major League practice for decades, this jersey was repurposed for farm club use after its service to the Hall of Fame center fielder. It was later restored professionally to its original appearance by famed hobbyist Dick Dobbins, who installed a properly-fonted "New York" and number "5" to front and back respectively.
The original DiMaggio attribution remains unmolested at interior collar, an embroidered swatch that perfectly matches other period representations. The aforementioned black "Wilson" label appears above, anchoring a flap tag with size "44" designation, perfect for the Yankee Clipper's athletic frame. Beyond the four points deducted by MEARS for the restoration of original identifiers, a half-point is taken for a replaced button and thinning of the fabric at left shoulder, only apparent upon close inspection. Light rust staining on verso is likewise innocuous. LOA from MEARS, A5.5. LOA from Heritage Auctions.
