I Had Two Jersey Revelations Today

[robbman21]

I was in Bossier City,LA today at the Dallas Cowboys' Pro Shop and was looking at their authentic jerseys.This was the first time I had seen a navy Cowboys jersey up close and actually got to touch it and scan it over,and noticed two very unique things about it.The first one was the star on each sleeve.I've known for a couple of years that the star on the authentics is sewn-in,not screened-on,but what I did not realize is how simple it is done.It is only one piece of navy tackle-twill with just white stitching making 3 outlines around the star,rather than being fully embroidered or 4 layers of twill(I actually thought it was the 4 layers).

Secondly were the numbers.As you know the Cowboys use white/navy/white on their darks,BUT,it's not at all what other teams use.Every team I've ever seen with 3 color numbers use three-layer twill,each outline a different layer until the top layer forms the solid number.Well,on the Cowboys again it is just one piece of white tackle-twill which has been over-sized,and then a very thin strip of navy twill

is sewn-on as the outline.Do any other teams use this method??I have to say it cuts down on the thickness of the number but it lacks in overall quality.In fact the navy stitching covers most of that thin outline,but I dont understand why they dont just do it as the sleeves are done and just make the outline a stich instead of a thin and delicate outline sewn-on.

Last thing to pass along is the Roy Williams authentic Pro Bowl jersey there.I dont know if this was mentioned when they came out last year,but I know a lot of us talked about the "stars" in the body of the fabric.I think most of us assumed these were somehow woven into the fabric ala diamond shapes in soccer shorts or the vertical stripes in the old Pats jerseys.Well....another disappointment.The stars are actually some type of screened-on glitter that's stiff and feels like a t-shirt you made one summer at vacation bible school.Again....another disappointment.

I'll post pics as soon as I can find some.

[FiddySicks]

I have an authentic Warren Sapp Pro Bowl Jersey from 2004 and yes, the stars are screened on and then the wet ink is covered in glitter. I thought it was pretty strange when i first got it but it kind of grows on you. The only problem is that the glitter on the stars is like sand paper.

[bulldogbarks55]

A good friend of mine is the Vice President of American Classic Outfitters in Perry, NY. ACO is located in the old Champion Knit plant and probably 90% of the employees (including my friend) are former Champion people.

ACO does a lot of contract manufacturing for Reebok, including the entire WNBA, about half of the NBA and some selected NFL teams. They also do a few NCAA football teams such as Wyoming and I think Colorado. I know they do the Pats, Falcons and I think he mentioned the Saints. I know they made the uniforms for the remake of "The Longest Yard" and make many of the throwbacks for Mitchell & Ness. The rest of the NFL are mostly done by Ripon Mfg. at the old SandKnit factory in Wisconsin.

I took a tour of the ACO facility recently and their lettering and screening department is strictly amazing! Through computer-generated programs they can do multi-layered twill or just create that effect by using partial layers or stitching, or screening, whatever the team requires. An operator doesn't have to touch a thing. Just push a button and the computer takes over. I asked my friend the reason for this and his reply was that teams are often trying to cut down on the weight or bulk in a jersey. So just an "outline" layer of twill that still provides the visual look a team wants is preferable to the three or four full layers of twill used in the past. Twill, because it is a woven as opposed to a knit material is fairly heavy and has no "stretch" to it. So the fewer layers the better.

My friend tells me that many football teams are going with the raglan sleeve look, so any with UCLA-type inserts will probably end up looking like the Colts half-inserts.

As far as the NBA- he's sworn to secrecy on those until their official introductory dates. For the next few weeks he's known as Sgt. Schultz. I'll keep you posted if I learn anything definite.

[no97]

I used to have a Univ. of Michigan hockey game-worn jersey, and it too had the three-color look with the small thin maize color over the blue single layer as seen on the jersey below:

Think the blue 9 is one color, and the maize is over the top, sewn over it. That's all, no true 3-color. The sleve numbers and name, however, were true three color (I'm sure due to their small size).

Moose

[BRice16]

Secondly were the numbers.As you know the Cowboys use white/navy/white on their darks,BUT,it's not at all what other teams use.Every team I've ever seen with 3 color numbers use three-layer twill,each outline a different layer until the top layer forms the solid number.Well,on the Cowboys again it is just one piece of white tackle-twill which has been over-sized,and then a very thin strip of navy twill

is sewn-on as the outline.Do any other teams use this method??I have to say it cuts down on the thickness of the number but it lacks in overall quality.In fact the navy stitching covers most of that thin outline,but I dont understand why they dont just do it as the sleeves are done and just make the outline a stich instead of a thin and delicate outline sewn-on.

This is only on the "authentics" that Reebok sells for $250. I have two game-worn Cowboy Blues, one from 2001 and one from 2003 and they both have three seperate layers of TT.

[tmorss9]

A couple of years ago on the Cowboys "Off the Rack" authentics, the blue in the numerals of the blue jerseys was screened on (Same as on a swingman jersey).

[Chazberg]

Yeah I have an old authentic Aikman blue doublestar jersey, and it has what ytou're talking about, except the blue outline is screened on not sewn. Kinda more efficient I guess.

[slats7]

Here's a closeup of Duane Thomas from 1971. The numbers are clearly sewn on. By 1974, they were the iron-on variety.

[rtrich11]

Can someone define "raglan sleeve" to me? I keep hearing it, but am not sure what it means.

[Frenchie]

Can someone define "raglan sleeve" to me? I keep hearing it, but am not sure what it means.

Like those "old School" softball shirt (or Rock'n'Roll Concerts shirts)...

Sleeves' seam goes diagonally from neck to armpit.

[BBTV]

Can someone define "raglan sleeve" to me? I keep hearing it, but am not sure what it means.

Like those "old School" softball shirt (or Rock'n'Roll Concerts shirts)...

Sleeves' seam goes diagonally from neck to armpit.

Raglan = Yankees pinstripe jersey. Notice how the stripes on the sleeves go all the way up to the neck.

Set-in = Phillies jersey. The stripes on the sleeves stop at the shoulders.

IMO, the raglan look is a way better look for baseball (at least with pinstripes.)