When did grown men begin wearing jerseys to sporting events ?

edmundfitzgerald

What year did this start to happen ?

Growing up I remember men wearing nice, casual clothing to sporting events.

The old timers here can attest to men wearing suits and ties in all sections of a sporting event, or at least a nice dress
coat with slacks.

I can't for the life of me recall what year the jersey wearing started.

I'm sure one would have to look at when companies like Crosby and others started making these jerseys for public sale.
I remember my dad buying me an Oakland A's uniform back in 1974 from some company, but I never saw grown
men wearing them in the street, or to sporting events.

Just my opinion, but I would never wear a team jersey to a game, especially with a players name on the back.
But that seems to be very popular nowadays.

perkdog

I would guess the early 1980's

PowderedH2O

I can remember it vaguely in the 70's and 80's, but I agree with the OP that most people wore their regular stuff. I go to a lot of NHL games now, and probably 75% of the crowd is in jerseys. Maybe more.

WTCG

My educated guess is about the late 70's. I recall seeing jerseys and other team attire worn by fans on game videos from very early 80's games.

57loaded

yeah late 70's. when i watched an old 49er game from 1982 there were just a few.

at hockey games it seems greater than 50% of the fans wear sweaters now.

ddfamf

I look at some of the pics we took back in the mid 70's and almost nobody wore "jerseys".

I remember a few scattered here and there in the early to mid 80's - almost coinciding when SI did their baseball salary issue - '82-'83 maybe?

EDIT - NCDOLFAN stole my avatar

edmundfitzgerald

<< <i>.

at hockey games it seems greater than 50% of the fans wear sweaters now. >>




I think hockey sweaters keep them warm. Why wear polyester when it's 90+ at a baseball game ?
They're also very cool jerseys. More umph then basketball, baseball, or football jerseys.

PowderedH2O

prthd

"Growing up I remember men wearing nice, casual clothing to sporting events.

The old timers here can attest to men wearing suits and ties in all sections of a sporting event, or at least a nice dress
coat with slacks."

...Back in the day people wore belts also, now we are forced to look at kids ass cracks and their dirty boxers.

RipublicaninMass

<< <i>"Growing up I remember men wearing nice, casual clothing to sporting events.

The old timers here can attest to men wearing suits and ties in all sections of a sporting event, or at least a nice dress
coat with slacks."

...Back in the day people wore belts also, now we are forced to look at kids ass cracks and their dirty boxers. >>




Well put! I like the throwback jerseys from defunct teams myself

larryallen73

There may have a few in the late 70s and 80s but I would say it exploded in the 90's.

CEOBIDMC

I started wearing them in the late 80's I cant imagine going to a game in dresswear or a suit and tie....then dripping mustard off my hot dog or pretzel onto my $400 suit lol

larryallen73

I just can't do it. I feel like a dork wearing a jersey to a game. Have done it a couple times but really not my thing. Maybe it's my age or I don't know what.

KeepItWarm

I've owned one jersey in my lifetime - a Red Wings Joe Kocur #26 jersey. I used to wear it to house parties and cr@p like that, but never to a Wings game or anywhere else in public.

Another amusing story regarding this subject:
I live in Michigan. I am a huge Florida State fan. My neighbor is an FSU alumni. On game days this is his routine....get up early (maybe 6 or 6:30am) and raise the Chief Osceola FSU flag. Decorate his garnet-colored vehicle with flags, static decals, etc. Emerge from the house around 7:30am all dressed in FSU gear - along with his wife and two sons! Four people wearing head to toe Garnet and Gold. They get into the vehicle and idle around the massive subdivisions with the windows down as the FSU Marching Chiefs CD blares out the Warchant.

He has asked me many times why I don't want to join him....I say the same thing every time, "It's cool....you guys embarrass our street more than enough. You don't need my help."

We both laugh, and off they go.....

PowderedH2O

Along the same lines, when did guys start NOT wearing shirts at sporting events? At almost every outdoor game (even in Green Bay in the winter) there is a group of guys that are there barechested. Again, I have never seen any video of Babe Ruth playing to a house full of barechested fans, so when did this start?

Boopotts

<< <i>I just can't do it. I feel like a dork wearing a jersey to a game. Have done it a couple times but really not my thing. Maybe it's my age or I don't know what. >>



Funny how we all feel like we have to draw a line somewhere. I've never worn a jersey to a game, though I think I would if the opportunity presented itself, but I could never bring myself to ask another grown man to sign something for me. I see these 40 yr. olds frantically waving baseballs and Sharpies at Prince Fielder in spring training I think 'Uh, no- I'll pass'.

GR

I saw some Tarkenten and Page vikings jerseys in the 77' raiders vikings tapes

jdip9

I hear you boo...I bought a sweet replica 1984 USA Michael Jordan warmup jacket off Ebay 4 years ago.....it hasn't left my closet. Figured it was a cool thing to have, but I can't think of a place I would wear it, other than maybe the casino.

Tabe

<< <i>Funny how we all feel like we have to draw a line somewhere. I've never worn a jersey to a game, though I think I would if the opportunity presented itself, but I could never bring myself to ask another grown man to sign something for me. I see these 40 yr. olds frantically waving baseballs and Sharpies at Prince Fielder in spring training I think 'Uh, no- I'll pass'. >>


Yeah, I just can't see myself asking for an autograph - especially when the players are 15-20 years younger than me.

As for jerseys, I would imagine the trend started with the first retail availability of the jerseys, which would be the 1970s. There were children's jerseys before that but the first "real" replicas came in the 1970s.

I wear jerseys all the time and have been since probably 1986. Wear 'em around the house when I get home from work, to the store, wherever. And definitely wear them to ballgames when I go. We have season tickets to the Spokane Indians (Short-season A affiliate of the Rangers) and I'll wear a jersey to nearly every game (have about 10 different ones). There's always a ton of people wearing them, including a couple people who have game-worn flannels from the 1960s.

Tabe

digicat

I'm 36 and can't picture myself NOT wearing my SF Giants jersey to games. I wear it at work (desk job) on casual Fridays during the season, and I've even worn it to church a few times.

Of course, I got my first jersey 6 years ago when I was 30 years old, so maybe I'm making up for lost time?

The back is blank. While I love wearing my jersey, I just couldn't picture myself putting some other dude's name on my back.

Tabe

<< <i>The back is blank. While I love wearing my jersey, I just couldn't picture myself putting some other dude's name on my back. >>


Depends on the sport for me. Baseball jerseys are always blank, except my Spokane Indians jerseys which are game-worn, so not blank (# only, though, no names on those). Football ALWAYS has a name and # as they look stupid without them. Hockey ends up with # and name eventually but can also be blank.

Tabe

NCDOLFAN

<< <i>I look at some of the pics we took back in the mid 70's and almost nobody wore "jerseys".

I remember a few scattered here and there in the early to mid 80's - almost coinciding when SI did their baseball salary issue - '82-'83 maybe?

EDIT - NCDOLFAN stole my avatar >>


Better check your member since date pal...besides, thats a picture of me testing my limitations as an electrician !!!

stown

On a related note, just got an email from the NFL. They have a 40% off sale on replica jerseys, some restrictions apply and offer ends 3/26/12.

Enter promo code JERSEYMANIA at checkout.

Glad I can help grown men continue to wear jerseys at sporting events.



Edited to add pic and link, just in case people think I'm joking.



http://store.profootballhof.com/

PowderedH2O

I tried to order a "Ron Mexico" jersey a few years ago from them and they wouldn't sell it to me.

Tabe

<< <i>I tried to order a "Ron Mexico" jersey a few years ago from them and they wouldn't sell it to me. >>


That's why it pays to know a local store My brother got a Ron Mexico jersey done up by a local guy.

Not that anybody cares, but NFL replica jerseys are terrible. Buy the swingman jerseys at least. "Swingman" is the NBA term but basically the replica jerseys with sewn lettering. The replicas are way overpriced for what you get. Authentics, obviously, are better than either one, but can be quite expensive from legit sources.

Tabe

goraiders

I'm 36 myself and have worn jerseys at least 15yrs. now.I have at least 30 Raiders throwbacks,and around
80 total I would guess.I really got into basketball jerseys recently and have picked up around 25-30
in the last year or so.We have season tickets to Jags and I always wear a jersey,we also go to about
20 Magic games and same thing,always wear a jersey along with what seems like 70-80% of crowds.