Giants Baseball Uniforms, ca. 1965
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GUEST:
Back in Decatur, we had a minor league team. It was called the Commodores. And they were a farm club of the San Francisco Giants. Back then, the home team used to send their used uniforms down to the farm clubs for them to wear. They took the gray ones that said "San Francisco" across the front, I guess...
APPRAISER:
Right.
GUEST:
...and had a seamstress take "San Francisco" off and put "Decatur" on them. Commodores left town in 1974. The next year, they had an auction where they auctioned off old uniforms and equipment. These with, along with about another 30 to 40 uniforms, were in a box, and my brother-in-law bought them for a dollar.
APPRAISER:
A dollar?
GUEST:
A dollar.
APPRAISER:
Wow, and how did you select these three for today?
GUEST:
They were probably the ones in the best shape and the cleanest.
APPRAISER:
(laughing) Okay.
GUEST:
They haven't been taken care of very well.
APPRAISER:
Got it. Well, the Decatur Commodores was a farm league team for the San Francisco Giants from 1962 to 1974. Now, the first jersey I see next to you is a Gaylord Perry jersey from 1967. And this would have been a Gaylord Perry away jersey. And you have, by the way, three Hall-of-Famers here. Gaylord Perry, Hall of Fame pitcher, 314 wins, best known for "doctoring" the baseball, even admitting to throwing a little spitball, Vaseline on the baseball, but never ejected until his 21st season in the big leagues.
GUEST:
Really.
APPRAISER:
Even approached Vaseline to do an endorsement, but they said their Vaseline soothes baby's bottoms, not baseballs. Next to Gaylord, we have Willie McCovey. So we have one of the Giants' greatest pitchers and now we have one of the Giants' greatest hitters. Willie McCovey, Hall-of-Famer. McCovey played from 1959 to 1980. He had 521 home runs. He hit so many out of Candlestick Park, he has the record for hitting the most home runs in Candlestick in San Francisco, with 231. And then we have Juan Marichal. Now, this is the home uniform that's not been altered at all.
GUEST:
Yes, correct.
APPRAISER:
These two have been altered. This says "Giants" on it. And if you swing this around, it says number 27, Juan Marichal. With Gaylord Perry, the great pitching duo of the 1960s. Marichal was the number-one winningest pitcher in the National Leagues in the 1960s. And best known for his high leg kick...
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
...as you can see in these later uniform pants. You said they had to actually add this in for his high leg kick.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
And you can see, I think this tear probably took place somewhere after he started pitching.
GUEST:
I would say so, yes.
APPRAISER:
The San Francisco Giants were one of the great teams of the 1960s. It's unfortunate they never got to win a World Series, but you want to know a value and you want to know if a dollar was a good investment.
GUEST:
I would say it probably was, but how well?
APPRAISER:
We're going to find out. This jersey is from 1967, it's an away jersey. With the alterations on it, I would place an insurance value of $7,500. Now, if this weren't altered, if it said "San Francisco," we're talking $15,000.
GUEST:
Holy cow.
APPRAISER:
The Willie McCovey-- this is from his MVP season in 1969. In this condition, I would put an insurance value of $10,000. But, again, if it weren't altered, you'd be looking at $20,000. Now, let's go back to Juan Marichal. This jersey is from 1962. He won 18 games that year, great jersey for him. Completely unaltered. This, I would put an insurance value of $20,000. The pants, $2,000, even in this condition. So, you have a bona fide treasure chest here, and I would say that you brought us a giant find.
GUEST:
(laugh) I guess so.
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