The WTBU Sports staff comes from various sports hubs around the country and the globe. With that comes different cultures, fandoms and… jerseys. Jerseys, sweaters, kits, whatever they are to you, offer a glimpse into our journeys as sports fans. Some are treasured, some are completely random and others are, well, cringey.
I polled some of our staff, asking for their favorite jerseys, most obscure jerseys, their biggest jersey regret, and which jersey they are on the hunt for next for the final edition of this photo essay. Be sure to check out Part One and Part Two. Here is Part Three:
Daniel Multz – Radio Show Director, Broadcaster; Long Island, NY:
Favorite: Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees (Home)
“This jersey was a present for my 19th birthday and it’s the first authentic Yankees jersey I have (no last name on the back was the key)! It’s also got the MLB-150 patch from the 2019 season, celebrating the 150th season of professional baseball. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten to wear it to Yankee games yet, but hopefully that’ll change soon.”
Most Obscure: Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals (2013 World Series Away)
“The only reason I have this jersey is because I was at Family Weekend during my sister’s freshman year of college (she went to Washington University in St. Louis). That year just happened to be 2013 and, being a baseball fan and being in a great baseball city like St. Louis, I needed a 2013 World Series jersey. I was on the Michael Wacha craze from that season and I got the jersey.”
Biggest Regret: Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants (Home)
“This one just didn’t age well. Not to mention it’s HUGE on me and I wouldn’t exactly want to rock this jersey to a Giants game. I’ve got an Eli jersey, but that one’s too small! I love the Giants but my jerseys from the team are currently very out of whack!”
At the top of my wishlist: Saquon Barkley (One-Star Captain, Away)
“On the topic of New York Giants jerseys, here’s one I hope to get one day: in the right size too! Barkley is a star in the NFL and I would love to have a jersey of his that features the one-star captain patch he’s already earned in his short career.”
Hannah Yoshinaga – Radio Co-Host, Photographer; Orange County, CA:
Favorite(s): Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams (Throwback)
“They already made the new logo ugly so I’m going to cherish this jersey design before they mess that up too. Here’s to the Sack Machine himself for trying his best to make the Rams worth watching these days.”
Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers (Blue Alternate)
“I took a risk and got this right when Cody Bellinger came up a couple of years ago. One MVP, Rookie of the Year, NLCS MVP, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and two All-Star selections later, it was clearly a good choice. Also, the good part about it being a darker blue is that it’s basically spill-proof for habitual food droppers like me.”
Most Obscure: Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers (Purple)
“This jersey was semi-popular a couple of years ago but 99.5% of jerseys these days are either LeBron, AD, or Kobe. I mostly just have fun with this jersey by wearing it to Clipper games to annoy the two (maybe three on a good day) Clipper fans in the building.”
Biggest Regret: Los Angeles Rams Baseball Jersey
At the top of my wishlist: Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards (White)
“There aren’t many elite basketball players in the U.S. repping the motherland at the moment, so everyone in my family was really excited when Rui burst onto the scene a while back. Hopefully he ends up on a contending team at some point.”
Chad Jones – Radio Host, Columnist; Huntington Beach, CA:
Favorite: Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox (Patriots Day)
“After the bombing at the 2013 Boston Marathon, the Red Sox started wearing this for their annual 11:05 am start time the 3rd Monday of April, Patriots Day. This jersey means more to me than just a part of a sports uniform. The “Boston” being spelled out in red lettering is quite powerful. When I wear this jersey, I am not just supporting the Red Sox, but the City of Boston.”
Most Obscure: David Eckstein, St. Louis Cardinals (Home)
“When I first started paying any attention to sports in elementary school, I remember being a fan of the Anaheim Angels’ Eckstein. Growing up in Orange County, California, the Angels were always on the TV in my house. I enjoyed watching Eckstein and appreciated the way he played the game. Even when he became a Cardinal, I was such a fan I got his St. Louis jersey. “
Biggest Regret: Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics (Green and Gold Alternate)
“I am fortunate I do not have a jersey of a player that really failed to live up to expectations. What I do regret doing is getting this cheap Pierce jersey. It is pretty low quality material. If I had to do it over again, I would have gotten the same jersey but paid for the authentic version.”
At the top of my wish list: Bill Russell, Boston Celtics (Green)
“There are only a couple jerseys that have “Boston” across the chest rather than the team name, and this is one that I do not have. I do own quite a few iconic Boston players’ jerseys (Ortiz, Bird, Orr, Brady) but I do not have Russell’s. Since he was such a dominant player, incredible person, and very important figure in Boston’s history, I definitely want to have his jersey. “
Akshai Wadwhani – Broadcaster, Columnist; Oakland, CA:
Favorite: Xavi, Spain (2012-13)
“Xavi – or “Chameleon Eyes,” as he was dubbed by the one and only Ray Hudson – is incontestably one of the greatest midfielders of soccer’s modern era. Even though I’m an England fan on the national stage, I still don this jersey with pride every time. Spain has always done a great job with the color schemes on their jerseys, and this classic red, yellow, and blue combination never fails to please.”
Most Obscure: Piedmont Soccer Club (2009-10)
“I couldn’t find the actual jersey (which I still have for some reason), so please enjoy this photo cutout of yours truly, circa age 11, that decorates my dad’s refrigerator to this very day. I proudly donned this purple-and-green absurdity for the Thunderbunnies and Die Hards of the Jack London Youth Recreational soccer league. The jerseys were sponsored by Lotto, so I got my first dose of athletics-based corporatism!”
Biggest Regret: Fernando Torres, Chelsea (2012-13 Away)
“Fernando Torres’s tenure with Chelsea had its moments – his go-ahead goal against Barcelona in the 2012 Champions League semifinals produced one of the most iconic broadcasts of all time, fight me on it – but it is still remembered overall as very much a low point in the Spanish forward’s career.
“I get deservedly lampooned whenever I wear this thing in public. Even so, the cyan-on-white color scheme is actually pretty epic, and those double-blue stripes on the shoulders and sleeves add a cool touch–something Torres unfortunately lacked through most of his time at Chelsea.”
Most Wanted: Patrick Beverley, Los Angeles Clippers (2019-20 City Edition)
“As soon as I first saw him play, Patrick Beverley immediately became one of my favorite basketball players. His incredibly tenacious defense and trademark hustle, combined with reliable three-point shooting and floor generalship, make him a joy to watch.
“That typewriter-font Los Angeles logo on the front is pretty sweet, too. The only thing that’s held me back from getting my hands on one of these is the fact that the NBA continues to make purchasing an authentic jersey equivalent to diving headfirst below the poverty line.”
Alex Puri – Soccer Columnist, Podcaster; New York, N.Y.:
It marks the 125th anniversary of the club and Liverpool managed some spectacular wins in it as well as an unexpected run to the 2018 Champions League final. On top of that, it’s just a class kit and not even Manchester United supporters can deny that.
The selections of these five WTBU Sports members are just a sample of vast jersey collections that have been built up over the years. And with that, the Jerseys of WTBU Sports comes to a close. You can check out Part One here and Part Two here. We’d also like to here from you! Reply in the comments with some of your choices for these four categories.
Be sure to stay tuned for more content of all kinds that we continue to roll out as we make our way through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thumbnail image created via owayo.com
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