1975 Bert Blyleven Minnesota Twins Game-Used Home Jersey

Sold For:

$1,560

Year:

1975

Auction:

2015 Fall

Lot #:

1071

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

Minnesota Twins home jersey worn by Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven in 1975. This is the earliest Bert Blyleven Minnesota Twins home jersey we have ever seen and one of just two we have seen dating from his first stint with the Twins (1970-1976). The white knit jersey is lettered "Twins" across the front and features the number "28" on the left breast and reverse. All letters and numbers are appliquèd in red on blue tackle twill. A Minnesota Twins team patch adorns the left sleeve. A white strip tag is affixed to the left front tail that displays both the year ("75") and set number ("Set 1"), each of which is chain-stitched in navy blue. The Wilson tag that was originally located in the collar is no longer present, but its stitch outline is still clearly visible. (The shirt measures a size 46, which is consistent with Blyleven’s 6’3”, 200+ pound frame.) Aside from the Wilson label having been removed from the collar, the jersey remains in its original, unaltered state and displays heavy wear. There is some fading on the appliqued letters and numbers, and some of the stitching along the upper edge of the sleeve patch has been lost, likely during its use in the Twins’ minor-league system after 1975. Blyleven went 15-10 with a 3.00 ERA in 1975. In addition to the Twins, Blyleven also played with the Rangers, Pirates, Indians, and Angels during his twenty-two-year career. He retired in 1992 with 287 wins, 60 shutouts (9th all-time), and 3,701 strikeouts (5th all-time). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. This outstanding jersey has a particularly impressive provenance: it hails from the personal collection of noted collector and universally respected jersey expert Phil Wood, and is accompanied by an LOA provided by Phil Wood. Reserve $500. Estimate $1,000/$2,000.