1976 "The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings" Jersey Pair - "Rainbow" (Otis Day) Jersey and House of David Jersey

Sold For:

$660

Year:

1976

Auction:

2019 Summer

Lot #:

2144

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

Full baseball uniform (jersey and pants) worn by DeWayne Jessie (better known as Otis Day of Otis Day and the Knights) as Rainbow in the 1976 Universal release The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings. The uniforms from the film are among the best known baseball uniforms in film history because of their colorful design and unique nature. Each uniform worn by the ten team members was lettered differently and featured a different word on the front. When the players stood in a line together, the jerseys displayed the name of the team: "The/Bingo/Long/Traveling/All/Stars/&/Motor/Kings/!." The jersey worn by Rainbow, the club's mute bat boy, which is offered here, features the exclamation point on the front. The "00" number on the reverse was designed to mimic a pair of downward glancing eyes. DeWayne Jessie rose to greater fame two years later when he played the role of singer Otis Day in the film Animal House. The character was such a hit with fans that Jessie purchased the rights to the name Otis Day and the Knights from the studio and began touring with a real-life version of the band. The gray wool jersey, with nylon and felt embellishments, features a "Western Costume Co." tag in the collar that includes the character's name ("Rainbow"), inventory number ("2077-2"), and chest size ("40"). The matching pants feature a "Western Costume Co." stamp in the waistband, as well as the size ("34") and the name "Rainbow" written in black marker. An inventory tag is affixed to one of the front belt loops. Both garments display moderate wear, including a light stain on the front of the jersey and a small tear on the rear of the pants. Included with the uniform is a House of David jersey that was also used in the film. The blue wool jersey features a star of David and the the letter "D" on the left breast in gold felt. The name "Hauser" and the number "20" appear on the reverse, also in gold felt. Two separate "Western Costume Co." stamps appear on the interior rear tail. A "Wilson 42" label is located in the collar. Moderate-to-heavy wear is displayed throughout. The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings was a hit with both fans and critics at the time of its release, and it remains one of the few films dedicated to the history of Negro League baseball. It should be noted the the film has been recognized by the Baseball Hall of Fame, which features an exhibit of memorabilia from the film, including three jerseys (more information can be found at this link: https://baseballhall.org/discover/bingo-longs-history-preserved-at-hof). Total: 3 items (matching Bingo Long team jersey and pants, and House of David jersey). LOA from Hollywood Movie Costumes. Reserve $300. Estimate (open).