This post is intended to inform the collecting community. I am not claiming dishonesty on anyone's part.

The pictured jersey was sold at a Leland's auction in 2004. It sold for more than $1,500. It was advertised as a 1959 Los Angeles Rams Game Used Jersey.

It was distributed by "Athletic Supply". This is an Oregon-based company that distributed and customized many team jerseys in the Pacific Northwest.
Although Spanjian made many football jerseys for teams of the era, there is NO way an LA Rams was customized and distributed in Oregon. I am not sure if Spanjian EVER made a set of Rams gamers (I am still researching this). If Spanjian did, it would have been distributed by Lane or Frederick's Sporting Goods in Los Angeles.
My research concludes that this is NOT a LA Rams jersey.
My research concludes this is a late 50s jersey from Crook County (Oregon) High School.




I welcome challenges of my claims!
Warren Humphrey
Los Angeles

Warren-
Any type of letter of authenticity or opinion letter with this item?

How did you determine it is a high school jersey?

Not a big deal for Lelands. Just add this to the list of questionable items along with the DiMaggio glove.

Howard Wolf

Howard
I researched this jersey for months. It was a pet project. The process of deduction led me to Crook County High. It might be from another high school or college- but it is not the LA Rams.

If someone will PLEASE prove me wrong I will eat my hat. I WANT to be wrong. I'm tired of being dis-enchanted and jaded towards auction houses and authenticators. SERIOUS.

If you want to see what the jerseys of the 1959 Rams look like...find a 1960 Bubble Gum Card.
NOT rocket surgery!

Here is another item from the 2004 December Lelands auction.
http://www.lelands.com/bid.aspx?lot=1082&auction=412
One visit to the Mizuno web site and they would have discovered that these are lower level
RETAIL gloves. Matsui wears a customized version of the top Pro model. A stylized "MATSUI" appears on the wrist strap where "Mizuno" appears on retail versions.
5 minutes searching on the net would have figured that out.

Pat Hodgins

Price realized was slightly less than I remembered...read description...sounds convincing.

T.V. (sleeve) numbers were definitely in use in 1959.

http://www.lelands.com/bid.aspx?lot=2054&auction=412

BTPH,

Good work on this. As an aside, I think the old sayings are "It's not rocket science" or "It's not brain surgery" ... not sure what "rocket surgery" is ... although, you are definitely correct, it is not rocket surgery!

Reid