Rare vintageCleveland Indians Rawlings #28 baseball jerseyfeaturing the classic periodChief Wahoo sleeve patch, cream body, navyINDIANSlettering, red/navy striping and an old-school professional-style baseball cut.
TaggedSize 42andMade in U.S.A., the jersey carries the fantastic vintage red Rawlings“Action Tailored – The Mark of a Pro”label. The styling dates to Cleveland baseball’s 1970s/early-1980s era, and the#28is especially interesting because several Cleveland players wore the number during that period—includingVada Pinson, Rusty Torres, Rick Manning and Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Size42
Rare vintage Cleveland baseball vintage condition for its age with normal signs of previous wear and storage. The cream body, navy lettering, #28, sleeve striping andChief Wahoo patchall retain excellent visual presence, while the vintage Rawlings label remains especially attractive. Please review all photos carefully for exact condition.Treasure Hunter’s Note
The#28 makes this jersey particularly interesting when placed into the Cleveland roster history of the period.
During the early 1970s, the number was worn byVada Pinson, one of the accomplished outfielders of his generation, followed byAdolfo PhillipsandRusty Torres.
The player with the strongest Cleveland connection to #28 during the heart of the 1970s wasRick Manning. Manning arrived in the majors with Cleveland in 1975 and became a fixture in the club\'s outfield, spending the majority of his Cleveland career wearing #28. Known particularly for his defensive ability in center field, Manning won anAmerican League Gold Gloveduring his time with the club.
The number later gained an additional connection to baseball history whenBert Blylevenwore #28 with Cleveland in 1981. Blyleven went on to be inducted into theNational Baseball Hall of Fame, giving the number an interesting Hall of Fame association from this general era.
Other Cleveland players associated with #28 during the period includedDoug Howard, creating a run of players that makes the number particularly interesting on a vintage jersey:
Vada Pinson • Adolfo Phillips • Rusty Torres • Rick Manning • Doug Howard • Bert Blyleven
Without specific provenance, this jersey shouldnot be attributed to any one of those players, but the number\'s history gives the piece significantly more context than an unidentified vintage numbered jersey.
TheChief Wahoo sleeve patchis another major part of its period appearance. Combined with the cream body, arched INDIANS lettering, red/navy sleeve striping and large navy #28, the jersey captures a very recognizable era of Cleveland baseball uniform design.
For vintage collectors, theRawlings label may be one of the best details on the entire jersey. The old red“Action Tailored – The Mark of a Pro”label, Size 42 designation andMade in U.S.A.construction are exactly the types of details that give older baseball apparel its character.
A tremendous piece for avintage MLB collection, Cleveland baseball collection, Chief Wahoo memorabilia collection or Rawlings jersey collection, with the #28 providing an especially interesting connection to Cleveland baseball of the 1970s and early 1980s.
