The Union Giants Jersey

More than 15 years ago, Gilkerson's Union Giants were given the high quality replica jersey treatment by none other than Ebbets Field Flannels.   

The apparel company prides themselves on being "research-driven."  Their promotional materials at the time stated, "we were the first company to research and re-create uniforms from the Negro Leagues, and from the rich legacy of independent Minor League baseball."

Without question, EFF have made some incredible looking products over the years, many of which have helped bring interest and awareness to lesser known teams such as Gilkerson's.

That being said, the Gilkerson jersey has never looked quite right to me.  Despite the claim that it is an "exact reproduction," I have never seen a picture of any Union Giants uniform that matches the one that Ebbets Field Flannels produced.  

There are a few promotional photos of the team circa 1920 and none of the uniforms look like this.  Even their description as a "road jersey" is curious.   The Union Giants were strictly a barnstorming team.  With no home field, wouldn't every jersey be a road jersey?

Gilkerson's team often wore pinstriped uniforms.  More often than not they were lighter colored uniforms with dark stripes, especially in the early years, but for a few seasons they appear to be navy with white pinstripes.

The real issue I have with the EFF jersey is the lettering.  In the limited photos I've been able to find, Gilkerson's uniforms almost always had UNION in a column near the buttons, with GIANTS written in script across the front of the jersey.

So where did EFF get the idea of UNION GIANTS in felt letters in a long column down the front with several letters likely hidden below the belt line once the jersey is tucked in?  They certainly didn't make up their design, so I have to assume they used a rare photo or had some other reliable resource.  

The question however remains, was it a photo of Gilkerson's Union Giants?  In 1920, there were at least two other active Union Giant teams in Illinois alone (Chicago and Springfield were both well-established clubs that predate Gilkerson).  Not to mention,  short-lived teams named the Union Giants would occasionally pop-up in the Midwest, largely due to the popularity of Gilkerson's travelling club.

By the 1930's, Gilkerson changed his uniform design altogether.  For several seasons, the team wore a pinstriped uniform with GILKERSON'S written in script across the front with a large U G below.  (For another uniform variation see the earlier post about Eddie Dwight and Hurley McNair.)

To my knowledge, there are no original Gilkerson uniforms still in existence.  If so, they are locked away in private collections.  Photos of the team are almost as rare.  

At this point, even the Ebbets Field Flannels reproduction jerseys are scarce.  They only offered them for a few years and I can't imagine too many were ever sold.  

One can be found however at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.  It is prominently displayed on the wall along the Field of Legends.