One of the absolute classic vintage sports caricature tees of all-time is this super fly Boston Celtics ‘GREEN STUFF’ T-Shirt. This one dates back to 1984 when the Celtics were on top of the world coming off of their first championship season in which Larry Legend played.

Many of these caricature tees were winnings in the city lottos and they garnered so much popularity that they started making them for the championship squad every year. Some companies still do to this day.

This tee is rich with history with a six pack of Jim Paxson, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, and Danny Ainge. Everyone of those guys goes deep into the fabric of NBA history. The caricatures were produced by Salem Screen Prints and very well done I might add. This very print was screened on a very soft 50/50 poly cotton heathered grey tee. It’s super soft with and amazing feel on your torso. If you’re looking to cop it, it should be up in our showroom very shortly. We also just swooped some other amazing tees from a secret dig in our area so stay tuned. Check out the caricature collection coming up in September.

The Big Three from the classic UNLV squad of 1990. From left-to-right we have Stacey Augmon (Hawks), Greg Anthony (Knicks), Jerry ‘The Shark’ Tarkanian, and Larry Johnson (Hornets), ya know…Grandmama! Is it just me or does it look like Greg Anthony hit a quick bowl in a Madison Square Garden bathroom before takin this snapshot? Check out the swag we picked up down below. So fresh and so clean. Just to let you all know, we are freshening up our site with some new goods and a whole new snapbacks collection. We’ve been stockpiling and should be set to launch in the next few weeks.

Do you remember the time……..

Exactly 27 years ago on this day, an average summer day at the ‘Ol Yankee Stadium would go down in history as the infamous ‘Pine Tar Game.’

It happened on July 24, 1983 during a game between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees. It was the top of the ninth with two outs and the Royals were trailing 4-3 with a man on first. In the on-deck circle, George Brett was heard remarking to a teammate, “Watch this baby fly” as he shook his bat. He then came to the plate and connected off Yankee reliever Goose Gossage for a two-run home run and a 5–4 lead.

As Brett crossed the plate, New York manager Billy Martin approached rookie home plate umpire Tim McClelland and requested that Brett’s bat be examined. Earlier in the season, Martin and other members of the Yankees had noticed the insane amount of pine tar used by Brett and believe me as a Royals fan growing up they had a point. Martin had chosen not to say anything until the home run.

With Brett watching from the dugout, McClelland and the rest of the umpiring crew inspected the bat. Measuring the bat against the width of home plate (which is 17 inches wide), they determined that the amount of pine tar on the bat’s handle exceeded that allowed by Rule 1.10(b) of the Major League Baseball rule book, which read that “a bat may not be covered by such a substance more than 18 inches from the tip of the handle.”

McClelland searched for Brett in the visitors’ dugout, pointed at him, and signaled that he was out, his home run nullified and the game over. An enraged Brett stormed out of the dugout and had to be physically restrained by Kansas City manager Dick Howser and his teammates.

Despite the furious protests of Brett and Howser, McClelland’s ruling stood. Due to fear that the bat would be taken to the American League office for inspection, Gaylord Perry then gave Brett’s bat to the batboy who was chased into the clubhouse by security. The Royals protested the game, and their protest was officially heard by American League President Lee MacPhail, who overruled McClelland’s decision and restored Brett’s home run, saying the rule shall only cause the bat to be removed from the game and nothing in regards to affecting the outcome.

MacPhail ordered the game resumed with two outs in the top of the ninth inning with the Royals winning 5–4. He also ruled that Brett was to be ejected for his outburst against McClelland. Dick Howser was also ejected for arguing with the umpires and Gaylord Perry was ejected for giving the bat to the batboy so he could hide it in the clubhouse. 

The Yankees made one last counter-appeal, but to no avail. On August 18 (a scheduled off day for both teams), the game was resumed from the point of Brett’s home run, with about 1,200 fans in attendance. On paper the scoring of the incident reads as follows: a home run for Brett, on the play Brett, Gaylord Perry, Rocky Colavito, and manager Dick Howser were ejected, game suspended with two outs in the top of the ninth.

A still furious Martin symbolically protested the continuation of the game by putting pitcher Ron Guidry in center field and first baseman Don Mattingly at second base. Mattingly, a lefty, became a rare Major League southpaw second baseman; no left-hander has played second base or shortstop in a big-league game since Cleveland Indians left-handed pitcher Sam McDowell was switched from pitcher to second base for one batter in a game in 1970 against the Washington Senators.

Before the first pitch to Hal McRae (who followed Brett in the lineup), Martin challenged Brett’s home run on the grounds that Brett had not touched all the bases, and maintained that there was no way for the umpires (a different crew than the one who worked July 24) to dispute this. But umpire Davey Phillips was ready for Martin, producing an affidavit signed by the July 24 umpires stating that Brett had indeed touched all the bases. As he exited the umpires announced that the game was being played under protest by the Yankees. Yankees reliever George Frazier struck McRae out to end the top of the ninth, twenty-five days after it had begun. Dan Quisenberry then got New York out 1–2–3 in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the Royals’ 5–4 win.

The bat is currently on display in the Baseball Hall of Fame, where it has been since 1987. During a broadcast of Mike & Mike in the Morning, ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian stated that Brett used the bat for a few games after the incident until being cautioned that the bat would be worthless if broken. Brett sold the bat to famed collector and then partial owner of the Yankees, Barry Halper, for $25,000, had second thoughts, repurchased the bat for the same amount from the collector and then donated the bat to the Hall of Fame. The home run ball was caught and sold by journalist Ephraim Schwartz to Halper for $500 plus 12 Yankees tickets, as well as Schwartz’s ticket stub. Halper also acquired the signed business card of Orest V. Maresca, the magistrate who made the initial ruling in the ensuing controversy, and the can of Oriole Pine Tar from which Brett used on the bat. Gossage later signed the pine tar ball “Barry, I threw the fucking thing.”

Major thanks to one of our sponsors, wyco vintage for supplying this t-shirt. You can find it in their ebay store if interested in purchasing it.

Kleptones – Come Again (Beatles vs Rare Earth vs Beastie Boys vs Daft Punk vs Cypress Hill vs Boston) Video by Crumbs Chief from The Videotones on Vimeo.

Throughout the last six years, we have seen and collected some of the most wicked vintage threads left on this planet. We’ve scoured raghouses, flea markets, vintage shops, and the internet among all things looking for that perfect tee. Although we may never be completely satisfied, here’s one that will make even the novice collector weak in the knees. This comes to you straight from the dudes at stormcrow vintage who share our same passion and itch for good vintage. They’ve even allowed us to sell it right here on site. Iron Maiden might not be for grandma, but whether you’re a die hard metal head or have an eye for vintage fashion this might be the prestige of Maiden spoils.

Like every t-shirt we find, there’s always a story to dig up behind them. First off, Maiden Japan, also known as Heavy Metal Army comes from a pun of Deep Purple’s live album Made in Japan. Maiden was on level ten in the rebellion category, which is a huge part of their creative success. All tracks of the EP were recorded Kosei Nenkin Hall in Nagoya on May 23, 1981. The original Japanese pressing features 4 tracks at a record speed of 45RPM. It was never the band’s intention to release this album, but the Japanese wanted a live album.

The original cover of the album depicted the band’s mascot, Eddie, holding the decapitated head of then lead sinder Paul Di’Anno. Many long time Maiden buffs give Di’Anno much of the credit for getting the band to the iconic status it has today. However, things in Di’Anno’s world weren’t always on par with the rest of the gang as his lack of desire to perform came to surface in 1981 and was put down to heavy drinking and cocaine use. A replacement cover was quickly drawn up by manager Rod Smallwood who was agitated by Di’Anno’s message through design that they were looking to replace him. Sure enough, he was replaced shortly thereafter after a meaning between the band and Smallwood.

Di’Anno was later quoted by saying on his departure, “It’s like having Mussolini and Adolf Hitler run your band. Because it is Rod Smallwood and Steve Harris and that’s it. There can’t be anyone else and my character is too strong for that so me an’ Steve was always fighting”.

However, the story continues as a bootleg of the entire complete audience recording of the Nagoya gig finally surfaced on a Japanese 2CD bootleg released by Tarantura in November of 2008, after 27 years. It confirmed that “Running Free” was played twice that night, and that the setlist included 18 songs for a total duration of about 93 minutes one of the longest gigs played by Di’Anno with Iron Maiden.

Due to the timing, history, and confusion surrounding Iron Maiden at this moment in time this tee is extremely scarce and longed for amongst collectors. We’ve seen Maiden tees go for hundreds in the past and while the value of this one can always be a good argument, this one might just make your collection complete. To view more about vintage Maiden tees, check out the Maiden Haven from one of the most respected collectors around at Defunkd.

Yo yo! We have recently added some fresh new vintage stock to our store and there is some serious swag. You can go check it out here. 

Several new concert tees are included along with some amazing eclectic pieces from the 80s and early 90s. From Tone Loc to Marilyn Monroe there’s something that’ll make you say, “Oh my god, look at that tee of beauty.” Mad props to our local amigos at wycovintage for hookin us up on these. Remeber Milli Vanilli, the late 80s funky duo that took heat for lip singing all their songs? Or maybe the enfamous pine tar game between the Royals and Yankees in 1983. We promise once you see these it’ll make you hop out yo seat and jump around. Check yourself.

As we have come upon the midway point of the summer sport that is baseball, the All-Star Game is here to remind us why baseball is America’s pastime. Tonight, the 81st All-Star Game gets underway in Anaheim and whether you are a diehard baseball fanatic or boycotted baseball after the strike in ‘94, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself entrenched in the midsummer classic.

The All-Star Game reminds us of that moment in your childhood where you wanted nothing more than to be like your favorite player when you grew up. For me, it was always Griffey. I wanted to roam centerfield and swing with the same sweetness that Junior had. I wanted to be in the Home Run Derby and turn my New Era backwards while I launched big flies into the stands.

I was able to surf the web and find a picture of a vintage All-Star Game tee we used to have and let get away. It comes from the 1984 All-Star Game in Candlestick Park, home of the Giants. A game where George Brett homered, Dwight Gooden was the youngest pitcher ever to play in an All-Star Game, and Gary Carter won M.V.P. for the National League. The print on this baby is absolutely awesome and if you’ve ever made it out to an All-Star Game, it truly is all about survival mode. Between trying to get up close and personal with your favorite players and the endless festivities going on, it’s like a carnival inside a sporting event. So as you sitdown to enjoy tonight’s game, remember the history of the game and the beauty of where baseball is at today.

P.S.  One of the baseball greats passed this morning. George Steinbrenner, a.k.a. “The Boss” died of a heart attack at the age of 80. He brought the game to a new level and will truly be missed.

Never mind The Bullocks, Here’s…………….THE SEX PISTOLS.

The contorversial album (which includes “Anarchy in the U.K.” and another earlier recording, “No Feelings”) was released on 28 October 1977. Rolling Stone praised the album as “just about the most exciting rock & roll record of the Seventies”, applauding the band for playing “with an energy and conviction that is positively transcendent in its madness and fever”. Some critics, disappointed that the album contained all four previously released singles, dismissed it as little more than a “greatest hits” record. Containing both “Bodies” in which Rotten utters “fuck” five times—and the previously censored “God Save the Queen” and featuring the word bollocks (popular slang for testicles) in its title, the album was banned by Boots, W. H. Smith and Woolworth’s. The Conservative shadow minister for education condemned it as “a symptom of the way society is declining” and both the Independent Television Companies’ Association and the Association of Independent Radio Contractors banned its advertisements. Nonetheless, advance sales were sufficient to make it an undeniable number one on the album chart.

The album title led to a legal case that attracted considerable attention. A Virgin Records store in Nottingham that put the album in its window was threatened with prosecution for displaying “indecent printed matter”. The case was thrown out when defending Queen’s Counsel John Mortimer produced an expert witness who established that bollocks was an Old English term for a small ball, that it appeared in place names without causing local communities erotic disturbance, and that in the nineteenth century it had been used as a nickname for clergymen. Clergymen are well known for talking a good deal of rubbish and so the word later developed the meaning of nonsense. In the context of the Pistols’ album title, the term does in fact primarily signify “nonsense”. The chairman of the hearing was forced to conclude:

“Much as my colleagues and I wholeheartedly deplore the vulgar exploitation of the worst instincts of human nature for the purchases of commercial profits by both you and your company, we must reluctantly find you not guilty of each of the four charges.”

Steve Jones, the founding member off-handedly came up with the title as the band debated what to call the album. An exasperated Jones said, “Oh, fuck it, never mind the bollocks of it all.” The t-shirt above is the ultimate piece of rebellion in the history of music as the Sex Pistols have been credited for solely creating the whole punk rock movement. There was nothing like it and in the vintage game a treasure of this magnitude has been sold for upwards of $1,000. For all the rebels out their in the free world, this one’s for you.

We were recently asked to provide some more swag on our Nike Nostalgia posts and we came across this amazing old school Jordan tee from the mid 80s.

As far as the fashion industry goes this is about the rookie stages of introducing neon colors to mainstream garments. Nike experimented here with different colors and continued their unique efforts of placing a design somewhere other than the chest of the shirt. The coolest part about this nostalgic gem is it has both Jordan logos as they were transitioning the brand from the ‘wings’ logo to the Jordan ‘jumpman’ logo. Basically it’s the best of both worlds. The value of this tee goes hand and hand with the famous ’sneaker over the shoulder’ tee that we featured a few months back and on average will cost ya a cool $250.

The Nike ‘Blue Tag’ along with the logos suggests this baby was produced around 1986. This is definitely one for the t-shirt hall of fame as it would be extremely tough to find 24 years later and nothing says Nike Nostalgia better than a print on one of their extremely soft, heathered grey, blue tag tees. Rock this puppy with some fresh Jordan VIIIs and you are set.

We just recently swooped some old school Snapbacks from a Sporting Goods closeout sale early this month and it got us thinking about some of the sickest snapbacks we’ve ever seen. As always the NBA Draft has provided us with some pretty sick hats over the years, but nobody rock’d it harder than the boys from N.W.A. Check ‘em out below and if you have something better, let us know and we’ll post it.

From Left to Right, starting from the top. Allen Iverson, John McEnroe, Glenn Robinson, Michael Jordan, N.W.A., Stacey Augmon, Len Bias, Jalen Rose, Kevin Garnett.