Los Angeles Lakers fans know Stu Lantz as the team’s longtime color commentator on local TV broadcasts, a role he has held since 1987 when he shared the mic with the legendary Chick Hearn. Before his career as an announcer, the former Nebraska Cornhusker had himself a stellar nine-year run in the NBA, beginning with the San Diego Rockets in 1968. The marksman played four seasons with the Rockets franchise – through their move to Houston – and averaged 14.5 and 20.6 points, respectively, in the 1969-70 and ’70-71 campaigns. Lantz wore this featured home jersey during that stretch and possibly the matching trunks and warm-up pants as well.
The front of the white home jersey has “ROCKETS” and Lantz’s number 22 each done in gold-on-green tackle twill. The back has “LANTZ” arched above his No. 22 sewn on in the same format. The crew neck and sleeve openings are trimmed in gold, green and white ribbing. A well-worn Rawlings size 42 label is sewn inside the left rear tail. The durene shirt exhibits an incredible amount of game use with loose threads, fraying and heavy puckering to the tackle twill letters and numbers. The second ‘2’ on the front and first ‘2’ on the back have slightly separated from the body. There is a bit of spot staining between the front numbers and a minor tear along the trim of the front left armpit, the kind of authentic condition issues true game-worn jersey enthusiasts appreciate. Lantz has autographed the back within the base of the second ‘2’ in bold blue marker.
While we cannot attribute the white shorts to Lantz with absolute certainty, they were acquired together by our consignor along with the offered pair of green warm-up pants. Both articles come in the same size (36) which would seem to fit Lantz’s 6’ 3”, 185-lb. stature at that time. The trunks have green and gold stripes on the sides and a green elastic waist band. The original drawstring is still intact, and a size 36 Sand-Knit label is sewn inside the rear waistband. On the left thigh is the unique San Diego 200th Anniversary 1769-1969 patch, which dates them to the 1969-70 season. The lenghty green pants, perfectly matching period exemplars, have a size 36 Rawlings label sewn inside the rear waistband alongside wash instructions and a now illegible white strip tag. White and gold striping runs down each leg and still functional zippers stretch from the inner calf to the bottom. The original drawstring is present as well. The shorts and pants show solid evidence of wear, inside and out. The shorts have a tiny snag hole in the rear and the pants have noticeable pilling in the thick green fabric.
This is a tremendous trio of garments from a highly respected basketball name in Southern California. The Rockets franchise was short-lived in America’s Finest City (1968-72), so any early game-used pieces from this era are scarce and quite desirable among collectors. Includes COA from Beckett (T75615). Part of the Tim Gallagher Collection (his only game-used item listed).