This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/21/2017
Rare does not begin to describe the jersey featured in this lot. It also provides a nice history lesson on the San Diego Chargers franchise. In 1960 the Los Angeles Chargers were a charter member of the American Football League. They moved to San Diego in ’61 and won the AFC title in ’63. The starting Left Guard on the inaugural 1960 L.A. and ’61 San Diego squads was Orlando Ferrante, who played his college ball at USC. This vintage specimen was game-worn by Ferrante during the team’s first season in San Diego, including the 1961 AFL Championship game at Balboa Stadium in San Diego as the Houston Oilers defeated the Chargers, 10-3. Following his brief pro football career, Ferrante became a highly successful engineering executive at Walt Disney for 40 years.
The vintage durene home gamer in Charger blue has Ferrante’s No. “68” in embroidered white-on-yellow all-original numbers sewn on the front and back as well as the sleeves. The iconic Bolts logo is stitched to white stripes on both shoulders. The sleeve ends appear to have been cut to the player’s specifications. As far as tagging, only the washing instructions remain, sewn just inside the front shirttail. The jersey was originally designed with a button pocket and onesie crotch, but it has been customized to Ferrante's preference with the pocket removed and crotch flap folded up and sewn inside. Game wear is prevalent throughout this gem, with significant stretching, contact marks, puckering and slight tearing to the numbers, and heavy pilling in the durene material. There is an area behind the left shoulder where tugging and pulling have left a few minor rips and tears. Looking inside this area, it appears that previous team repairs did not hold up. None of this excessive use does anything to detract from the classic beauty of the jersey, and it remains in ideal shape for one lucky collector.
The consignor is one of the most passionate and knowledgeable San Diego Chargers collectors in the hobby. He has provided three photo-matches including a 1961 team photograph (12” by 18”) and two 8” by 10” photos. The Bolts logo on his left shoulder lines up perfectly with the front upper horizontal pleat line, allowing for a conclusive match. By all accounts, this is the earliest Chargers jersey known to exist, originally given to a season ticket holder sometime in 1962. Most, if not all, 1960 L.A. and 1961 San Diego Chargers game jerseys were later recycled as practice jerseys before being disposed of.