What is a Throwback Jersey?

A throwback is a sports jersey that uses color schemes, logos or even teams from a bygone era. Throwbacks are usually either basketball, baseball, football or hockey jerseys. Popular with athletes and sports fans alike, the throwback jersey is sometimes worn by professional players during certain games to mark an historical date in the team's history or as a part of a "turn back the clock" promotion. In the 1990s and 2000s throwback jerseys also became popular within the culture of hip hop.

  1. Mitchell & Ness

    • Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia by Frank Mitchell and Charles Ness, Mitchell & Ness began to outfit players of local sports teams with their handmade uniforms as well as selling sporting equipment. After the 1960s when Mitchell & Ness stopped creating uniforms the company struggled until twenty years later when a customer brought in an old baseball jersey to be repaired. This inspired the company to recreate MLB jerseys to the exact specifications of those made in the past; using flannel instead of modern materials and using old logos and creating replicas of jerseys for teams that no longer play. Because of the success of the MLB throwback jerseys, Mitchell & Ness released throwbacks for the NBA, NHL, NFL and NCAA.

    Cooperstown Collection

    • Released in the mid 1980s, MLB throwbacks known as the Cooperstown Collection were the first throwback jerseys ever produced. In 1990, players began to wear throwbacks to mark specific events. The first throwback game was in 1990 between the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers to mark the last season the White Sox would be playing at Comiskey Park. Since then, throwback nights have become quite popular with fans who want to see what their team's uniform used to look like. Throwback jerseys are usually made of heavy flannel to make the jerseys authentic to how uniforms were made before the 1970s. However, a jersey that marks a team's logo from the 1970s to 1990s, will be made from the material that was used then. Throwbacks can also represent defunct teams like the Montreal Expos, or teams that were a part of the Nego League

    Hardwood Classics

    • After the success of its MLB throwbacks, Mitchell & Ness released NBA's Hardwood Classics. To mark the 50th anniversary of the NBA, during the 1996-1997 season, teams wore throwback jerseys at certain games to mark their team's history. Like the Cooperstown Collection, the Hardwood Classics includes jerseys for teams that are long defunct or teams that were in other leagues. Throwbacks are popular among fans, and some times like the Philadelphia 76ers have adopted their old logo again. Unlike some of the jerseys in the Cooperstown Collection, Hardwood Classics jerseys are all made from modern materials.

    NHL Throwback Jerseys

    • The NHL first used throwback jerseys during the 1991-1992 season to mark the NHL's 75th year. However, only the Original Six wore throwback jerseys. (Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings). In 1999 the NHL implemented the Vintage program in which other franchises could wear jerseys from their team's history. The NHL throwbacks are not the heavy sweaters that players used to wear, they are the same material that modern jerseys are made of. Vintage NHL sweaters and jerseys are available through companies like Mitchell & Ness and Rebook's Roger Edwards Vintage Collection.

    NFL Throwbacks

    • The NFL Introduced throwbacks in 1994 to mark its 75th anniversary. Like with other professional sports throwback jerseys were popular with fans and continue to be a part of the league. The only team not to have worn its throwback jersey was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It wasn't until 2009 that the team unveiled its orange throwback. All NFL teams now wear their throwback jersey for at least one game during the season.

    Throwback Jersey Fad

    • The throwback jersey reached the peak of its popularity in the late 1990s and slowly declined in the mid 2000s. Throwbacks were extremely popular within the hip hop community. Rappers such as Fabolous were seen wearing throwback jerseys as well as director Spike Lee. However, the trend fell off the radar because of a throwback jersey's high price tag (Throwbacks start at $100 and can go up to $500 as of 2010), and hip hop artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West abandoning loose fitting sports attire for a more fitted and refined look. The throwback jersey is still a popular collectors' item for sports fans and many fans wear them at basketball, baseball, football and hockey games.