Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
February 6, 2004, Washington Post

Back to the Future

Forget about Super Bowl hero Tom Brady or LeBron James or Michelle Wie. They are so today.

The hottest trend in sports is all about yesterday. It's the retro jersey craze. Retro jerseys are the shirts from old-time football, basketball, baseball and hockey teams and players. These jerseys are super-expensive and are all the rage with rap singers, hip-hop stars and regular kids on the streets.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I think it is crazy to spend $200, $300, even $400 for a sports jersey. Still, I think that retro jerseys are a great way for kids to learn about some of the sports teams and stars from before they were born. Here are some of the greats and near-greats of the 1960s, '70s and '80s whose retro jerseys are making them famous again.

Lance Alworth (No. 19 for the San Diego Chargers, $450): Alworth was a wide receiver who was as fast as the lightning bolts on his Chargers jersey and helmet. He was rail-thin and looked so young that his nickname was "Bambi." Alworth was so cool in Chargers blue and wearing a helmet with a single crossbar that I always wore No. 19 when I played football.

Gale Sayers (No. 40 for the Chicago Bears -- $350): The most electrifying runner ever. Sayers did everything: He ran back kicks, caught passes and made runs from scrimmage that left would-be tacklers lying all over the field. Sayers's career was cut short by injuries, but anyone who saw him run will never forget him.

Jerry West (No. 44 for the Los Angeles Lakers -- $320): West was so perfect as a basketball player that the National Basketball Association used his likeness for the silhouette in the NBA logo. Called "Mr. Clutch" because he always seemed to hit the big basket, West averaged more than 29 points a game in his more than 150 NBA playoff games.

Wes Unseld (No. 41 for the Washington Bullets -- $430): Once upon a time Washington's pro basketball team was great and Wes Unseld was one of the reasons. Unseld was a big, bruising rebounder who would do the thankless jobs -- set picks, pass and play defense -- that win games. Just the kind of player today's Wizards could use.

Carlton Fisk (No. 27 for the Boston Red Sox -- $250): Fisk was the rawhide-tough catcher for the Red Sox and later (as No. 72) for the Chicago White Sox. Fisk hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history. He's the guy you see on highlight tapes waving his arms wildly trying to will the ball fair in the sixth game of the 1975 World Series.

Jose Cruz (No. 25 for the Houston Astros -- $400): Cruz was good, but hardly a Hall of Famer. A career .284 hitter and a two-time all-star, Cruz stuck around the big leagues for 19 years. Cruz's Astros shirt with the wild gold-and-orange stripes and black star may stick around even longer.

Tony Esposito (No. 35 for the Chicago Blackhawks -- $350): Esposito was a fabulous flopper of a goalie. He stayed low, spreading his pads and stick across the ice, doing anything to keep the puck out of the net. He usually succeeded. Esposito was a five-time all-star and won three Vezina trophies for being the best goaltender in the National Hockey League.

So, if you buy a retro jersey, don't just wear it, learn something about the player behind the jersey. That way you can be part of sports history instead of part of just another sports fashion.