Recreation
1982 Mets Dave Kingman Alternate Jersey
As it arrived at my shop. There were non-standard, Varsity-style variant numbers adorn both the back and front, and there was evidence of a nameplate having been rudely removed from the back. All lettering is dark orange outlined with gray, not white (a hallmark of Mets alternate road jerseys of the era.)
Referring to my MLB Guide to Game Worn Jerseys, we see that the Mets' jerseys of 1982 were made by Rawlings, and can see how the name and numbers are supposed to look. They are the Mets-standard athletic block font.
The Dream Shop *always* begins with a proof. The photo on top is a computer-generated mockup featuring Paul's jersey with the exact lettering superimposed on top. This step is vitally important to ensuring that the end result is exactly as my clients envision. The proof becomes my cutting and placement pattern -- the end result will be exactly what you see here.
The numbers have been inconveniently sewn through the fabric with both layers. This makes them twice as hard to remove. The old thread was as tough as fishing line after so many exposures to harsh detergents
Finding fabric to make a matching blue nameplate was not easy. This required a trip to the Goodwill store, and a donor Adidas polo shirt gave its life to become the nameplate. All the edges of the nameplate are professionally surged as the team would have done it, and all fabric colors match the front Mets' script as closely as possible. I have four shades of orange and three of gray.
The final result! I sew the Dream Shop tags inside every jersey I do, and when we are making alterations to a team-issued jersey, I take multiple additional steps to mark and record the process to protect both the collector and myself from any suspicion of fraud.