Game Worn Jersey Questions - Please help!

[jdiel]

I recently attended the Draft Day party and was one of the first in the stadium to get to the "Rummage Sale" they were having. I immediately hit up the "game worn jerseys" table and while picking through a lot of cut or retired players I stumbled upon a purple Ray Rice jersey NUMBER 39.

 

It is my understanding Rice only wore number 39 for his rookie pre-season with the Ravens. At the end of pre-season the existing number 27 Raven player was cut, and Rice had the chance to switch back to his college number again. Most of his rookie cards show him in the #39 jersey from what I can find on-line.

 

Questions:

 

1) Tears and holes (some patched some not) lead me to believe that the jersey was worn for both pre-season home games by rookie Rice. That they were patched between games. The unpatched or stitched holes could have been from the second game. Any ideas? Do rookie players, or any players for that matter get brand new jerseys each preseason game even if the existing one could be patched? Could these patches have been made at half-time?

 

2) Is it possible this is the only Home Rice #39 game worn jersey? 

 

3) Any way to get this authenticated?

 

I am waiting for a local Rice signing so I can actually lay it on the table in front of him and see if he can tell me anything...

 

Any info is really appreciated! GO RAVENS!

 

 

 

[Cville-Raven]

The only authenticators I can think of are James Spence Authentication and PSA. You'd have to mail it to them and it would cost you. Probably not worth it for the price IMO.

[Moderator 2]

The one person that would know retired. Ed Carroll

[jdiel]

Thank you Cville-Raven & Moderator 2. Not worth the price IMO either and a bummer that Carroll is gone.

 

I did some digging and this is what I found out:

 

1) It seems that the Ravens only wore WHITE (away) jerseys for the entire 2008 pre-season. One reason for this may be one home game they played the Vikings so purple would be a bit difficult... Does anyone have information to the contrary? 

2) An image from USA Today Sports images of Rice in the purple 39 from "July 30, 2008; Westminster, Md, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice listens to a coach during training camp at McDaniel College." seems to be the jersey. The two holes on the left shoulder and the stitching on the right shoulder match up just right.

So this could be a "player worn" but not a "game worn" jersey. Still being from Rice's rookie year and worn for his first NFL and Ravens Training Camp.

Here are pics of the jersey:

 

 

[Moderator 2]

I knew about Ed Carroll because JENNIFER FRANCIOTTI on WBAL did a special on how Mrs Carroll fixes and customizes jerseys, it was 2008-09 because she commented to her husband about Flaccos socks falling down and he was going to get fined so she sewed them to the pants.

My mind picks up lots of random stuff like this lol. It's a Reebok and the team has been in Nike the last two seasons.

As to your first question I am not sure when the Ravens went to all night preseason games, then they would have gone to purple at home day games. Aug and Sept the team tends to wear white at home.

Hopefully this jersey is going for a man/woman cave it would be a cool focal/ center piece. You can get the shadow boxes for display at Michaels or AC Moore.