Steelers vs GUD, Part II - BucTracker Weighs In

Further Evidence Supports The GUD Over The Steel City Gridders
by Rob Holecko

Yesterday we told you how the Steelers' new "1934" throwbacks which were unveiled by the organization may not have been actually wore on the field by the Pirates during that season.  Today we received further research from GUD's friend and frequent contributer, the BucTracker himself, Jerry Wolper.  Jerry sent us some photos from the Pittsburgh newspapers backing up our claim that the Steelers did not wear the alleged jersey during the '34 season.

Exhibit 1:

From September 10, 1934:  (Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh Pirates, 9/9/34)

Notice the horizontal striped socks players - those are the Pirates.  No stripes on the jersey of #33.  The ball carrier does not have the striped socks - he is a Cincinnati player.

Exhibit 2 --

From September 17, 1934:  (Boston Redskins at Pittsburgh Pirates, 9/16/34)

 Obviously the dark jerseys with the indian heads are the 'Skins.  Again, no jersey stripes or numbers-in-squares on the Pittsburgh players, but the diagonal pants stripes are there.

Exhibit 3 -

From November 19, 1934:  (Brooklyn Dodgers at Pittsburgh Pirates, 11/18/34)

Again, the light players with the horizontal sock stripes are the Pirates.  Notice the NW stripes on players (specifically 18, 20, 44, 11).  Also notice the vertical pant stripe, but also no sign of the throwback jersey unveiled yesterday.

Jerry also sent along a pic from opening day 1933 game -- the Pirates first game ever -- against the New York Giants.  It shows the city-crest jersey, as well as a discrepancy we had with the '33 Giants -- the number is placed on the jersey a little different then we had it.

As our Tim Brulia said about the Giants discovery:

"...looking at that first pic from the very first game where the Pirates are clearly wearing the city seal jersey, the Giants are DEFINITELY wearing a jersey with contrasting torso band and shoulder inserts, with front and back numbers "half in/half out" of the torso band. I remember this pic from my research of several years ago at the PASL. BUT, I did not notice the shoulder/torso inserts. Since the inserts appear lighter than the jersey color, I am hunching that the inserts are blue on a red jersey.

As we are fond of saying, the GUD is always a work-in-progress!!"

Stay tuned for changes to the 1933 Giants as well as possible adding the diagonal pants stripes to the 1934 Pirates -- however, the "1934 throwback" unveiled yesterday is now more than ever, definitely from late 1933.