Mark,
Thanks. I’ll take a shot at answering your questions as best I can:
1. Is there any record of specifically who/how many players on the roster were issued the "Palm Beach" Uniforms?
A: I don’t know of any formal inventory records of any manufacturer from ant team of this period. I do know that a pretty detailed photographic study and as well as contemporary information for the Dodgers, Indians, and A’s of this period indicates these were not ordered for all players. I suspect much of this was based on a player request.
2. Were the pants also "Palm Beach style", or were only the jerseys this lighter-weight style?
A: I don’t believe so based on images and not sure this would have been a practical fabric for pants.
3. Were the players given a choice of Palm Beach vs. traditional Flannel?
4. Or did management simply decide for them?
A: I would say player choice.
5. If these were indeed superior in hot weather, why were they so short-lived? Why did the Dodgers and other teams revert back to heavy flannel?
6. Were there any "issues" with the lightweight material that contributed to their demise? Was it perhaps less durable?
A: I am not so sure they were superior. First of all, in my comparative study, these “Palm Beach” uniforms are slightly heavier than the flannel fabric of the day. By 1949, fabric weight had gone from 8oz to 6oz with the introduction of synthetic fabrics. By the early 1950s, Wilson was already putting out garments in 4 1/2oz fabric and Rawlings in 1954 introduced a fabric that was 5.71oz made of a blend of Dacron and wool. I suspect they were short lived based on cost and they really were probably not that much cooler.
Dave Grob
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