Tucson Sidewinders - #19 Unknown (2003)

In April 2004, less than two months away from graduating from engineering school, my senior design team went to Tucson to take part in the 8th International Micro Air Vehicle Competition (spoiler alert: we didn't win).  I suppose we were part of the trial-end-error process that led to drone photography.  On the last day we were in Arizona, the rest of my team went golfing and wound up in Mexico.  I, on the other hand, saw that the Tucson Sidewinders were playing the Tacoma Rainiers at Tucson Electric Park.  This would be my first and still the only Pacific Coast League game I have ever attended.  Six years later, an eBay user auctioned off one of what he claimed were many Sidewinder vest-style away jerseys.  I either missed or lost the auction, but subsequently e-mailed the seller to ask about his additional inventory and got a ludicrously good deal on this one.

I've struggled to determine who, if anyone, wore this in games, so I've called it team issued for the time being.  My only clue that it was at least issued during the 2003 season comes from the patch pictured below.  I was able to find my game program from 4/11/2004, looking for clues, but no one was listed wearing #19 early in the 2004 season either.  The 2003 Sidewinders boasted Brandon Webb, Lyle Overbay, and Rod Barajas at one time or another.  I can say with certainty this didn't belong to them.  There are more than a few players who could have worn it, perhaps the owner of this knows.  If anyone out there has any insight, please let me know!

This was the first vest-style jersey that I purchased.  The placement Pacific Coast League 100th Anniversary patch is interesting, but I suppose it speaks to the inability to place sleeve patches on a vest. It also precludes possible use by the team in 2004.  The Sidewinders are another team that no longer exists.  Previously known as the Toros, they were renamed and the color scheme changed to relect Tucson's relationship with a new parent, the expansion Diamondbacks.  Tucson Electric Park was part of a pair of Cactus League stadia removed from Metro Phoenix.  When I attended the game in 2004, it had just finished hosting the D-backs and White Sox for the spring.  Following the 2008 season, the team moved to Reno to escape attendance woes and became the Aces.

Details:

• Manufacturer - Rawlings
• Size - 46
• Date Acquired - 9/7/2010
• Authentic Team Issue - 100% Polyester excluding trim
• Three-color Twill Script/Numbers
• Chest Patch
• Issued for 2003 Season