MLB's Misspelled Uniforms

SI Staff | Apr 9, 2010

MLB's Misspelled Uniforms

SAN FRANCICSO

AP

Sportswriters had a field day after the Giants-Astros game on April 7, during which Eugenio Velez made his season debut wearing a jersey with San Francisco spelled incorrectly. "Maybe they left his shirt in "San Fran-cic-so," quipped the AP. Here are some other notable misspelled uniforms baseball players have worn on the field.

NATINALS

AP

In a game against the Marlins on April 17, 2009, the Washington Nationals sent their two best hitters, Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman, onto the field wearing "Natinals" jerseys for three innings.

JORGENSON

AP

After Ryan Jorgensen hit a first-inning grand slam against the Marlins on Aug. 26, 2007, a teammate pointed out that his name was misspelled on his jersey (it should end in "sen," not "son"). Proving to be not on the superstitious side, Jorgensen switched to a jersey with the proper spelling within two innings.

FRANCOUER

Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images

Jeff Francoeur, wearing a jersey with the "e" and "u" in his name switched, went 0-for-4 with the Braves in a game against the Giants on Aug. 16, 2007.

ALFONSO

John Dunn/Icon SMI

Eliezer Alfonzo made his big league debut June 3, 2006 with his name misspelled on his jersey (it should end in "zo," not "so"). Alfonzo hit a two-run shot in the sixth inning that ultimately won the game against the Mets, which may have explained why his jersey was still misspelled in the Giants' next game the following day.

CNCINNATI

Elsa/Getty Images

Aaron Harang took the mound with the first "I" missing in "C-I-N-C-I-N-N-A-T-I" across his chest in a 5-1 loss to the Cardinals on April 12, 2005.

ANGEES

Steve Grayson/WireImage

Minor league journeyman Adam Riggs wasn't up with the Angels for very long in 2003 before he took left field in a home game against the Tigers on Aug. 16 with a sleeveless jersey that read "A-N-G-E-E-S" across the front. Riggs didn't realize the mistake until his hysterical teammates sat him down in the dugout between innings and broke the news to him.

TOROTNO

Paul K. Buck/AFP/Getty Images

Joe Carter wore this jersey with the "n" and second "t" in "Toronto" reversed for six innings during a game in Texas on July 14, 1994.

KLUSZEWSXI

Diamond Images/Getty Images

In 1960, the White Sox became the first major sports team to put player names on the backs of uniforms. Unfortunately, they were also the first to do so incorrectly. During a road trip to New York, Kluszewski appeared with both a backwards "z" and an "x" instead of "k" in his name.