Bill Veeck's Bastard Children

Just Geno Auriema, John Wooden, Bobby Knight, Jo Pa, and all you folks who don't put names on your jersey's so the camera can focus on you. Bill Veeck is the man and you guys are his bastard children. You can deny all you want but its true. Without him, you guys wouldn' have nothing. Look at all the TV dollars, you make from others teams names on jerseys that you play against. If all teams had no names, you would have no dollars.

See in 1959, a fan friend was complaining to Bill who was then owner of the Chicago White Sox baseball team, that he couldn't recognize who the players were. Bill then came up with the idea of putting names on his team's jerseys in 1960. The first year it was on the road and the next year, it was both. Critics complained that it would take away score card sales at the ballpark but it didn't because the players were too far away and actuality it helped scorecard sales as well as increasing television coverage which brought millions.

Basketball teams like the Lakers and Duke University were using it. In football, it was Maryland in 1961 but scrapped after one year. Not all coaches were sold on it because they believed it promoted the individual. Actually, it put the focus on the team instead of the coach who loves himself like David Lee Roth. Coaches who use No-name say they are protecting the players. Really. Well, why does the camera always focus on you instead of your assistants? I mean why not put the focus on assistants like Tom Kelly did when he managed the Twins. You saw the camera on Ron Gardenhire and Wayne Terwilliger. Don't believe their hype.

It took awhile to sell the idea. The American Football League put names in August of 1960. When they merged with the NFL in 1970, they kept their's and got the NFC teamsto put theirs. The Lakers were the first in 1961 but the NBA required all teams to do so in 1971-1972 season when the no names of the Bullets and Bucks of the 1971 Finals produced a bad TV rating even though Kareem, Oscar, Wes, and the Pearl played. NHL did it in 1977-1978 but the WHA did it in 1972 when they had Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe. Baseball, the National League required every team on the road to have names in 1979 while the American League required every team on the road in 1990 except for the Yankees. In college, they leave up to each team but the money entices them to put names.

I think its great because its American and not that Taliban mystery bull. Yeah, Yeah, sacrifice committement, excellence, and all. Its all about you. Then put it on your sleeve like Air Force football did in their bowl game. They didn't put their last names but they put what they stood for, Freedom and Service. I like that. Anyway, they are Bill Veeck's children and you no-names are Bill Veeck's bastard children because you get benefits too out of his will.