Eleven years ago, I ran a Uni Watch post that featured nearly 300 vintage sports-themed Valentine’s Day cards that I found on eBay. I’m not sure what made me think of it this year, but I thought it would be fun to showcase those designs again, especially since so many of them feature really fun uniforms. Here they are, broken down by sport — enjoy, and may Cupid’s arrow hit you square in the heart today.
Baseball
Football
Hockey
Basketball
Golf
Tennis
Bowling
Boxing
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Fencing
Archery
They are all very cute. I come from a country where Valentine Day is a recent import and sports themed Valentine cards are impossible to find in this day and age of apps and emoji. My favorite is the swinging Cub who wears a Cubs uniform.
Just like cartoon characters in Indian apparel have passed from the scene, so have pictures of naked Cupids. But it seems to have been a gradual elimination, as I remember these pretty well from my childhood. I couldn’t pick a date when they suddenly stopped!
What about Eric Cartmans Cupid Ye?
Interesting that so many of the football cards feature something about ‘kicking’… Antiquated (and charming).
Lee
This is really fun, Paul! Even a few a of the anachronistically cringe-worthy ones produce an awkward but still strangely enjoyable chuckle. Good stuff!
The goalie wearing the green and yellow barber pole sweater is just perfect.