Uni Watch Father’s Day 2023: Our Dads in Uniform

For the past decade it has been my privilege and pleasure to run photographs of our fathers dressed in uniforms — whether they be sports uniforms, military uniforms, or any other uniform. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and I’m pleased to again run this feature. This year, like last, I let readers know they could submit photos of their dads, grandpappys and uncles.

Once again, it’s a rich panoply of photos and stories. As always, this one-day special tribute post will stand alone (no uni news, no tweaks, no scoreboard, no ticker), and I hope everyone enjoys this, even if you didn’t submit this year.

The gentleman pictured above is my own father. As many of you may know, he passed away in 2011, and Paul penned a humbling tribute. I had never included him in this tribute until this year. Unfortunately, I never really discussed his military service much while he was alive, but I know he was ROTC in college and attained the rank of Captain or Major, serving, but not seeing action, in the Korean War. I believe this is a photo of him during his ROTC days. Among the many things I wish I had was more time with him to have asked him more about this time in his life, but alas, I did not. Not a day goes by when I don’t miss him. I wish everyone out there, whether your pop (or uncle or grandfather) is able to spend today with you or not, a very Happy Father’s Day.

And now for this year’s submissions…

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Jimmy Corcoran

The King was Father of the year for my sister’s 8th Birthday, though he had just lost to the Florida Blazers in the playoffs and played poorly, he was in a great mood because he led the WFL in TD passes and got a nice bonus for it. He went all out and wore his Bell coaching shirt (he was a player/coach in 1974) and his team-issued Boston Patriots sweatpants. He ripped the pin the tail on the donkey package in half when opening it and ruined it but saved the party. He went into his closet and got a large publicity photo of himself that he would give to owners of restaurants that he would frequent. He announced to the kids that we would be playing a new game, pin the tail on the King! At first there was little enthusiasm for this new game, but when the King pulled out a crisp twenty-dollar bill that would go to the winner all the kids got excited. I don’t know how much twenty dollars in 1975 would be in kid money, but it seemed like a lot? The party was a success, and he even signed a few autographs for some of the kids.

Happy Father’s Day 2023

Jimmy Corcoran

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Marcus Hall

My father, Charles Hall, in I believe 1958, fresh out of Army basic training. He passed a few years ago, and just a week after he passed, I learned that I would be becoming a father. Sometimes Father’s Day is bittersweet – enjoying being a father while missing my own, but I recall the fond memories of watching baseball and football with him when I was a kid!

-Marcus from Baltimore

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Joe Mays

This is a photo of my paternal grandfather, Denton Mays, in his U.S. Army uniform. He served from 1941 until he was discharged on September 28th, 1945, as a technician fifth grade. Within a year he married my grandmother and a year later they opened a small corner store that evolved into a sandwich shop. My sister and I are 3rd-generation owners now. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 90. The Mays family misses him dearly.

Joe Mays
West Lawn, PA

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Vance T. Barker

The man on the right is my father Howard Barker. In the late ’50s and early ’60s he was a professional rodeo cowboy. The gentleman to the left is Rodeo Hall of Fame Rodeo Clown and my dad’s best friend, George Doak. George invented Bull Poker. Both men passed away in 2021.

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Carson Nowakowski

My dad John, is a retired golf course superintendent. This is the unofficial uniform for the position in which he is wearing a collared shirt, slacks and waterproof flat shoes that don’t leave imprints on the greens. Superintendents also wear layers to protect from the fluctuating elements. He always carried a stimpmeter to know how fast the greens were running. My dad led the way, in the state of Michigan, with bringing eco-friendly agronomic strategies to turf management. He also treated his employee crew with love as if they were his own family.

green side up, love you dad.

carson

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Chris Hickey

This is by far the best day at Uni Watch…second to none!

To celebrate my dad and this feature’s 10th anniversary, I’ve chosen to re-submit the picture that I sent in back in 2013.

Dr. John S. Hickey wore the orange & black of Holmesburg Ramblers football in the late 1930s/early 1940s. He traded this uniform for that of the US Navy during WW2. After his return from duty in the Pacific, he went to medical school, met and married my mom, started a family and opened his practice in the basement of our home in Mayfair. In addition to being the father of 11 and a physician, he also volunteered his time and talents – serving as team doctor for Father Judge High School’s football team for over 2 decades. His life of commitment to family and community ended in 1984. Team Hickey remembers him each day…especially today…and always.

ChrisH

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Andrew Cosentino

I’m not sure if this counts, but my dad and I wore matching “Cool Dads Wear Homage“ shirts to an IronBirds game [June 11th]! He’ll be out of town [this] weekend, so we celebrated Father’s Day a week early. Homage made us these custom shirts after I tagged them in a photo. It was also my son’s first baseball game!

(I have another photo of the shirts with my son in it.)

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Bryan Hoover

It is with sadness and pride that I include this photo of my father, Fred Hoover, longtime athletic trainer at Clemson for forty years. Pop passed away this past September, and though we miss him, we continue to find comfort in photos and other Clemson-related treasures. Pop was hired in 1959 and this photo appears to be his first official photo in 1960. Many more photos to come in the future. Happy Father’s Day Pop, and Go Tigers!

Bryan Hoover, MS
Independent Training Contractor

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Tyson Klear

This is a photo of my dad, Pete Klear, who was the No.1 tennis player for the University of South Alabama(USA) Jaguars from 1968-1970 and played in the 1969 NCAA tournament. That’s him with the ridiculous eye patch in the USA yearbook which was due to him getting lime in his eye while chalking a tennis court. He had a 56-16 career singles record, and is in the USA Athletic Hall of Fame. His tennis days are over, but he continues to support the Jags in all sports.

Thanks,

Tyson Klear

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Chris Lanz

This is the 1955 Springdale (CT) Rolling Mills Little League team. My father, Robert, is the first player from the left in the top row. He died this past January at the age of 80 from Parkinson’s Disease. Last fall, shortly after the World Series, he told me he could not wait for spring to return so he could watch baseball again. While he is smiling from ear to ear in this photo, I am sure he was smiling even more when his beloved Dodgers finally beat the Yankees in the World Series later that fall.

Chris Lanz

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Christopher Noice

Thanks for doing this, Phil! I know he wore every uniform with pride.

Dick Noice – Lancaster, Ohio

Point Guard who led the Lancaster Golden Gales to the 1949 State Semi-Finals, Baseball Player, 209-average Bowler who picked up the 7-10 split, business owner, machinist who made parts for America’s Space Race, Army Private picked by a visiting General to golf against a rival General. After the victory, he made a chrome trophy in the base’s machine shop, and presented it to the General!

Most importantly, Father of three children/five grandchildren, fought through dyslexia, diabetes, unimaginable childhood poverty to live a great life, and provide a lifetime of happiness to others.

Love you, Dad, and I sure do miss you…

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Howard Bosworth

Dear Phil, thank you for continuing this Uni Watch Father’s Day tradition. My maternal grandfather Charles Oswald is pictured. He was bank branch Manager for Banker’s Trust. He was a great grandfather. We watched baseball together and he spoiled us with love. I am following that tradition with our 7 grandchildren. Happy Father’s Day to all Dads.

Howard Bosworth

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John Kimmerlein

Thanks for continuing this – truly one of my favorite recurring Uni Watch items.

Here’s my father running cross country in college—probably ’50 or ’51. I thought that I had run out of uni-photos, but this one came to light just this year.

John

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Paul Muckler

My New York grandparents – Charles and Margaret Muckler – in a photo from July 1918. Some subtle humor – even though the car is a prop, neither of them ever learned to drive. The studio location is unknown but possibly Coney Island. My grandfather wears his WWI Army doughboy uniform, prior to embarking for France. Seated in back is my grandmother’s “kid” brother, Leo Casey (a staunch Brooklyn Dodgers fan, and eventual Brooklyn police officer and detective). About fifty years after this picture was taken my grandfather gave me his WWI Victory medal.

Thank you, Phil.

Paul Muckler, Oak Creek, WI

• • • • •That’s all for 2023! Thanks to all who submitted and as always, this was another wonderful way to honor our dads on Father’s Day. Stay safe everyone, have a great Dad’s Day (and a Happy Juneteenth as well). I’ll be at a curling bonspiel next weekend (and Paul has graciously given me the weekend off), so I will catch everyone in two weeks. Until then…

Peace,

PH

P.S. Thank you “Kevin”. You’re guys are CorCin’ awesome.