I was recently contacted by longtime reader Brad Bierman, who — like many of us — is an avid Uni Watcher and collector of sports-related memorabilia. Some of us collect caps, others have large jersey collections, and others are sneakerheads. Brad specializes in acquiring MLB jersey patches, a neat sub-niche in the collecting uni-verse. My recent coverage of the (Sacramento) Athletics wearing three new patches this season (a Sacramento patch, the Rickey Henderson memorial and a new ad) prompted Brad to write me:
Phil,
Hi, Brad Bierman in Charlotte, NC. Longtime friend of the site, met both you and Paul in Philly a while back where I used to live.
I first wanted to echo many others in the ‘uniform community’ by saying what a fantastic job you have done taking the reins of Uni Watch from Paul.
I am a decades-long commemorative/memorial jersey patch collector for MLB and NFL teams, putting each team on its own frames plus other frames with postseason and other patches worn by multiple teams. Huge collection that’s time consuming but a fun pastime.
I wanted to follow-up with your fantastic 2025 MLB coverage by attaching my Athletics board that I just cleaned up, containing virtually all of the team’s patches connecting Philadelphia-KC-Oakland-Sacramento.
With the 2025 Athletics patches there are actually four, when you see that the Sacramento patch was produced in two green color versions for the team’s four different jerseys.
Finishing the similar Mets board as I await getting the Ed Kranepool patch and can show you when completed.
Thanks for reading, happy to share more, and take care.
Brad Bierman
Charlotte, NC
What followed wasn’t just a random collection of patches, but instead a wonderfully chronicled pair of felt-backed frames containing, as Brad intimated, almost every Athletics jersey patch, going all the way back to their Philadelphia years.
Awesome, right? I followed up with Brad, and the Athletics are just the tip of his patch-collecting iceberg. He elaborated further: “I have all 30 MLB teams and 32 NFL teams plus WS ASG SBs others, etc., but in the midst of updating many of them (some frames damaged when I moved recently & I have loose patches to affix to certain team frames). Lot of fun work, getting done slowly but surely. (Ad patches a pain in the neck.)”
We’ll be seeing more of Brad’s collection in the future, but for now, I asked Brad if he could elaborate on the patch collection. Let’s take a look at those patches individually now.
Athletics Patch Collection
by Brad Bierman
I have been collecting commemorative and memorial patches for all MLB and NFL teams over the last couple of decades. It’s a fun, albeit time-consuming, pastime that I enjoy.
With the recent Uni Watch articles about the Athletics patches, I wanted to get my Athletics team frame boards cleaned up and updated with all the 2025 patches of which there are actually four – the Rickey Henderson memorial, two versions of the Sacramento patch in different shades of green, and the Las Vegas ad patch.
I like how the patches connect from Philadelphia-K.C.-Oakland-Sacramento-even Las Vegas, the future home, with the ad patch.
Here’s a description of each A’s patch:
1950
Patch commemorating Connie Mack 50th anniversary season as manager of the Athletics featuring the great elephant mascot. Being the owner of the team enabled him to manage that long. The team added gold accents to the 1950 home/away jerseys as well.
1976
American Bicentennial patch featuring the Liberty Bell from the team’s Philadelphia origin.
1987
All Star Game patch, the 10th year that the host team wore an ASG patch, exceptions Cleveland (1981) and Minnesota (1985).
1992
25th anniversary patch, except that 1992 was the team’s 25th season in Oakland. 1993 would have been the 25th anniversary season.
1995
Memorial patch for former owner Walter A. Haas worn from September 20, 1995-end of season.
1997
30 seasons in Oakland patch (not anniversary), worn on home jersey only.
1999
Memorial patch from Jim “Catfish” Hunter worn after September 22, 1999-end of season.
2000
Best patch of all celebrating a Century of A’s Baseball with the elephant and references to Philadelphia and Kansas City included.
2006
Memorial patch for longtime broadcaster Bill King utilizing his signature saying, “Holy Toledo.”
2008
Now the years on the patch are correct 1968-2008 for a 40th anniversary, or 40 year patch as listed, but that time same span covers 41 actual seasons. Worn on home jersey only.
2009
Oakland Police Department memorial worn on home jersey only to honor police officers killed and injured in a shootout March 21, 2009.
2012
GJN memorial patch for the infant son of pitcher Pat Neshek who died one day after birth – Gehrig John Neshek, worn in postseason only.
2014
Memorial patch for pitcher Bob Welch worn for one game on home jerseys July 19, 2014.
2015
Patches worn for one game on April 4, 2015 to mark the offseason passing of former A’s players Tony Phillips and Dave Henderson.
Finally an anniversary patch that adds up, the 50th anniversary patch of playing in Oakland. This is the dark green version worn on home/away jerseys. A Kelly green version was worn on the Kelly green jersey.
2022
The Ray Fosse memorial patch for the former A’s player and broadcaster. Paul Lukas did a great interview with the patch designer Clint Schultz in 2022, highlighting the fact that Schultz was able to design Fosse’s signature phrase “Wow” into the patch microphone.
2023
The A’ added Sal Bando and Vida Blue memorial patches to their home jersey on May 15, 2023-end of the season to honor the two players that died during the offseason.
2025
The A’s first added a Rickey Henderson memorial patch to their spring training jerseys, then the Kelly green Sacramento patch to their gold uniform on opening day in Seattle. The darker green version seems to have been worn on the gray jerseys in the final game of the opening series against the Mariners.
Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority ad patch to promote the franchise’s future home.
Awesome stuff, and thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing Brad’s additional patch collections!
love that 100 years of athletics baseball one – would’ve been perfect to me if they did the anniversary and the years were matching 1901-2001 (which they later did with 40 and 50) instead of seasons
Awesome collection! I agree with Brad that the 100 Years patch is the best. I remember Paul’s interview with Clint Schultz, but now I can’t find the “Wow” in the microphone.
Looking forward to seeing more of Brad’s collection.
The three stripes on the top, the roudel in the middle, the thre stripes on the bottom of the mike. It took me a minute as well to see it.
Excellent!
This is awesome! Agree with others that the 100th season patch is great, but I also love the 25 seasons in Oakland patch.
Amazing!
This is awesome! I’ve been doing this same thing with the history of the Astros patches and proves what I long suspected – it’s a worthwhile endeavor and will be amazing once completed! Thanks for sharing and the motivation to get those elusive last patches!
Jonathan, we seem to be cut from the same cloth. Happy to share my Astros patches as I get the frame boards updated. Let’s figure out a way to connect.
Interesting that some memorial patches were worn for multiple games and others (Bob Welch, Dave Henderson, Tony Phillips) were worn for one.
Over the years of collecting I have found often times there’s simply no rhyme or reason to how teams handle patch protocol, including season-long vs. one game only.
Look forward to more! Patch collecting is a great way to connect with sport teams history. Regarding the Ray Fosse WOW reference: its the top -middle-bottom of microphone….that’s what I see.
Wholeheartedly agree, Rick. Love the collecting for the history, as well as the meaning of specific patches, embroidery and artwork, design, quirks, etc. It’s all about marketing today, so many one game patches.
Also a negative trend is cap patches instead of jersey patches. White Sox 125th anniversary patch belongs on the jersey, not cap. Same with the trend to move the ASG patch to cap, Braves this year, Rangers last year.
Yes on the WOW in the Fosse patch, in the microphone.
Great feature, very nice collection. Are patches for sale or do you have to buy the jersey first in order to remove it? Silly question, but in the Netherlands patches are very rare these days and sports patches are extremely rare to find.
Ingmar I believe there’s no silly questions, you ask a good question. There are may facets of this particular collecting pastime that are unique to me, and certainly “the hunt” for the patches is the major element. Many patches are for sale, online, manufacturer, team store, etc. I have so many different channels I have established over decades to acquire the patches, so there is definitely a “thrill” aspect to tracking them down.
Sometimes I have had to buy a jersey to get the patch. I have someone I trust remove the patch. 99% of the time I usually have no interest in the jersey, and give it away to someone who would appreciate wearing it which makes me feel good that the jersey is not going to waste.
Thanks for your full and great answer, Brad! And I like it that you give away the jersey to somebody who likes to wear it. Just wonderful!