The Brooklyn Dodgers played their last game in New York in 1957 – but their legacy lives on today some 3,000 miles away in Seattle, Washington. That’s where you’ll find Ebbets Field – not the stadium, but rather a uniform shop known as Ebbets Field Flannels. I took these pictures when I stopped by the store on my recent trip to Seattle.
A Must See in Seattle
Owner Jerry Cohen, a native New Yorker, told me in a phone interview the shop is a “tribute to my dad and my roots” in Brooklyn. Cohen moved to Seattle seeking to pursue a musical career, but ended up launching Ebbets Field Flannels in Seattle, where patrons can buy classic old-time flannel jerseys like these:
Flannel Jerseys
You’ll find authentic looking uniforms from Pacific Coast teams of yesteryear – the Seattle Rainiers, the San Francisco Seals and the Sacramento Solons, just to name a few.
Sacramento Solons Jersey
“The historical teams remain the heart and soul of what we do,” Cohen told me. “The Pacific Coast League was missing a market place,” Cohen said. “It was a de facto third Major League,” he added. “The uniforms were so interesting and colorful — with flair.”
Classic Uniforms on Display
The manufacturing for the shirts is done in Seattle, Cohen explained. “We cut our own felt lettering,” he told me. “In the back of the shop is a letter cutting machine.” The caps are also done domestically — in a secret location that Cohen won’t reveal. But check out how authentic this Sacramento Solons cap looks, with the heart design symbolizing how Sacramento was considered the heart of California.
Sacramento Solons Cap
The store is a must-see for baseball fans visiting Seattle, but most of Cohen’s business is done online, via his website at www.ebbets.com. Ebbets Field Flannels is a “company that exists because we are still dedicated to doing things the same way as sixty to seventy years ago,” Cohen said.
Ebbets Field Flannels has become popular with every day fans and celebrities ranging from Spike Lee to Johnny Rotten to David Letterman, Cohen stated.
“Anyone wanting something that is not mass produced Red Sox or Yankees uniforms should know — we are the alternative,” Cohen declared.
Authentic flannel uniforms — could be the perfect Father’s Day gift for someone special. I’m just saying…
