Ebbets Field Flannels

I stopped by the Ebbets Field Flannels retail store in Seattle last week.  I've known about them for several years, but never knew they were a Seattle company until recently.  A few months ago I was alerted to the fact that they were making NPB uniforms and shirts by a post on the Japanese Baseball Cards blog.  Then, soon after I happened to drive by their store location, not knowing that they had a store, much less one 20 minutes from my house.  It was closed at that time, but I was pretty stunned and happily surprised.

The store is only open on weekdays so I had to wait a while for the chance to go there.  Fortunately last week I had to drop off some things at the Seattle Building Dept. and was able stop in on my lunch break.  The store looked like it had nearly everything that can be bought on their website.  Lots of Uniforms, t-shirts, hockey sweaters, jackets, and a ton of caps.  As for NPB gear, they have some stuff for Hanshin, Hiroshima,Yomiuri and the Taiyo Whales (now the BayStars) and Sankei Atoms (Yakult Swallows).  It can all be viewed and purchased on their website.  The guy at the store also mentioned that they are now making Taiyo Whales uniforms, though they are not up on the website yet.  I of course suggested that they make some Chunichi gear.  He said that it was something that they had already discussed, but it didn't sound like there was anything in the works yet.  Right now the Dragons are the only Central League team that they don't have something for, plus Chunichi has had some good looks, so hopefully they will choose to make up some gear.

Here is a signed uniform they had on display.  It's a replica of the fictitious New York Knights from the Natural and is signed by Wilford Brimley.  Brimley was the manager of the Knights in that movie.  He is also known for his work in The Thing, Cocoon and Quaker Oats commercials. 

Definitely check out their website.  It's like a virtual museum.  Some of my favorites are the Taiyo and Hiroshima gear, the Mudville 9 cap, Portland Beavers gear and Seattle Totems sweater.