Behind the T-shirt: Coke Adds Life to Super Tennis Week

(via Indianapolis Recorder) - Tucson Arizona, July 1, 1978 -

This balmy, scenic, southwestern city went Hollywood when luminaries of the film and sportsworlds converged on the desert for the fourth annual Celebrity Invitational Tennis Classic sponsored by American Airlines and Jet Newsweekly magazine last month. 

The two-day event at the Racquet Club Ranch was part of the “Super Tennis Week" here, for the benefit of the United Negro College Fund. The results were thousands of dollars for UNCF’s 41 member schools. 

 

 
A glimpse at celebrities from fans filled the excitement shared by participants of the event. Former Cleveland Brown “romper" and now star actor/producer Jim Brown bested Earl (the Pearl) Monroe of the New York Knicks, to capture the men’s single title. Brown tasted defeat, however, when he challenged any “woman tennis player in the audience.” Amateur Andrea Whitmore*, a 23-year-old Los Angeles resident, accepted, and downed Brown 5-3. 

 

The women’s singles trophy was won by actress Myra Waters, who defeated Jeanie Bell. Defending champion Gail Fisher, picked up an award for winning the most games in the “women’s celebrity division." Gladys Knight of the Pips, and Floyd Caldwell, a marketing executive with Kodak-one of the tournament sponsors--took the mixed doubles championships. Gladys’ husband, Barry Hankerson, and her brother. Bubba Knight, claimed the men’s doubles event.

 

 

*True crime aficionados may recognize the name Andrea Whitmore (Buchanan), the volunteer who trounced Jim Brown. She was murdered 3 years after Super Tennis Week. Per wikipedia:

Born in Los Angeles, Andrea Buchanan went to Dorsey High School and turned professional in 1978. She was one of only several African American players competing on tour. Her best grand slam performances came at the 1981 Wimbledon Championships, where she beat Barbara Hallquist before falling in the third round to second-seed Hana Mandlíková. In what would be her last grand slam appearance she won a first round match against Eva Pfaff at 1981 US Open.

On the morning of January 28, 1982, Buchanan was found mortally wounded on the floor of a Los Angeles fish market, where she was working part time as a cashier. She was rushed to Brotman Memorial Hospital in Culver City with multiple bullet wounds to her upper body, but never regained consciousness. Her boss, 57-year old Nathanial Brown, was pronounced dead at the scene. The case remains unsolved. Police ruled out robbery as a motive and believe that, unknown to Buchanan, Brown had been involved with dealing illicit substances.

 

 RIP Andrea Whitmore Buchanan.

Check out the 70s Coke Adds Life to Super Tennis Week t-shirt at Skippy Haha Vintage Etsy!  

Behind the T-shirt: Uncle Sam's Nightclub

 Uncle Sam's was a disco nightclub chain in several US cities from the mid 70s to the late 80s. 

 

There were clubs in Houston, Detroit, Providence, Levittown, Minneapolis, Buffalo, Des Moines, and Syracuse. At least. There were probably more. 

 

Uncle Sam's - "Let's Spend the Night Together"

Shiny Happy Customers Night in Buffalo looks like fun.

Shot of the Minneapolis merch table in 1977. T-shirts cost $3.99!

This 70s Uncle Sam's t-shirt seems to be from 1976. It's in great shape and ready to do the hustle. Check it out at Skippy Haha Vintage Etsy now!

Behind the T-shirt - Amigos Say Olé Elway!

 

When I saw this t-shirt graphic, I thought Amigos was a Mexican restaurant/bar in Denver celebrating some big wins by Elway in 1980, 1982, and 1984 with endless nachos.

 

I was way off. 

The 3 Amigos were Elway's wide receivers, and those were their jersey numbers.

 

According to the Mile High Report: "For about two years starting in 1987, there was John Elway and then there were the Three Amigos - Vance Johnson (82), Mark Jackson (80), and Ricky Nattiel (84). They were larger than life for that short period of time and it was a fun ride." 

No confirmation on whether they all fit under the same sombrero.  

Check out the Amigos Say Olé Elway! t-shirt on SHV Etsy.

Vintage t-shirts of Dark Star Orchestra

If ever you worry that the world's supply of vintage t-shirts is dwindling, head to a Dark Star Orchestra show - they are everywhere!

Forever Jerry 90s tie dye: 

Early 90s Grateful Dead tour tee: 

90s Grateful Dead tee: 

90s oil tie dye tee: 

1995 Las Vegas Silver Bowl Grateful Dead concert tee: 

Early 90s Absolut Vodka Grateful Dead dancing bears tee: 

Early 90s Peace Sign Dancing Bears tee: 

These people were the best - his 70s buckskin beaded iridescent bear with rainbow lightning bolt vest, and her floor-length 80s cotton tie dye tee shirt dress: 10/10

Last but not least, in the Red Rocks museum hangs an authentic Screen Stars 1986 Ozzy Osbourne The Ultimate Sin tour tank top:

 

Rock n roll will never die, and thank god neither will its t-shirts! 

Check out all the vintage rock tees at Skippy Haha Vintage!

KZOM Zoom 104 1/2 T-shirt

I recently came across a vintage 70s to early 80s soft thin t-shirt with this logo: 
KZOM 
Zoom 104 1/2 

Which led me to this youtube of KZOM's final sign off in 1984, Richard Jones playing The Who's "Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay."

KZOM-FM 104.5 (ZOOM 104 1/2) was an Album-oriented rock radio station that served the Orange/Beaumont/Port Arthur, Texas and Lake Charles, Louisiana areas from 1978-1984.

(Aircheck, Photos and station logos by Larry King)



looked like a pretty cool station. RIP KZOM 104.5.

my old clothes: tarheels edition: part 2

when last we left, i'd shown 5 of my favorite vintage unc t-shirts.

here are 5 more favorites - all basketball-related. 

soft, thin, and true. carolina basketball is a perennial power. 



looks pretty basic here - carolina basketball school - vintage t-shirt from the summer camp:

but it's a champion blue bar tag, dating it to the mid 70s. sweet!



here's another of the softest silkiest t-shirts i own. love the repeated graphics and the hair on the player. michael jordan era - ncaa champions 1982. 



this must be one of the most obscure carolina basketball t-shirts ever made. gastonia, NC - city of the all-americans - russell athletic from the late 70's. honoring james worthy (UNC) and sleepy floyd (georgetown) - who both grew up in gastonia. 



last but not least, coach k drinks winecoolers. this is not as old as the others, probably only 15 years or so, but it makes me laugh every time. 

you know he does! 

although the tarheels did not advance past the sweet sixteen this year, it was a great season, and we can all still find pleasure in the remaining games by rooting against duke. 

my old clothes: tarheels edition part I

a few months ago i admitted my vintage t-shirt addiction and promised to share a few of my personal favorites here. 

then nacho died, sugarhoney arrived, and the second busiest month of the vintage year (october) steamrolled along, but here i am today with the first real glimpse into my own closetful of vintage treasures.

i spent 9 of my most formative years in chapel hill, nc. i love love love love UNC basketball. (i don't care about football. get rid of the team, fine by me). my tarheel ardor is diminished not one iota by the recent academic scandal - i truly believe athletes at every college in this country get special treatment. every single college. we have all heard of 'rocks for jocks.' not that 3 million wrongs make a right, but i am just not shocked or appalled by the news. the issue is complicated, and i am not judging. 

i've been collecting UNC t-shirts for 20 years now. i have about 15 of them. i've sold many over the years that did not fit me, and i don't keep every UNC shirt i see. the ones i do keep are extremely soft and comfortable. they may be the best collection of North Carolina vintage t-shirts in size Medium in the entire world.

they are not for sale.

first up is this paper thin, soft Carolina Tarheels t-shirt with grumpy Rameses on the front.

made in the early 80's with a Signal tag.

this fits like a dream and is silky soft. perfect summer t-shirt.

next up is this North Carolina Tarheels Coca-Cola reminiscent design on a poly-cotton-rayon blend heathered gray t-shirt. 

made by velva sheen in the early 80s. again, soft and thin and broken into perfection. versatile.

number 3 is this Carolina blue gem with a rainbow chest print from the 1982 NCAA National Champion Men's Basketball team. (hello Michael Jordan). 

i love how the basketball is swishing. it's so soft. so festive.

number 4 is similar, but in a baseball raglan ringer form: 

 the word National is the net. it is so comfortable and thin.

last, and definitely not least is this gem of a UNC Chapel Hill t-shirt from the freakin 1960's. 

extremely broken in heathered gray. classic. 

ooooold velva sheen tag:

there you have it. 5 of my most prized t-shirts of the UNC variety. 

thanks for following along and stay tuned for more of my favorite t-shirts in months to come. 

WTF Wednesday: Anna Septic, Mucho Gusto, Mountaintop Bass

It's Wednesday already, WTF!

Here's a doll stuffed in a plastic egg. Russ came out with this line of "Preserved Personalities" in the 80's. Maybe a riff off Garbage Pail Kids?  This is Anna Septic. 

 She has a thermometer and nurse's hat. WTF?!

I don't know what to call this.  It's a broken clock. Shaped like a dog. Covered in gold glitter glue. His back feet are floating.

If you're going to donate a frame with the photo still inside, I'm going to WTF Wednesday you.

Hey muchacho! You got a vest of bullets and a bistro chair. Ole!

The Waymasters. Good times in a gazebo. 

The mighty hand of God must have swooped down and lifted that stand up bass clear to that mountain top. 

I would like to be Tony's friend. 

Here's a wall hanging 3-D sculpture. I call this Knock, knock, knockin on heaven's door. 

Last but not least, a puppy tooth:

Sugarhoney was crunching on something, looked over, it's a sugarmolar.

As with all wtf wednesdays, there are no answers, only questions leading to more questions.

For more vintage wtf wonders (for sale), click here: vintage wtf

New WTF this week:

• 80s You're Rich, I'm Available Gold Digger Duck Tee
• 80s Jeep Cherokee Airbrushed Tee Shirt
• 80s Shih Tzu Myrtle Beach Tee Shirt