Charlie Manuel staring out from the dugout last year

Two weeks ago I bought Charlie Manuel's 2012 red hat from the Phillies. My general thought on collecting game-used, is that items you buy should have long-lasting value - and although I do not have much game-used equipment, I couldn't resist the opportunity to add a hat connected to the team's winningest manager. It cost a little more than the Michael Schwimmer hat, but it seems safe to assume that Ol' Cholly will be remembered a lot longer than Ol' Whatshisname...

When I opened the package I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of use the hat displayed. Clearly he wore this hat for most, if not the whole season. There was a lot of wear, especially on the bill which shows the marks of many nervous pulls.

One of the most interesting things for me was having the opportunity to get a good look at the trademark hat-dent that he seems to prefer. If you have watched games, you know this look well. After some observation, I can report: the dent is well worked, and definitely intentional. From what I can tell, the lining has been pulled to allow the fabric to take the desired form. I tried pushing it out, but no matter what I did, the dent always rebounded into it's original form.

Charlie Manuel
2012 Phillies hat