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Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.<br /><small><span class="plainlinks"><i>Find sources:</i> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Varsity+letter%22">"Varsity letter"</a> – <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Varsity+letter%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1">news</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Varsity+letter%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks">newspapers</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Varsity+letter%22+-wikipedia">books</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Varsity+letter%22">scholar</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Varsity+letter%22&acc=on&wc=on">JSTOR</a></span></small></span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">June 2019</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Nixon_Presidential_Library_%26_Museum_(30909055715).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Nixon_Presidential_Library_%26_Museum_%2830909055715%29.jpg/220px-Nixon_Presidential_Library_%26_Museum_%2830909055715%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="147" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Nixon_Presidential_Library_%26_Museum_%2830909055715%29.jpg/330px-Nixon_Presidential_Library_%26_Museum_%2830909055715%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Nixon_Presidential_Library_%26_Museum_%2830909055715%29.jpg/440px-Nixon_Presidential_Library_%26_Museum_%2830909055715%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2736" data-file-height="1824" /></a><figcaption>The high school varsity letter (W) awarded to <a href="/wiki/Richard_Nixon" title="Richard Nixon">Richard Nixon</a> at <a href="/wiki/Whittier_High_School" title="Whittier High School">Whittier High School</a> in California, displayed on a <a href="/wiki/Letterman_jacket" class="mw-redirect" title="Letterman jacket">letterman jacket</a></figcaption></figure> <p>A <b>varsity letter</b> (or <b>monogram</b>) is an award earned in the <a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a> for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its recipient was a qualified <a href="/wiki/Varsity_team" title="Varsity team">varsity team</a> member, awarded after a certain standard was met. A person who receives a varsity letter is known as a <a href="/wiki/Letterman_(sports)" title="Letterman (sports)">letterman</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Description">Description</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Varsity_letter&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Description"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Varsity_Letter.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Varsity_Letter.png/220px-Varsity_Letter.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="164" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Varsity_Letter.png/330px-Varsity_Letter.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Varsity_Letter.png/440px-Varsity_Letter.png 2x" data-file-width="959" data-file-height="714" /></a><figcaption>Varsity letter awarded in the Arts (Lyre) and Academia (Lamp)</figcaption></figure> <p>The award letter is usually made in the colors and initials representing the school that the recipient attends. The letter patch is primarily constructed of <a href="/wiki/Chenille_fabric" title="Chenille fabric">chenille</a> and <a href="/wiki/Felt" title="Felt">felt</a> materials. Standard sizes range from 4 inches (102 mm) to 8 inches (203 mm). While 4 inches (102 mm) and 5 inches (127 mm) usually denote Junior Varsity achievements, 6 inches (152 mm) to 8 inches (203 mm) would denote full (Senior) Varsity. The stitching style used for creating the chenille look is called a moss stitch, while the outlining sew down is called a chain stitch. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Origins">Origins</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Varsity_letter&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Origins"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>With the advent of organized sports, there was a need for uniforms. There was an additional need for identifications which was satisfied by the use of emblems or letters. </p><p>In 1865, the <a href="/wiki/Harvard_University" title="Harvard University">Harvard</a> baseball team added an Old English 'H'. The 'H' was embroidered on the gray flannel shirt. The football team started to use the 'H' in 1875. For 25 years following the introduction in 1865 of the letter, it was the practice for the team captain to allow certain players who played in the most important games (Yale or Princeton) to keep the 'H' jerseys as an award. If a player did not play in an important game, the player had to return the jersey at the end of the season. Awarding the 'H' jersey may have been the birth of the varsity letter as an award. The letterman sweater was first regularly used by the 1891 "Nine" (baseball) and was black with a small Crimson 'H' on the left breast. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Usage">Usage</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Varsity_letter&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Usage"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>It is not known when the letter sweater came to high schools. The earliest known example of a letter sweater in a high school is found in the 1911 yearbook of Phoenix Union High School, Arizona Territory.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A student in a group photo is pictured, not in a football uniform, wearing a <a href="/wiki/V-neck_sweater" class="mw-redirect" title="V-neck sweater">V-neck sweater</a> with the letter 'P' on the left side. </p><p>The sweater seems to be the home of the award letter from the 1890s until the 1930s. Another award during the 1920s and 1930s was a stadium-style blanket given as an award. In the 1930s, the letter award started to appear on leather-sleeved, wool-bodied jackets. The jackets from the 1930s were different in design from today's modern jacket.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Variations_and_application">Variations and application</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Varsity_letter&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Variations and application"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>As a decorative clothing item, the varsity letter has a huge number of variations and no set standard is made to any school on how it should look. </p><p>Chenille letters come in many different forms and shapes. Some institutions use Old English or script style, two or three-letter monogram, 3D shading, chenille bordered or the traditional straight block style. Students generally receive only one actual letter but can win the distinction multiple times. These additional designations are shown by adding embroidered sport insignias, modeled metal insert pins, or bars that are attached to the letter. Some schools may embroider non-athletic letters with their award title, such as "Academics" or "Arts". </p> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-traditional"> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:CV_Academic_Letter.png" class="mw-file-description" title="Two-letter monogram with embroidered academic insert"><img alt="Two-letter monogram with embroidered academic insert" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/CV_Academic_Letter.png/120px-CV_Academic_Letter.png" decoding="async" width="120" height="115" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/CV_Academic_Letter.png/180px-CV_Academic_Letter.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/CV_Academic_Letter.png/240px-CV_Academic_Letter.png 2x" data-file-width="287" data-file-height="275" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Two-letter monogram with embroidered academic insert</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:MNH_3_Letter_Monogram.gif" class="mw-file-description" title="Three-letter monogram"><img alt="Three-letter monogram" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/MNH_3_Letter_Monogram.gif/120px-MNH_3_Letter_Monogram.gif" decoding="async" width="120" height="92" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/MNH_3_Letter_Monogram.gif/180px-MNH_3_Letter_Monogram.gif 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/MNH_3_Letter_Monogram.gif/240px-MNH_3_Letter_Monogram.gif 2x" data-file-width="360" data-file-height="275" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Three-letter monogram</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:R_w_Warrior_Field_Hockey.gif" class="mw-file-description" title="Chenille bordered letter with embroidered mascot and sport inserts"><img alt="Chenille bordered letter with embroidered mascot and sport inserts" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/R_w_Warrior_Field_Hockey.gif/116px-R_w_Warrior_Field_Hockey.gif" decoding="async" width="116" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/R_w_Warrior_Field_Hockey.gif/175px-R_w_Warrior_Field_Hockey.gif 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/R_w_Warrior_Field_Hockey.gif/233px-R_w_Warrior_Field_Hockey.gif 2x" data-file-width="267" data-file-height="275" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Chenille bordered letter with embroidered mascot and sport inserts</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:C_w_3D_Shading.png" class="mw-file-description" title="Letter with 3D shading"><img alt="Letter with 3D shading" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/C_w_3D_Shading.png/112px-C_w_3D_Shading.png" decoding="async" width="112" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/C_w_3D_Shading.png/168px-C_w_3D_Shading.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/C_w_3D_Shading.png/223px-C_w_3D_Shading.png 2x" data-file-width="256" data-file-height="275" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Letter with 3D shading</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Traditional_Block_Letter_R_with_Embroidered_Mascot.gif" class="mw-file-description" title="Traditional block letter with embroidered mascot"><img alt="Traditional block letter with embroidered mascot" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Traditional_Block_Letter_R_with_Embroidered_Mascot.gif/120px-Traditional_Block_Letter_R_with_Embroidered_Mascot.gif" decoding="async" width="120" height="107" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Traditional_Block_Letter_R_with_Embroidered_Mascot.gif/180px-Traditional_Block_Letter_R_with_Embroidered_Mascot.gif 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Traditional_Block_Letter_R_with_Embroidered_Mascot.gif/240px-Traditional_Block_Letter_R_with_Embroidered_Mascot.gif 2x" data-file-width="400" data-file-height="357" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Traditional block letter with embroidered mascot</div> </li> </ul> <p>The chenille letter is traditionally placed on the left chest of the varsity jacket, which is also at times adorned with championship chenille patches showcasing the team or individual accomplishments. School mascot patches are also commonly used. </p><p>During the 1980s, and again in the 2010s, varsity jackets have been adopted into <a href="/wiki/Hip-hop_fashion" class="mw-redirect" title="Hip-hop fashion">hip-hop fashion</a>, with companies such as <a href="/wiki/Avirex" title="Avirex">Avirex</a>, <a href="/wiki/Phat_farm" class="mw-redirect" title="Phat farm">Phat Farm</a> and <a href="/wiki/Rocawear" title="Rocawear">Rocawear</a> making their own variations.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Varsity_letter&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Letterman_(sports)" title="Letterman (sports)">Letterman (sports)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sporting_colours" title="Sporting colours">Sporting colours</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Victor_(symbol)" title="Victor (symbol)">Victor (symbol)</a> – Symbol celebrating a doctorate in Spanish and Hispanic universities</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Varsity_letter&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output 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.citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://robbinsathletics.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-varsity-jackets-tradition-style-and-pride/">"The Ultimate Guide to Varsity Jackets: Tradition, Style, and Pride"</a>. 2 December 2023.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Ultimate+Guide+to+Varsity+Jackets%3A+Tradition%2C+Style%2C+and+Pride&rft.date=2023-12-02&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Frobbinsathletics.com%2Fthe-ultimate-guide-to-varsity-jackets-tradition-style-and-pride%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AVarsity+letter" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20091017114347/http://members.cox.net/phxjer/sleeves/history.htm">"History of the Letter Award Tradition"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://members.cox.net/phxjer/sleeves/history.htm">the original</a> on October 17, 2009.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=History+of+the+Letter+Award+Tradition&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.cox.net%2Fphxjer%2Fsleeves%2Fhistory.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AVarsity+letter" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://uk.askmen.com/fashion/galleries/baseball-jackets.html">Varsity jackets as street fashion</a></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239549316">.mw-parser-output .refbegin{margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul{margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{margin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul li{list-style:none}@media(max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{padding-left:1.6em;text-indent:-1.6em}}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .refbegin{font-size:90%}}</style><div class="refbegin" style=""> </div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Varsity_letter&oldid=1248360134">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Varsity_letter&oldid=1248360134</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Sports_terminology" title="Category:Sports terminology">Sports terminology</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:School_terminology" title="Category:School terminology">School terminology</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Monograms" title="Category:Monograms">Monograms</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:American_education_awards" title="Category:American education awards">American education awards</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:College_sports_culture_in_the_United_States" title="Category:College sports culture in the United States">College sports culture in the United States</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:1865_introductions" title="Category:1865 introductions">1865 introductions</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_matches_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description matches Wikidata">Short description matches Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_needing_additional_references_from_June_2019" title="Category:Articles needing additional references from June 2019">Articles needing additional references from June 2019</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_articles_needing_additional_references" title="Category:All articles needing additional references">All articles needing additional references</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 29 September 2024, at 02:50<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. 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