What happens when two childhood friends, a weekend screen-printing class, and the golden era of sports collide? You get Salem Sportswear—a brand that didn’t just capture the spirit of sports culture but helped define it.

Founded in 1980 by Keith Kennelly and Kyle Nagel, Salem started in New England as the NBA exploded into a cultural phenomenon. With Larry Bird and Magic Johnson commanding attention coast-to-coast, Salem seized the moment and turned sports fandom into wearable art. Even decades later, their work inspires us, reminding us that great design and storytelling never go out of style.

From Band Tees to Sports Icons

Salem’s original play was music shirts, but fate—and a little New England hustle—led them to sports. Enter Bill Fickett, an electrician dabbling in screen-printed caricature T-shirts. His Larry Bird “Massachusetts State Bird” design caught on, and suddenly, Salem had a new focus: turning sports heroes into cartoon legends.

The Caricature Era

Let’s talk about the real MVPs: the artists. Salem’s caricature tees brought athletes to life in a way that made them feel larger-than-life and approachable at the same time.

The brand’s signature “Big Head” style? That’s thanks to the genius of artists like Allen "Mudge" Mudgett and Bruce Stark.

Stark, a legend in the world of caricature art who had already made waves in the Boston Globe, TV Guide, Time, and Mad Magazine, was coaxed out of retirement to join the team. His unique style gave Salem's designs a signature look that sports fans couldn’t get enough of.

Around the same time, Allen “Mudge” Mudgett was getting his start. He began in Salem's screen-printing department before moving into the graphics side, where he helped with bumper stickers and basic shirt designs. But when Salem started cranking out their now-iconic “Big Head” caricature T-shirts, Mudgett got his shot at creating his own take on the athlete caricatures. His work became a defining piece of Salem's aesthetic.

With Stark and Mudgett on board, Salem Sportswear became the brand for sports fans in the late '80s and early '90s. Together, they gave Salem a signature look that became a cultural icon in its own right.

The NBA License: A Game Changer

In 1985, Salem scored big: licensing deals with the NBA, NFL, and MLB. This unlocked a new era of official merch, including the legendary NBA championship tees. Think about the Pistons’ “Bad Boys” era or the Bulls’ dynasty runs—those Salem T-shirts weren’t just souvenirs. They were statements—a way to declare your allegiance to the team and commemorate the moment in style.

The Big Payday = The End

By the early ‘90s, Salem was unstoppable. In October 1993, Kennelly and Nagel sold the company to Fruit of the Loom for $136.4 million. Let that sink in: a weekend class turned into a $100 million-a-year business with 2,000 employees. Who says side hustles don’t pay off?

The Legacy Lives On

If you’re a vintage sportswear fan or love great design, chances are you’ve got at least one Salem piece in your closet. These tees remain a benchmark for creativity in sportswear, blending art, humor, and history in a way that is still being copied 40 years later.

The NBA recently partnered with Bill Starks’s son Ron to update the classic Salem Big Head designs featuring today’s stars as part of a nostalgic campaign with Mitchell & Ness back in April 2024.

For the true die-hards, co-founder Keith Kennelly is still keeping the spirit alive. His Instagram account, @salem_screen_printers, is a goldmine of behind-the-scenes content, from rare designs to the stories behind the tees. It's definitely worth following.

For more on Salem Sportswear:

• Big Heads, Bad Boys and Bird: How Salem Sportswear Changed the Game Forever - Rolling Stone

• Brand History: Salem Sportswear - Double Double Vintage

Support Gameday Grails

So, we launched this whole thing in 2020 as a fun pandemic project. Since then, we’ve had a crazy ride. We’ve sourced gear for All-Starm athletes and produced videos that have gotten millions of views.

There’s been a lot of learning, too. We’ve blown money on ideas that didn’t work out and thrown pop-ups that only a few people showed up to. We’ve taken L’s, stacked W’s, and throughout it all, people like you have been there to support us.

We’d love your support as we embark on our next chapter. We’re moving away from selling gear ourselves. To me, the next phase of this thing looks a lot like what you’re reading now. We want to be the home of vintage sportswear and the culture around it.

To us, that looks like:

• Interviews, deep dives, and editorial shoots about vintage and vintage-inspired sportswear

• Featuring some of the diehard collectors and sellers that make up our beautiful community

• Curated links to shop

• Resources and information for collectors, fashionable sports fans, and people who love this little thing of ours.

How can you support us?

Right now, we’re having a 25% off sale on everything we have left in our store. Every purchase made helps us put $$$ towards our new vision. It’s a triple threat: Get a gift for that special someone, support a small business, and help us build out this crazy dream of ours.

In the future, we will launch a paid subscriber tier for this newsletter that will include exclusive benefits, longer videos, and a few other surprises.

Shop our sale via the button below, but here are a few selected highlights: