Mitchell and Ness started life when former tennis and wrestling champion, Frank Mitchell partnered with Scottish golfer, Charles Ness to open a sporting goods store On Arch Street, Philadelphia in 1904. The shop naturally specialised in golf clubs and tennis rackets although it did sell other sporting equipment. About a decade later, an Italian immigrant called Sisto starts working for the shop sweeping floors; he was thirteen years old at the time. During his time at Mitchell and Ness he becomes an apprentice and starts his career stringing tennis rackets. Later Sisto would take ownership of Mitchell and Ness and his son Peter would take over after him.
Mitchell and Ness caps – a sports favourite
By 1925 Mitchell and Ness started designing caps and sports kits for college teams, high schools and semi-pros but less than a decade later the company went pro when the Philadelphia Eagles signed the company as their official producer of their on-field sports gear. From then the Mitchell and Ness went from strength to strength gaining popularity first in Philadelphia then worldwide and became famous especially for their caps.
In 1983 while attempting to fix some damaged baseball jerseys, Peter discovers a treasure trove of old wool and flannel which inspired him to reproduce vintage sports gear – this in many ways influenced the Mitchell and Ness caps and clothing that we know today.
