Kevin Barney pulled off such an amazing feat in the spring of 1978, it seems too unfathomable to be true.
A then-20-year-old sports junkie in Southern California, Barney hatched a wild idea when he learned the Angels and Dodgers had their jerseys made by local company W.A. Goodman & Sons.
Barney walked into the W.A. Goodman factory and requested the company make him an authentic Nolan Ryan jersey. And he paid a whopping $40 for it.
Ryan had just finished another incredible season on the mound, winning 19 games with a 2.77 ERA. If the Angels gave him run support, a 30-win season wouldn't have been out of the question.
"There weren't even replica jerseys back then," Barney told cllct. "So, when I wore my jerseys, kids thought I was actually that player."
Barney had previously had jerseys made for him, but this time, he added a twist.
"You make the Angels jerseys, so can you make me one in Nolan Ryan's size?" he asked.
The jersey manufacturer obliged with one caveat. The patch on the left sleeve, for some reason, would be a bit different.
That season, the Angels had a patch that had the silhouette of the state and a star by Anaheim. Barney's jersey had the same silhouette with letters that spelled "Angels" inside. The difference would turn out to be very valuable to Barney down the road.
On April 13, 1978, Barney decided to do the unthinkable.
Armed with a cumbersome video recorder and the Ryan jersey on a hanger, he was able to convince security to allow him into the locker room to get the jersey to Ryan.
When he walked in, the daring Barney went over to Ryan and explained he wanted the Angels ace to wear the jersey that he had made.
"How did you get in here, kid?" Barney said Ryan asked in his Texas drawl.
After a quick back and forth, without asking anyone, Ryan obliged Barney's bizarre request and told the fan if he wanted to come down after the game Ryan would sign the jersey and give it back.
After pitching 10 innings, striking out 12 and getting a no-decision, Ryan met Barney near the clubhouse and gave him back the now game-worn jersey.
Reached today, Ryan said he doesn't remember the incident, but Barney has video evidence of the exchange.
For years, Barney kept the jersey in a laundry basket, making sure none of the dirt from the Big A was lost. He later got it framed, but now he is ready to part with it.
The jersey, with a MEARS letter of authentication and pictures from the game matching the unique shoulder patch, is currently at auction at Lelands, which runs until Oct. 19.
The current bid on the jersey with buyer's premium is $7,783.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectible market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.