(Update) Old Navy Apologizes for University of Iowa T-Shirt Error

(Update 7:17 p.m.)

Old Navy has issued an apology for a misprint that put the wrong founding dates of several universities, including University of Iowa, on several T-shirts, according to the Des Moines Register.

Ankeny-based Tailgate Clothing Co. actually made the mistake, but Old Navy apologized nonetheless, according to the Register.

“At Old Navy, we strive to provide our customers with the highest quality products and we apologize for the misprint in this line of college graphic Ts. We’re confident they will be moved from our shelves very soon,” the statement said according to the Register.

(Previous coverage)

Lot's of things happened in 1820.

King George III died. The Missouri Compromise was passed. James Monroe was elected president. The Underground Railroad began to rise. The tomato was proven non-poisonous. And, Maine was admitted as a state.

One thing that didn't happen: The University of Iowa was not founded.

Unfortunately, Old Navy didn't get the memo.

The retailer has launched a line of college T-shirts, including one that attaches the date 1820 to University of Iowa. The university was actually established in 1847. 

A women's T-shirt in the line is selling for $16 on the Old Navy website.

According to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, Old Navy also erred in T-shirts for University of Kansas, the University of Arizona and the University of Colorado. 

The future of the faulty duds is not immediately clear.

UI spokesman Tom Moore said the university noticed the error during the editing process and made Old Navy's supplier aware of it, but it was not corrected. Moore said the university was satisfied with the steps Old Navy has taken to ensure the problem doesn't occur again, but declined to elaborate. When asked what would happen to the flawed shirts, Moore said that question should be addressed elsewhere but added that the university was OK with the shirts still being sold.

An Old Navy spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Let's not be too harsh on Old Navy, though. At least they got the school colors right. Last year, a New York Times scribe mistakenly confused the Iowa Hawkeyes with the rival Iowa State Cyclones.

Now that stings.

What was your worst faulty fact error?