I’ve occasionally linked to photos of MLBers who played minor league ball in Alaska. There’s a certain novelty to these shots, but it’s based purely on distance — like, “Whoa, Alaska sure is far away! And lookie, they actually have baseball teams!!”
Now reader Michael Orr has turned up something a lot more interesting: a University of Alaska archive of baseball photos from the early 1900s. Yes, I’ve linked to lots of old historical pics in recent months, but these are different, because they reflect a sense of place not often seen in early sports photos. Remember, Alaska didn’t even become a state until 1959. In the early 1900s, it was still a pretty ragtag assortment of loggers, prospectors, miners, land speculators, and a lot of wilderness, and you can really get a feel for that in these photographs. Some of them look like they were taken in a labor camp; in others, the game is overwhelmed by the forest and mountains in the background.
A few specifics worth noting:
• See that “Midnight Sun” insignia? According to the photo’s caption, “The Six Mile team played the Ladd Field team and the winning team played the winning team of Fairbanks in a midnight game on the longest day of the year.” Only in Alaska, kids.
• The Six Mile team appears to have been wearing football jerseys in this shot. In other shots, that big sculpture/symbol thingie in the background showed up as their jersey logo.
• Dig the moose head insignia on this 1930 team.
• According to the inscription at the bottom of this photo, this team played “indoor baseball.” Anyone know anything about that?
• Although it’s not uni-related, I love this grandstand photo, which really provides a sense of how small-time these games were.
• Good assortment of uniform styles on display here, here, here, and here.
• There was football in Alaska, too. This shot was taken in 1940.
Last Chance Raffle Reminder: The raffle for the authentic Tracy McGrady All-Star Game jersey will close today at 5pm eastern. Ticket sales have picked up a bit, but it’s still a relatively small pool at the moment. One last time: $3 for one virtual raffle ticket, or two for $5, five for $10, a dozen for $20, or fifty for $50. PayPal your ticket purchases to me at paul_lukas at earthlink dot net (or, if you don’t like PayPal, mail payment to Paul Lukas, 671 DeGraw St., Brooklyn, NY 11217 and e-mail me so I know it’s on the way). I’ll announce the winner on Monday.
Uni Watch News Ticker: Craig Biggio has been told to stop wearing his Sunshine Kids cap pin during batting practice, which seems like a really idiotic PR move by MLB. I’ve written something about this for ESPN today — look here. … Soccer news from Dominic Litten, who reports that Liverpool and Arsenal have unveiled their 2007-08 away kits. … Reprinted from yesterday’s comments: Gilbert Arenas was wearing some bizarro footwear on Wednesday night, plus he took off his jersey and placed it on the court as officials reviewed the status of his buzzer beater. … You know how you’ll sometimes see an MLB player wearing a clip-on mic during a nationally televised game? Expect to see umpires wearing the microphones this season, thanks to a new arrangement with the umps’ union. … Stewart Small notes that they have some pretty weird ideas about basketball uniforms in Korea. … I have a feeling I’ve linked to this before, but just in case: Here are some really bad soccer jerseys (as spotted by Robert Neddermeyer). … An inside source whispers that the NBA’s D-league will soon be test-driving “a new jersey style that will feature a lighter-weight material, fewer seams, and a more athletic fit.”
#1 by Hubbard on 03.23.07 8:12 am |
A comment from a couple of days ago, David Well is a type 2 diabetic ,he will not need to wear an insulin pump.
#2 by Frenchie on 03.23.07 8:12 am |
The Six Mile insignia is the U.S. Army’s branch insignia for the Ordnance Corps. According to this site, The use of the “shell and flame” by the Ordnance Corps dates back to 1832; it is considered to be the oldest branch insignia of the Army.
#3 by Brian W on 03.23.07 8:14 am |
Did anyone notice that one of the players for Memphis took off his jersey, after he fouled out of the game last night, took off his jersey? He watched the rest of the game from the bench with some sort of plain white tank top. It looked quite odd.
#4 by Pittsburgh Gunny on 03.23.07 8:16 am |
WHAT?!?! Arsenal wearing a WHITE shirt?!?! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO and NO!
I think that is just a concept that was posted in the main article but this is the second rumor I have read about the Gunners going to a white shirt next season. Most Gooners will not buy this shirt, I know I will not, so I hope this concept dies a quick and painful death.
#5 by Caknuck on 03.23.07 8:21 am |
The “big sculpture/symbol thingie” appears to be the military flaming grenade symbol. The motif is still used as the regimental insignia and cap badge for several reserve regiments in the Canadian Army, as seen here.
#6 by Randy Miller on 03.23.07 8:23 am |
Actually, the cards of Giambi and Seaver show them in their days in the Alaska collegiate summer leagues, as opposed to the minors.
As far as the Six Mile wearing football jerseys, it’s possible those are the undershirts covered by the vests. I remember that at my junior high, the undershirt had numbers (which didn’t match the jersey number) imprinted on them.
#7 by The Original Lee on 03.23.07 8:24 am |
come on, you know arsenal just wants to be more like the lillywhites. Come On You Spurs.
besides those “unveilings” are nothing more than rumours. The liverpool one isnt confirmed, and really the black one they show just looks like what wil be a training top and not an actual kit, and the arsenal one is just a mock up of something they may or may not be considering. so i dont put much faith in either of them.
#8 by BCrisp on 03.23.07 8:31 am |
More on Biggio’s pin. Astros Notes.
The guys been wearing that pin during spring training for 20 years and MLB pciks now to complain. I don’t get it.
#9 by Broker75 on 03.23.07 8:33 am |
Wow i had no idea Giambi played ball in Alaska. cool. thanks Paul
#10 by ID on 03.23.07 8:37 am |
In previous posts there has been some mention of the Unibet.com cycling team’s uniform problems. The team is sponsored by an on-line betting company. France has a law which prohibits advertising gambling, aside from the state sponsored programs.
Earlier in the season the team wore a question mark jersey in Franch races.
http://www.cyclingne...
The team announced yesterday that they will race wearing different uniforms when in France. They will also be known by a different name (Team Canyon) for those races. Everywhere else they will remain Unibet.com.
Photos of the official uniform, and the new France only alternate can be found on the team’s website
#11 by PDXclark on 03.23.07 8:40 am |
Hey Paul- I’m pretty sure the “midnight run” jersey actually says “midnight Sun”. As in “Alaska, land of the midnight sun”.
#12 by Josh on 03.23.07 8:46 am |
I grew up in AK, so the “Midnight Sun” games were something that happened every year. The Goldpanners (Fairbanks’ team) would play the Anchorage team every year in June and the first pitch would be thrown out at midnight. I think they still do it. There’s also a 10k run that happens every year on that day in Fairbanks.
The grandstand picture looks like it’s from Valdez, a town on the southeastern coast of Alaska. It’s never been a huge town, so I imagine the grandstands might have been a bit bigger in Anchorage, say.
As far as major leaguers who played in Alaska, Dave Winfield and Mark Grace are two who immediately come to mind.
Thanks for digging up those photos. They are always cool to see.
Josh
#13 by LES on 03.23.07 8:50 am |
Hi
Id say the Liverpool away shirt are acurate they look like the templates that you see at Adidas trade shows so the actual kits will be those templates but with added sponsors etc. when the kits are made available to the public.
Les
#14 by mg12 on 03.23.07 8:53 am |
The Colorado Caribou have to be the worst soccer jerseys ever made.
http://www.premiersh...
http://1978.timbersf...
I mean fringe and that team logo on the right shoulder? What the hell were they thinking? It looks like they were at a rodeo.
#15 by Matthew H on 03.23.07 8:58 am |
MLB and Bud Selig need to get some balance in their lives.
#16 by Drew on 03.23.07 9:06 am |
Paul, my understanding is that “indoor baseball” was the original name given to softball. A guy named George Hancock invented indoor baseball in a Chicago boathouse in the 1880s.
A bunch of Yale and Harvard men were in the boathouse listening to a Yale/Harvard boat race on the radio. After the race, one alum threw an old boxing glove at another guy and that other guy hit it back to him with a stick.
Hancock taped that glove into a ball, and everyone started playing “indoor baseball”. The name changed to kitten ball and then softball, and the balls were eventually standardized in sizes from 8″ or 12″…except in Chicago, where they still play softball with a larger (16″) ball and without mitts.
So, I’m guessing indoor baseball means some form of softball. Especially when looking at the thinness the bat in that photo.
I can’t link properly to save my life, but this site has the detailed story: http://www.angelfire...
Thanks-
Drew
#17 by Matt from the 'Ville on 03.23.07 9:07 am |
Vince,
Can we get an update on the pool that you are doing..
Thanks,
Matt from the ‘Ville
#18 by Anthony Verna on 03.23.07 9:31 am |
Pittsburgh Gunny said:
I don’t quite understand the aversion to this. It’d be the reverse of the home jersey (white sleeves, red chest). Quite clever, if it were to happen.
#19 by David T on 03.23.07 9:32 am |
What do people thing of the generic-looking courts that showed up in San Jose and San Antonio last night for the Sweet Sixteen? Normally I can tell where a tournament game is being played by looking at the floor, but both have the same design, colors and font. For me, part of the excitement of the tournament is seeing lots of different schools wearing their various colors, playing on a neutral court with its own (different) color scheme. If all the regional semis and finals are now taking place on courts that look like they’re samples from the manufacturer, it knocks the tournament down just a notch, in my book.
#20 by Sebastian on 03.23.07 9:36 am |
Teebz – you seem to be the hockey uniform expert around here and I was wondering if you could clear something up for me. I’ve been watching the Red Wings and they have recently switched to wearing their white sweaters for home games. I think it started when they got beat by Boston a couple of weeks ago. That was an original six game, so that was understandable, but then they played at Nashville, wore white (an away game) and won, then played at home the next night and wore white again. They wore white at home last night against Columbus. Sorry for the long post, but this has been bugging me for a while. Thanks a lot!
#21 by J.D. on 03.23.07 9:40 am |
For the new D-League uniforms, is “more athletic fit” code for “really tight tops and enormous bloomers”? I sure hope not.
#22 by Pittsburgh Gunny on 03.23.07 9:45 am |
Anthony Verna said:
Arsenal traditionally wear a red shirt with white sleeves and white shorts at home. The away kit traditionally is a yellow shirt with blue shorts, some years a blue shirt has been adopted.
Arsenal cannot wear a white shirt as it would look too much like the shirt of our fiercest rivals, T*tt*nh*m H*tsp*r, they wear white shirts, not Arsenal.
#23 by Mike Miller on 03.23.07 9:49 am |
I don’t mind the concept of NCAA produced courts for regionals, they generally do a good job with the Final Four court (early 2000s excluded). But yeah, the design they picked for the regionals this year blows chunks. I really don’t like filling in the half free-throw circle and leaving the lane blank. If the lane were blue instead of the circle, it would be better. The font on the baselines is pretty boxy and ugly too, probably 100 better fonts that would still be plenty readable to everyone in the stands and on TV.
Hopefully a better design is produced for the Final Four.
#24 by Anthony Verna on 03.23.07 9:57 am |
Pittsburgh Gunny said:
S*mpr*n*?
#25 by Brian from Short Island on 03.23.07 9:57 am |
Pittsburgh Gunny said:
You mean Spurs?
Totteham wear white nearly exclusively (everyone else seems to have a colored home kit, so we can wear our white almost whenever we want), with blue shorts in the league. In Europe, we wear chocolate brown or our traditional white shirts with special white shorts.
This is why Barcelona won’t have a white shirt, the color is associated with the scum in Madrid.
COME ON YOU SPURS!
Arse-nal wore a white shirt in the 60s, the yellow was developed as an alternate for cup matches and bloomed into the current 2nd jersey.
Also, Paul and others, please realize that there is a LOT of speculation regarding clubs’ shirts, but the big clubs hang onto their designs very tightly. I would be genuinely surprised if either of those jerseys that you call “released” are ever produced.
#26 by Beefalo on 03.23.07 9:59 am |
Paul,
Not sure if this has anything to do with the shoes Arenas was wearing, but these new Iverson models are pretty odd.
#27 by DenverGregg on 03.23.07 9:59 am |
Thanks for the Alaska pics. One of my fondest childhood memories was attending midnight baseball in Fairbanks in July 1972. As an 8 year old getting to both stay up past midnight and watch a ball game was a huge treat.
Loved the sign on the Valdez grandstand. That’s the old west!
#28 by david goodfriend on 03.23.07 10:01 am |
Happy belated b-day Paul.
I bought one of the new game hats…wash nats home one
the sizing is more consistant…all the 7 1/8 fit (i thought) and all the 7 1/4 were to big.
The material feels a little smoother I would say,
But,,,this hat costs 30 dollars. I like a bend in the brim. After breaking it in (the brim is a bit stiffer than the old ones) and wearing it for a afternoon,..I can’t even wear it anymore…complete waste of money.
The brim digs in at ths side of my head..Kind of where the brim joins the crown. It left 2 huge red welts and it actually still hurts a bit 2 days later.
#29 by Robert on 03.23.07 10:12 am |
Speaking of the new MLB hats, when I was a Reds Spring Training game in Sarasota, I planned to purchase one of the new hats. To my surprise, they did not have them at any of the souvenir stands.
Instead, they had only the old wool model. Figuring that the opportunity to get a wool model would soon be lost forever, and that the synthetics will be available for a long time, I went ahead and blew $33 on the wool cap.
#30 by wooster, oh on 03.23.07 10:16 am |
Morning all….weird question but I think that you guys (and gals) might have an answer for me. I have about 40 cool logo’d t-shirts that I’ve saved over the years and want to frame them and do a large wall art project in my loft apt dislaying them. Do any of you know of places that sell t-shirt frames (not like jersey frames)? Thanks in advance.
#31 by Kris on 03.23.07 10:20 am |
Drew said:
I also found this page (http://www.ihsa.org/...) that gives a bit of the history along with some pics.
#32 by todd krevanchi on 03.23.07 10:27 am |
the picture of the south korea womens league features 2 of the worlds best players…
at the line, washington’s alana beard of the us. and on the low box, perhaps the best player in the world, seattle’s lauren jackson of australia.
#33 by Adam on 03.23.07 10:29 am |
The US Men’s soccer team will use white shorts with their third jersey. Thank God.
#34 by TexasDDS on 03.23.07 10:34 am |
Boy the MLB thing with Biggio makes perfect sense. Let’s not have any standards on stirrups, pants, etc, and let’s let players completely deface their batting helmets with pine tar, but Biggio wearing a pin on his cap during spring training and BATTING PRACTICE? That must be punished immediately.
#35 by TexasDDS on 03.23.07 10:38 am |
Paul you should do a feature on court design for NCAA final fours, regionals, etc. I might be totally wrong but I think you mentioned this at one point. I don’t like the regional onces but they are better than some of the bad ones in the early 2000’s. I remember in the 70’s and early 80’s they just used the courts in the arenas, nothing special. I know that in 85 at Rupp and 83 at The Pit they just used the regular court.
I could be wrong but I think at one final four-maybe 1978?- the game was in St. Louis but they brought in the court from Indiana’s gym. That is really amazing and unstable at the same time. Now of course everything is planned and logoed up.
I think 86 was the first time I can remember a special floor being made for the final four- it was in Dallas and they had a special floor with the state of Texas in the middle. Since then the floors have all been new ones.
#36 by Joe on 03.23.07 10:40 am |
Robert said:
Anything over $20 for a hat is just ridiculous to me. If I ever spent $30 on a hat it better fit my head better than my hair! What bugs me about the 5950 is they don’t scale the brim and crown down with the smaller hat sizes. They are the same size on a size 7 hat as they are a size 8 hat, which makes them ginormous when I wear a 5950….I have a small dome.
And they way the reviews are coming in, the new 5950’s will not be any better.
#37 by Kerry on 03.23.07 10:41 am |
Hey Paul!
LOVED today’s entry! I especially found THIS photo interesting because of the idea of what a true frontier Alaska was (as still is in some respects). Those mountains in the back ground are incredible…you won’t see that at any major league park in the lower 48!
#38 by Smail on 03.23.07 10:48 am |
I caught a bit of an Astros preseason game a couple days ago and was wondering what Biggio had on his cap. Are they also going to go tell all those pin wearing managers to remove them. No. It’s not what you do, it’s who sees you do it.
#39 by Matt D. on 03.23.07 10:53 am |
TexasDDS said:
Watching last night, it is really, really sad that the NCAA has rigidly standardized the floors for the regonal rounds.
#40 by alvarez on 03.23.07 10:54 am |
most interesting to me is the ‘labor camp’ alaska photo – am i the only one that thinks the guy on the far left wouldn’t have been allowed to play in the american pro baseball system back in 1915??? way to be racially progressive, alaskans of old!
#41 by Kerry on 03.23.07 10:58 am |
Reading today’s entry made me think of a site that I found on the net not too long ago: NEW ORLEANS BASEBALL.COM which has many pictures of baseball teams in the Big Easy (pro, semi-pro, college and high school).
One of my favorite pictures on the site is THIS ONE of the old New Orleans Pelicans of the Southern Association (1949). It shows the manager at the time, Hugh Kuby, sitting down (with a glove on) watching a local pitching prospect, Paul Petit, who is trying to make the team. There are two things in particular that make this picture unique (in my opinion):
1] The manager and player are wearing two different unis. Kuby is wearing the Pels’ away uni with “New Orleans” in script across the chest while Petit has the home duds on with “Pelicans” in script across the chest.
2] Petit is my last name, so I’ve been trying to find out if there is a relation between myself and him (which would be awesome!)
The site also has pictures of major league players with local ties as well as players that played in New Orleans either in the minors or in exhibition games. Also, there are a few unusual pictures like THIS ONE OF MEL OTT in a basketball uniform and THIS IMAGE of a father and his sons, showing off several uniforms.
#42 by Ian K on 03.23.07 11:02 am |
Gilbert Arenas was wearing some bizarro footwear on Wednesday night, plus he took off his jersey and placed it on the court as officials reviewed the status of his buzzer beater
I found it odd that Gilbert Arenas wears what looks like a 2(x)ist brand undershirt under his jersey. For those unfamiliar, 2(x)ist is a pricey brand of men’s undergarments available at places like Nordstrom, Neimans, etc. Wouldn’t Reebok-Adidas have an alternative for Arenas to wear, and one that he doesn’t have to pay for? Granted, a $20 undershirt is a drop in the bucket for him, but why bother seeking something non-Reebok for game wear if you’re an NBA star?
#43 by Ryan B. on 03.23.07 11:03 am |
Although Paul knows bupkus about “football” (soccer), it’s nice to see The Beautiful Game getting some more chatter and pub on this site. (Especially nice to see my team, Spurs, getting some love. COYS!)
I am an American who really only has caught the passion for soccer, especially the international competitions and the EPL, since around June of last year (World Cup time).
And, yeah, I’ll eat my hat if Arsenal wears a white change kit shirt next season. No way they’d want to compare themselves in any way to Tottenham. I think the North London Derby (Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal) is probably the fiercest rivalry in all of professional sports that basically no one in the United States knows anything about. They’re two of the traditionally successful English clubs, and they’re about 4 miles apart from one another in north London. It’s basically like Duke-North Carolina in basketball, only if they were pro teams and with a rivalry about twice as long.
#44 by Steve on 03.23.07 11:04 am |
Paul, you had posted the Bobby Valentine incognito picture in your Page 2 sunglasses column a few days ago.
Any idea what hat Bobby is wearing? You might have to do your Bill Bucker batting glove-esque research….
http://www.sportsecy...
#45 by EdfromAZ on 03.23.07 11:09 am |
Some other Soccer Jersey related news coming from MLS. Toronto FC has debuted some new jerseys..again this time with Bank Of Montreal as their sponsor.
Toronto FC
The LA Galaxy have announced Herbalife as their new shirt sponsor. This photo is making the rounds
LA Galaxy
But that obviously will be what they will wear all season since they are redesigning everything anyway.
#46 by Metsfan AZ on 03.23.07 11:11 am |
Ian K said:
Just guessing – I think that some guys just don’t like how the high tech fibers feel against their skin. Cotton just feels good. Would you wear a MLB uni (read: 100% poly) without at least a t-shirt underneath? Again, just a guess.
#47 by Robert on 03.23.07 11:13 am |
I have to side with MLB on the Biggio pin-wearing issue. If he is permitted to wear it, then the next day some other guys are wearing one, and the next thing you know, Manny Ramirez will show up with a cap covered in pins.
Pretty soon, MLB would have to set up a pin-review committee, having Congressional hearings, and so forth. Nope, just nip the pin-wearing in the bud. There are plenty of other ways to support a cause.
#48 by sw on 03.23.07 11:17 am |
that arsenal away kit is just a mock-up a fan made up to see what a white kit would look like. it’s from the bigsoccer forum. they will be probably be playing in blue next season.
#49 by Kerry on 03.23.07 11:19 am |
EdfromAZ said:
Eh, nothing really special about the Toronto one…isn’t that what the new Adidas template is?
#50 by Matthew S. on 03.23.07 11:20 am |
Josh said:
There was an article about this midnight game in the New York Times three years ago. You might have to register to read the article, but it’s free and worth the time.
http://query.nytimes...
#51 by Matthew S. on 03.23.07 11:24 am |
Robert said:
Robert I disagree. It’s not as though he’s wearing Nike or Majestic pin. He’s wearing a pin from an organization that helps children and families with cancer, free of charge (http://www.sunshinek...).
Let’s assume all baseball players started wearing pins showing support to charitable organizations during BP and spring training…would that really be such a bad thing? These players make millions of dollars to play a game and they receive exposure in the media on the national level every night on Sportscenter, among other places. Would it be so bad for them to visibly support a charitable organization?
#52 by Jason on 03.23.07 11:24 am |
On deadspin’s Milwaukee Brewers preview, they point of that the Brewers will not make this year’s playoffs because they are lacking the mustaches that the 1982 team sported. Sweet, sweet pics of said mustaches accompany the article. Good times!
#53 by Metsfan AZ on 03.23.07 11:29 am |
Matthew S. said:
Good point. MLB has focused on chartiable causes in the past during Spring Training. Garth Brooks goes to a different team every March supporting something doesn’t he? or used to anyway? Just a bad PR move IMO.
#54 by Richard on 03.23.07 11:34 am |
Matthew S. said:
I can’t side with MLB on this for one simple reason. If they have had problems with this pin being on Biggio’s hat, then they have had the last 20 years to tell him to remove it. Why wait til now to say something? That’s ridiculous. They need to retract this statement, and allow him to put the pin back on his hat and wear it this season. Does it distract players so much?
#55 by TexasDDS on 03.23.07 11:40 am |
Robert said:
Fine, if they are going to be standardized on hats, let’s have the same level of attention paid to pants, stirrups, and socks. God bless Jose Cruz jr.
#56 by TexasDDS on 03.23.07 11:43 am |
Not exactly a uniform issue, but seeing all the logos (dasani water) and “corporate sponsors” for the NCAA tourney, that CBS paid $$$$$ to cover, is this the same NCAA that rules that athletes cannot even get a stipend, except for room and board, AND prohibits the athletes from having a job? WOW.
#57 by Andy from KC on 03.23.07 11:45 am |
Matthew S. said:
Pretty sure that first post was sarcastic.
I don’t get why Biggio can’t wear his pin. MLB let Mike Sweeney wear a flag pin on his cap in 2003 to support the troops–apparently that was OK. Heck, I even remember Brian McRae with a happy-face sticker on his batting helmet during his Royals days (can’t find a pic, unfortunately). If I were Biggio I’d wear the pin anyway and just eat the fine.
#58 by dgc on 03.23.07 11:46 am |
Speaking of pins and caps, when I attend games and they give away souvenir pins, I always stick them to whatever cap I’m wearing to the game. When I went to college, I usually wore my Caps cap with a Stanley Cup 100 Year pin. For some reason, all of my hockey-loving friends wanted that pin. It wasn’t even much of a pin, just generic guy holding up the Cup.
#59 by bj in gainesville on 03.23.07 11:49 am |
this might be widely-known outside of Gator Country, or maybe not: the Gator’s home court, at the O-Dome, is the court they won the National Championship on last year. They bought it and brought it down from Indy. Of course, now it’s been painted.
#60 by Ethan on 03.23.07 11:49 am |
Great pictures of Sabres goalie Ty Conklin’s new mask, but what’s up with the double logo creep? are Bauer and Nike working together now?
Sorry, i’m having link issues…
http://www.wgr550.co...
#61 by Sebastian on 03.23.07 11:56 am |
bj in gainesville said:
I think the floor at the Breslin Center is the same one Michigan State won the ncaa championship on in 2000. I wonder if any other schools have done the same thing.
#62 by Matthew S. on 03.23.07 11:59 am |
Andy from KC said:
You know I kinda got that feeling after I had already responded to it. So Robert, if you were beign sarcastic and I missed it, sorry. But if you were being genuine, that’s fine too, I’d be interested to see why you think that way.
#63 by C.N. on 03.23.07 12:00 pm |
bj in gainesville said:
Michigan State and UConn have also done that in recent years. It seems to happen every season, and is barely even notable now, it seems.
#64 by C.N. on 03.23.07 12:01 pm |
Josh said:
How about Barry Bonds?
#65 by Joe on 03.23.07 12:03 pm |
Jason said:
SO if the Brew-crew really wanted a throwback logo they should use this!
#66 by Chad G on 03.23.07 12:03 pm |
You know, it’s kind of ironic but Biggio probably has now gotten more exposure for that organization now that the MLB has told him to stop wearing the pin then he has gotten in the last 20 years he has worn it.
#67 by dgc on 03.23.07 12:05 pm |
Sebastian said:
IIRC Maryland has a piece of the floor from 2002 displayed on the Wall of Fame at the Comcast Center, but not the entire thing.
#68 by Ron on 03.23.07 12:13 pm |
C.N. said:
Yes Barry Bonds played in Alaska, as well as Randy Johnson, Jeff Kent, Doug Mientkiewicz, Jeff Francis, Jered Weaver to name a few.
#69 by Mark Fimoff on 03.23.07 12:13 pm |
Drew said:
Wake up Drew – they were listening to the radio in the 1880’s ?!!!
Indoor baseball was extremely popular in Chicago in the early 1900’s. If you can access Chicago Tribunes from that era, you will articles and team photos, especially in Sunday editions.
#70 by Aaron on 03.23.07 12:22 pm |
Not really a uniform issue, but didn’t know where else to go. Sorry…
Last night, I came across this picture. For a moment, I felt bad for Brutus, I mean the poor guy’s head is just sitting there in front of everyone! I eventually realized that they had all the Brutuses (how do you pluralize Brutus? Brutusi?) were in the back row, showing their normal human heads.
http://ohiostatebuck...
#71 by Andy (#11) on 03.23.07 12:23 pm |
Brian W said:
I saw that too.
I thought it might be violation to take off your game jersey while sitting on the bench, so I checked the rules and I couldn’t find any rule about it.
Rule 3, Section 5 is the Uniform section.
#72 by Ron on 03.23.07 12:24 pm |
Mike Miller said:
I agree, at least the courts do not have the decals they sometime put on the floor.
It’s also cool seeing the host school’s logo on the court, i.e. San Jose State and Univ. Texas-San Antonio.
For the East regional we have Rutgers University and the Missouri Valley Conference will host the Midwest regional.
You can scroll down on this site to see the 2008 and 2009 locations for the tournament.
#73 by Ian K on 03.23.07 12:29 pm |
Joe said:
Thank you Joe! As you said about the Indians patch, you’re “good for one graphic a day” and today’s does not disappoint!
#74 by Larry on 03.23.07 12:30 pm |
I know the basketball court at Northern Illinois is the same court that was used for the Final Four the last time it was in Atlanta.
#75 by Metsfan AZ on 03.23.07 12:34 pm |
column is up. Well done Paul, as always.
#76 by Steve on 03.23.07 12:38 pm |
The Biggio this is so stupid. Like most of you guys have said, why did it take 20 years to tell him to remove it? It’s a freaking non-profit charity. I really doubt any other major leaguers have complained about it. So stupid.
Just like the NFL when they didn’t allow Jake Plummer to wear Pat Tillman’s number on his helmet. What was the big deal with that either??? They were pretty much best friends and college teammates…..
#77 by Brian W on 03.23.07 12:44 pm |
TexasDDS said:
Who are you, TexasDDS? Do you work there?
#78 by Jerico on 03.23.07 12:48 pm |
Peter Budaj has a NikeBauer mask too (look close enough); you can see that he is outfitted in NikeBauer equipment as well. Conversely, Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo (among others) also have Rbk logos plastered around them.
Nike and Bauer collaborated a couple of years ago, and such collaborations have caught on; I hear they will be combining Reebok and CCM in the same vein.
One more note about Peter Budaj; if you watch him on a regular basis (like I do), you will see Ned Flanders on the back of his mask. (I’ll show you if I can find the link.)
#79 by Matthew S. on 03.23.07 12:49 pm |
There’s a little smattering in the beginning of this article about Anibal Sanchez writing the names of his grandmother and cousin, both deceased, on the underside of his hat bill: http://www.sun-senti...
#80 by Jerico on 03.23.07 12:49 pm |
Post #78 was in response to post #60. Sorry.
#81 by Paul Lukas on 03.23.07 12:52 pm |
My little Biggio rant is up on ESPN.com — look here.
#82 by Anthony Verna on 03.23.07 12:52 pm |
Jerico said:
Ask and ye shall receive:
http://scarlettice.b...
#83 by Jerico on 03.23.07 12:54 pm |
Thanks, Anthony! More Flanders love, courtesy of the Denver Post
#84 by The Original Lee on 03.23.07 12:55 pm |
http://img65.imagesh...
newcastle has officially released their kit for next year.
its nice to see michael earning his money for this year.
#85 by My Name is Not Earl on 03.23.07 12:56 pm |
My guess on the floors at San Jose and the Alamodome is that those two arenas aren’t normally used for basketball and the two “host schools” (UT San Antonio and San Jose St.) have arenas with floors permanently affixed to them. Thus, the NCAA got new floors. The Meadowlands could use the Seton Hall floor and they could truck over St. Louis’ floor from the Kiel center (or whatever the sponsor of the day is) to the Edward Jones Dome (much like The Ohio State when they moved their floor to the Blue Jackets’ arena).
#86 by Anthony Verna on 03.23.07 12:59 pm |
The Original Lee said:
That actually looks. . . a-ok. I’m. . . surprised. It’s not. . .ridiculous. . .
#87 by Tom on 03.23.07 1:02 pm |
Paul, my understanding is that “indoor baseball†was the original name given to softball. A guy named George Hancock invented indoor baseball in a Chicago boathouse in the 1880s.
A bunch of Yale and Harvard men were in the boathouse listening to a Yale/Harvard boat race on the radio….
Thanks-
Drew
Indoor baseball was extremely popular in Chicago in the early 1900’s. If you can access Chicago Tribunes from that era, you will articles and team photos, especially in Sunday editions.
Chicago is truly home to 16″ Chicago Style Softball. No gloves, and typically nasty uniforms… The uni thing in passed over in this sport is more because the game is more important than the stir-ups…
Check out a fun feature from last year’s tourney:
http://www.youtube.c...
#88 by Thorold Blair on 03.23.07 1:03 pm |
Jerico said:
If I’m not mistaken it was in 2005 , but Reebok bought CCM and all their subsidiary companies, like Koho and Jofa. If you see their gear, like shin pads and shoulder pads most of them “Jofa by RBK” or something similar. And I dont know how it is in the states but in Canada they market their higher quality equipment as RBK not Reebok. They leave Reebok for the cheap stuff you can pick up at WalMart.
#89 by Kieran K. on 03.23.07 1:06 pm |
Bauer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nike. The company is known as Nike Bauer, Inc.
Wikipedia Article
#90 by Jerico on 03.23.07 1:18 pm |
Peter Budaj has a NikeBauer mask too (look close enough); you can see that he is outfitted in NikeBauer equipment as well. Conversely, Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo (among others) also have Rbk logos plastered around them.
Nike and Bauer collaborated a couple of years ago, and such collaborations have caught on; I hear they will be combining Reebok and CCM in the same vein.
One more note about Peter Budaj; if you watch him on a regular basis (like I do), you will see Ned Flanders on the back of his mask. (I’ll show you if I can find the link.)
If I’m not mistaken it was in 2005 , but Reebok bought CCM and all their subsidiary companies, like Koho and Jofa. If you see their gear, like shin pads and shoulder pads most of them “Jofa by RBK†or something similar. And I dont know how it is in the states but in Canada they market their higher quality equipment as RBK not Reebok. They leave Reebok for the cheap stuff you can pick up at WalMart.
Yes, you’re right; Reebok bought The Hockey Company (CCM/Jofa/Koho) a while back (2004?). I read in a recent press release (probably from a couple of weeks ago) that they will start branding equipment as ReebokCCM, like NikeBauer did a couple years ago.
#91 by Robert on 03.23.07 1:26 pm |
My earlier post (no. 47) about Biggio was partially in jest (see the comment about Congressional hearings), but my true feelings are in there somewhere.
My biggest problem with MLB’s actions is that Biggio was permitted to wear the pin on his hat for twenty years, and only now is he being told to remove it. Because of his history with the pin, I would grandfather it in and let him wear it.
I would, however, ban any new pin-wearing. There is no need to clutter a hat, and if you let one new guy wear a pin, it is a slippery slope.
Whether the pin promotes something that is charitable isn’t the issue. Adding something to the uniform is the problem. Like I said earlier, there are numerous ways to promote charitable ventures, so stopping the wearing of pins will not cripple anyone’s philanthropic efforts.
Someone mentioned that if MLB is going to concern itself with pins, it needs to be legislating pajama pants and the like. I am in total agreement. While some may think that the NFL goes overboard with its uniform regulation, I enjoy the (relative) consistency that is promoted and enforced by the league.
#92 by Bob Wilmot on 03.23.07 1:29 pm |
Regarding the indoor baseball photo, if you look closely the woman in the center of the second row, she appears to be holding the “small-sized medicine ball” referenced in one of the linked softball history pages.
I was first reminded of a winter game we played in the school gym in Washington State. We referred to it as “fleeceball”. We used regular softball bats and rubber bases on the gym floor, but the ball was a softball cover stuffed with wool. You could hit it as hard as you wanted, and it would only travel distances proportionate to the confines of the gym. No gloves were needed.
#93 by concealed78 on 03.23.07 1:29 pm |
Hubbard said:
Maybe he will anyway and keep beer in it.
#94 by Florian on 03.23.07 1:31 pm |
I think the North London Derby (Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal) is probably the fiercest rivalry in all of professional sports
I’m sorry, but I tend to disagree wholeheatedly on that one. I’m not even thinking about stuff like the Old Firm or Germany/Holland or Barca/Real. But if you go either to the Balkans (esp. into Belgrade) or to Argentina, the passion (and the unfortunately) the violence are much higher than in any of the “sterile” environments such as top European football leagues.
As for the two jerseys, I can sort of confirm (although only third or fourth hand) that these are legit photographs of the real deal. Usually the jerseys are decided upon a year in advance (at least with adidas) and versions without the sponsors are given to the teams very early in the process.
#95 by Alex on 03.23.07 1:39 pm |
Robert said:
Could this be adidas’ answer to Nike’s “System of Dress” uniforms???
#96 by jsdryden on 03.23.07 1:46 pm |
Surprised no one has mentioned this, two examples of uniform perfection from last night.
Beauty Eh?
#97 by Ryan B. on 03.23.07 1:47 pm |
Florian said:
Fair. Maybe I should have said among the commonly accepted “top flight” leagues and sports. Not to say that the English football system hasn’t experienced its fair share of violence and hooliganism, especially during the dark ages of the ’80s.
On a total tangent…
Upon reviewing some of the football kits worn by clubs in the various professional leagues around the world (EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, MLS, etc.) it’s interesting to compare the commonly accepted colors and designs for the various clubs to the commonly accepted fashions, styles, and standards of their countries. Very cool indeed. For example, you see lots of bright, vibrant colors in the Spanish and Brazilian leagues.
#98 by Ryan B. on 03.23.07 1:53 pm |
Ryan B. said:
Whereas, in MLS, red, white, and blue are the three most common colors used in the kits, which keeps with the tradition of most major professional athletic clubs here.
#99 by Teebz on 03.23.07 1:59 pm |
Sebastian said:
I assume, since both teams didn’t have another game until the 17th after the home-and-home on the 13th and 14th that they just used the same jerseys because it’s easier on the equipment managers. Normally, the equipment manager will spend the night washing and drying the jerseys for the next day’s game. However, when on the road, NHL teams use whatever equipment is available at the next rink they stop at. Since the Wings wore white, and the Preds wore dark, it would make more sense to bring the dirty jerseys to Detroit, clean them there, and wear them again the next night.
After that, both teams had two days off, and can do their respective laundry on their own.
#100 by Jason on 03.23.07 1:59 pm |
Ian K said:
Yes, I’ve already emailed that to just about everyone I know. Great work!
#101 by Kerry on 03.23.07 2:18 pm |
Bob Wilmot said:
Interesting….down here in Louisiana, I’ve always heard it referred to as CABBAGE BALL. Here’s another VIEW of the ball relative to people. The ball is hit with a softball bat and fielders don’t need gloves.
#102 by Kerry on 03.23.07 2:21 pm |
A FEW more PICTURES of the cabbage ball in action. This game is very popular in the New Orleans area at family reunions and other outdoor gatherings.
#103 by Matt on 03.23.07 2:24 pm |
I too was curious about the courts at the regional sites – I found this tidbit in the San Jose Mercury News:
The basketball court at HP Pavilion will be used here only this weekend. The NCAA instituted a new policy this year. For consistency’s sake, the courts for the men’s regional tournaments were produced by the same company, Connor Sport Court of Salt Lake City, and then shipped to the four regional sites.
So what happens after this weekend? The court has been purchased by Denver University.
Also, a side note – the school logos on the floor are actually stickers, produced by the NCAA and sent to each host site for use.
#104 by Greg on 03.23.07 2:30 pm |
The 1986 Dallas Final Four floor was bought by the University of South Dakota and placed in the Dakota Dome. I played there in 91 or 92 (more accurately I warmed up there and then sat the bench).
I was telling that story to Dave Hart, one of the top floor guys in the Midwest and he pointed out that those floors are not great basketball floors. Everyone thinks of them being top quality, but really any floor that comes apart in pieces will never be top quality. Those are used out of necessity in multipurpose areanas, not because of quality. The irony being that the best players and the biggest games are played on surfaces inferior to that of many junior varsity high school games.
#105 by Patrick Gaughan on 03.23.07 2:40 pm |
NASA is getting new space unis…..
http://www.cnn.com/2...
#106 by Mr. Met on 03.23.07 2:41 pm |
Steve said:
There’s a difference though: The NFL has a rule in place, and they have ALWAYS enforced it.
On the other hand, say the NFL had allowed Plummer to wear it year-in and year-out, and then one day decided that they didn’t want him to wear it anymore and actually started enforcing the rule. Well, that is what the Biggio situation is. I don’t have the MLB rules and regs, but I’m sure there is something in there about not having anything that is not officially part of the team uniform showing on your person. Had MLB enforced this since day one, we wouldn’t even be talking about this.
Unfortunately, as Paul pointed out, MLB comes out looking petty on this because they have been spineless when it comes to dealing with major issues that affect the integrity of the game (steroids, amphetamines, Barry Bonds), and have instead decided to pick their fights and limit them to ones in which they cn flex their muscles like a bully (a steroid-infested superstar, be that as it may).
Notice how this issue has generated some very strong opinions on Biggio, but when Plummer went through his problem, it was talked about and then quickly forgotten. That’s what happens when you have people who KNOW how to run a league and those who don’t.
#107 by Modernish Father on 03.23.07 3:20 pm |
If Biggio can’t wear his pin in an exhibition game, does this mean that we’ve seen the last of pink bats and powder blue armbands in regular season games?
It’s amazing that a league that lets players wear neck bling and slaps giant patches on everyone’s hat in the postseason needs to go after a future HOFer trying to support kids with cancer during meaningless Grapefruit league games.
Maybe they’re afraid the pin will clash with those god-awful spring training caps and unis they’ve subjected us to this year. Can I send someone a fax and demand that they get ride of those?
#108 by Teebz on 03.23.07 3:36 pm |
NHL general managers agreed to a policy change last month at the GM meetings in Florida and this week a memo has been distributed league-wide, outlining the new initiative to enforce teams be more forthcoming.
Teams are now being told to identify the approximate location, nature and severity of the injury.
A charley horse in the arm is no longer an “upper body injury”. A bruised shin is no longer a “lower body injury”. The team has to report the problem as it happens, and not be as vague as they currently are.
It’s this grey area that may provide the traditionalists in this group a loophole to resume business as usual.
As one NHL manager puts it, “exception swallows the rule.” With the playoffs on the way, no GM or coach likes to show his hand regarding an injured star.
The league warns any false or misleading information won’t be tolerated, going as far as to threaten discipline for the clubs who violate or abuse this newly implemented policy.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
#109 by warren thompson on 03.23.07 3:37 pm |
Anent “really bad soccer jerseys”: yes, most of them are bad, very bad, if not butt-face ugly.
A few, very few, are acceptable.
Yet any jersey sporting a sponsor’s name is, by definition, an atrocity. (If this keeps up, they’ll soon look like something in a NASCAR race!)
#110 by Florian on 03.23.07 3:40 pm |
Fair. Maybe I should have said among the commonly accepted “top flight†leagues and sports.
Maybe. Being from the continent I tend to think there are some that rival but that is thouroughly subjective. If you’re interested about these sort of things I’d recommend a book called “Us vs. Them: Journeys to the World’s Greatest Football Derbies” by Giles Goodhead. Very good, very readable.
Upon reviewing some of the football kits worn by clubs in the various professional leagues around the world (EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, MLS, etc.) it’s interesting to compare the commonly accepted colors and designs for the various clubs to the commonly accepted fashions, styles, and standards of their countries.
Would be even more visible, if the companies didn’t put their stranglehold onto the designs by using templates.
#111 by Callie on 03.23.07 3:42 pm |
Who cares what they wear during practice!?! it’s just freaking practice MLB really can be dumb sometimes when it comes to basics of PR and common sense.
#112 by Florian on 03.23.07 3:51 pm |
Yet any jersey sporting a sponsor’s name is, by definition, an atrocity.
I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, the view on this might very well be divided among a European-American-line. A growing up with it thing. Then again, I’d also more than cringe if I saw an American pro team sport with sponsoring or for that matter I more than cringe when I see sponsoring anywhere else than front/center. But again I guess it’s a matter of socialisation.
#113 by Broker75 on 03.23.07 3:55 pm |
I think MLB is not allowing Biggio to wear the pin because if they do, they will have to support the cause and donate money to the fund.
#114 by Mr. Met on 03.23.07 4:13 pm |
Teebz said:
It would REALLY be interesting to see the NFL adopt something like this so we could see how Bill Belichick would react.
I wonder if it would curtail his practice of placing half his team on the injury report every week.
#115 by Dave from Jersey on 03.23.07 4:27 pm |
Florida has “retired” the gator print jerseys according to this article. Under the “Basketball future” section about halfway through.
http://gatorsports.c...
#116 by Mick on 03.23.07 4:38 pm |
mg12 said:
…..oh. my. god.
FRINGE!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
hold me, its so scary.
#117 by Andy from KC on 03.23.07 4:44 pm |
Mick said:
Actually, it kinda looks like they got caught halfway in a paper shredder or something.
#118 by Arthur Dent on 03.23.07 5:42 pm |
jsdryden said:
Oh, take off hoser! I’m not a fan of hockey, but those uniforms are back bacon to my eyes.
Anyway, someone linked an article where the reason the Brewers won’t make the playoffs is because nobody has a mustache. The reason the Yankees haven’t won a world series for so long? They didn’t have the memorial stripe on their left sleeve:
http://www.authentic...
#119 by Flip on 03.23.07 5:43 pm |
Your Alaska baseball column brought back a lot of memories. I watched many Alaska teams play in the National Baseball Congress tournament each summer in Wichita. Other Alaska alumni include Chris Chambliss and Bruce Botchte. Here’s a link to some old NBC uni’s.
#120 by C.N. on 03.23.07 6:38 pm |
Dave from Jersey said:
I never liked Florida, but I’m glad they have common sense.
#121 by DP30 on 03.23.07 7:23 pm |
Matt said:
That’s interesting. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who can’t stand the lame-o standardized, no-frills courts at the regional sites.
Last night I was at work, and the TV is up above me on the wall, and at some points I’d look up and not immediately realize which game it was (didn’t help that the road teams in both early games were wearing maroon).
I have no arguments at all with an NCAA-produced court for the Final Four, but between the generic lettering on the baselines and the consistent paint jobs at each site location, the courts look like something that belong in either a bad, old, or cheap video game.
#122 by bj in gainesville on 03.23.07 7:23 pm |
Paul,
I just saw something that combines TWO of your pet peeves, super-baggy shorts and guys using their collars to wipe their brow…
Jo Noah, just before half, was taken out to avoid cheap fouls. He sits down on the bench, and wipes his forehead with the leg of his SHORTS. And I don’t think they were the extralong System of Dress shorts. Just the regular uni.
I don’t have DVR, but I’m sure someone on here does, and kind find a pic.
#123 by Aram on 03.23.07 7:31 pm |
As I recall, there’s a really good article about Indoor Baseball in a SABR publication from the past couple years. Basically, in my recollection, it’s a bastardized version of baseball played indoors with a very large, stuffed ball. Very popular in the early 20th century, but largely fizzled out because it was, frankly, lame. And indoor basketball and volleyball were much more logical and enjoyable.
#124 by Steve on 03.23.07 7:43 pm |
Anyone know why the Rutgers logo (and not the Seton Hall logo – since they play there) is on the court at the Continental Airlines site? I believe Seton Hall hosted it the last time the regionals were in NJ, but that’s a guess….
#125 by Flip on 03.23.07 8:59 pm |
Alaska Goldpanner alumni: Tom Seaver, Craig Nettles, Jimy Williams, Rick Monday, Harold Reynolds and a skinny Barry Bonds,
#126 by sv on 03.23.07 11:46 pm |
Those Alaska photos are what I imagined some of the games played in Michael Chabon’s Summerland would have looked like.
#127 by DRob on 03.24.07 12:34 am |
Kerry said:
Aw man, I remember growing up in Jefferson Parish…playing cabbage ball in middle school. Good times. I remember that sometimes if the bat was in really bad condition, the ball was so big it would break the bat.
Back in the day….
#128 by C.J. Andringa on 03.24.07 1:10 am |
Sebastian said:
It could be argued that they won the national championship in the Palace of Auburn Hills that season, in the regional final. *Sigh* I think that’s the last time I saw a block and a charge called on the same play. (No, I’m not bitter).
#129 by Andrew on 03.24.07 8:55 am |
Florida has “retired†the gator print jerseys according to this article. Under the “Basketball future†section about halfway through.
http://gatorsports.c...
Im guessing they mean “retired” because they would never have to wear them in the tournment anyway because they are the number 1 overall seed. I bet they didn’t bring either the blue or the black ones with them.
#130 by Phillip on 03.24.07 8:58 am |
Someone asked about Memphis’ Joey Dorsey taking his jersey off at the end of the game after he fouled out. He’s quoted in the paper as saying he had a cut lip and blood got on his jersey. They were trying to clean it and he had to take it off for the trainers.
#131 by Arthur Dent on 03.24.07 9:11 am |
speaking of the alaska goldpanners, does anyone happen to have a “flat” picture of the text on the front of this uni:
http://www.goldpanne...
Thanks a lot for any help!
#132 by Kerry on 03.24.07 11:00 am |
DRob said:
Jefferson Parish? I’m from St. Charles Parish! Where do you call home now?
#133 by DRob on 03.24.07 12:17 pm |
All my family still lives in the New Orleans area, but I go to college in San Antonio.
#134 by JP on 03.24.07 3:02 pm |
Most on-line stores are having close-outs on the old wool style MLB hats.
Take eastbay.com and thepittsburghfan.com as two examples – 19.99 and 14.99 for prices. They are running out on sizes now though
#135 by Kerry on 03.25.07 4:44 pm |
DRob said:
UTSA?
#136 by Tom on 04.13.07 10:52 am |
No discussion of minor league baseball uniforms in Alaska can be called complete without a mention of the North Pole Nicks. As bad as uniforms can get: http://www.alaskan-l....