We all know that weird things can happen during All-Star Games. The problem is, not many of them have been properly documented for posterity. But a reader who prefers to go by TC has been watching lots of old MLB all-star video footage lately, and he’s compiled some downright heroic additions to the historical record. Here’s his report:
• 1972: Carlton Fisk wore his Boston uni with a Brewers helmet.
• 1975: Lou Brock had some kind of sticker on both sides of his helmet. It looks like maybe some kind of Cardinals logo..?
• 1975 again: The A’s had seven players and the manager on the squad, including five starters: P Vida Blue, 1B Gene Tenace, SS Bert Campaneris, LF Joe Rudi, and RF Reggie Jackson. From what I can tell, all players wore green stirrups and yellow sanitaries. The infielders wore green/yellow hats, yellow shirts, white pants. The outfielders wore green/yellow hats, green shirts, white pants. Vida Blue wore green/yellow hat, yellow shirt, yellow pants. Manager Alvin Dark wore a green/white hat, white shirt, white pants. The two bench players — Rollie Fingers and Claudell Washington — wore totally different combos. I also spotted a coach (not Alvin Dark) wearing a white hat and green shirt. It was hard to find a good shot with all the players in it, but I managed to pull at least a couple with multiple players. [Also: Note the maroon blazers being worn by the AL umps — standard-issue for them back in the mid-1970s. — PL]
• 1985: Nolan Ryan batted while wearing a Padres helmet. [As an aside, I was once at a Mets/Astros game where Ryan stepped into the batter’s box while still wearing his dugout jacket. The ump had to remind him to remove it. — PL]
• 1985 again: This was the game when Lou Whitaker forgot his uniform and had to use a replica jersey from the stadium gift shop with his number Magic Markered onto the back. The shirt itself looks pretty cheap. The announcers mentioned it — they said something like, “There’s the familiar number one, but it was drawn on with marking pencil.”
TC also noticed something interesting while perusing footage of the 1977 ALCS:
The insignia on the Royals’ jerseys wasn’t always the same thickness or weight. In Game 4, Freddie Patek had the thick/heavy logo, and the NEXT BATTER, Frank White, had the thinner version. In Game 5, Cookie Rojas wore the thin logo, while the third base coach (not sure of his name) had the thicker logo. Weird.
The real all-star, of course, is TC himself, for sharing all these amazing finds with us. Next round’s on me, buddy.
Uni Watch News Ticker: Soccer-centric uni quiz here (with thanks to Tony Payne). … Good article about baseball bats here (as forwarded by Matt Nelson). … Well, that’s one way to move some Arena League jerseys. … As if the story about Ken Griffey’s jockstrap weren’t enough, Brian Urlacher’s jock is for sale on eBay. … The Nationals wore their red jerseys and alternate “DC” caps on Sunday — except for infielder Felipe Lopez, who wore the “W” cap (good catch by Tim Buckley). … Latest news about Rudy Giuliani’s World Series rings — and new tidbits about a Joe DiMaggio uniform he owns — here. … Fantastic historical survey of English rugby uniforms here (with thanks to Jim Atherton). … Not positive, but I think we first saw this Lambeau Field anniversary logo a while back, didn’t we? In any case, I’m fairly certain that this press release, issued yesterday, marks the first confirmation that the mark will appear on the team’s uniforms. … Jesse Spector e-mailed me from last night’s Astros game with the following communiqué: “I don’t have my good camera with me, but when a player with a single-digit number is at the plate and they put his face on the big screen, they put a zero in front of the number, like ‘09 Hunter Pence’ and ‘07 Craig Biggio.’ It doesn’t really make sense — it’s a computer-generated image, not like a two-digit scoreboard thing where the zero is just a place-holder. I wonder how they would differentiate between Pence and Benito Santiago, if he was still here.” … Reprinted from last night’s comments: Jarrod Saltalamacchia appears to be wearing Brian McCann’s knee savers. … Unfortunate news in the rugby world yesterday, as England and France unveiled their new NikeWorld designs — woof! Dominic J. Litten offers this analysis: “Note the raised, bumpy area around the torso section of the jersey. According to this news release, ‘[T]he new shirt also features an extensively tested gripper print for players, on the torso, when they are carrying a wet ball and, on the shoulders, when locking into the scrum.’ Apparently, the boys at Nike are actually using the Dot Matrix powers for good.” Not sure I’d go quite that far, but it’s a good observation all the same. … The Yomiuri Giants recently recorded their 5000th victory, and there’s a nice historical photo gallery here to mark the occasion (with thanks to Jeremy Brahm).
#1 by stuby on 05.16.07 9:07 am |
I have a memory of an All-Star game in the late 70’s. I believe it was Dave Parker of the Pirates coming to bat with a Padres helmet on. I wouldn’t even know where to sart looking for a photo of that.
#2 by JFront10 on 05.16.07 9:11 am |
Felipe Lopez is also wearing his Breast Cancer Ribbon on the wrong side of his jersey. The rest of the Nationals players had it over the DC.
#3 by Robert on 05.16.07 9:20 am |
As soon as I read the topic, weird Uni happenings at All-Star Games, the Lou Whitaker jersey jumped to mind. Would TC mention it, and if so, would he have a photo? Of course. Great job.
#4 by Jeff on 05.16.07 9:31 am |
No comments about the Arizona-Colorado game last night? Arizona wore their red jerseys and Colorado wore their purple. Then again, can’t say I blame you for not pointing it out. My eyes are still burning.
#5 by Brent on 05.16.07 9:38 am |
I saw that Felipe Lopez picture in the paper on Monday and immediately noticed that he and Guzman had their ribbons in different locations, but am ashamed that I missed the different hats. I have to say though, really don’t like the alternate reds.
#6 by Sage Confucius on 05.16.07 9:41 am |
Aw man! Ebay took down Urlacher’s jock. And I so wanted to bid on that!
Seeing Ryan in the sunrise duds always brings a tear to my eye.
Regarding the rugby kits - why is it that some of the designs line up, but others don’t? Maybe it’s just the angle of the pictures, but the jerseys and shorts don’t look like they are twisted. It just appears that they don’t line up. That would be very weird.
#7 by scott on 05.16.07 9:43 am |
I have a memory of an All-Star game in the late 70’s. I believe it was Dave Parker of the Pirates coming to bat with a Padres helmet on. I wouldn’t even know where to sart looking for a photo of that.
Your memory is correct as I remember seeing the same thing.
In 1972, didn’t the Red Sox debut their jerseys with the elastic waistband in the All-Star game or thereabouts? I think the announcers commented on it during the game.
Pete Rose in one All-Star game (1979?) wore a maroon batting practice jersey during the game. I don’t think that was regular attire for the team.
The wearing of another teams’ helmet seems to be commonplace in the ASG, especially if pitchers have to go to bat. I’m sure there are many examples of this.
#8 by WFY on 05.16.07 9:50 am |
IIRC, by 1957 players were wearing plastic helmets with facemasks, so that logo is not as historically accurate as it should be.
#9 by Paul Lukas on 05.16.07 9:52 am |
I recall it as a maroon T-shirt or pullover. And I also recall that that’s what really jump-started the move toward colored BP jerseys.
#10 by Patrick on 05.16.07 9:52 am |
Have I been reading too much if I’m noticing uniform gaffes in my dreams?
#11 by Amy on 05.16.07 9:53 am |
Regarding the “gripper print” on the new unsightly rugby kits - if the print on the shoulder makes locking into a scrum easier, wouldn’t the print around the torso also make you easier to tackle? I’m thinking that’s a less than desirable trait in a rugby jersey.
#12 by Larry on 05.16.07 9:54 am |
Great rundown of all-star oddities! I have one to add - in 1981, pitcher Dave Steib of Toronto batted unexpectedly late in the game and wore a Cleveland helmet. In 1983 he started the game and brought a Blue Jays helmet with him. IIRC the broadcasters discussed this.
#13 by WVU Tom on 05.16.07 9:59 am |
#14 by WVU Tom on 05.16.07 10:00 am |
#15 by The Ol Goaler on 05.16.07 10:05 am |
For what it’s worth, Charlie Finley’s A’s wore non-uniform “unis” in the mid-70s… while the players all wore identical combinations each day, the coaches were stuck with wearing the white hats; which really looked especially weird on Joe DiMaggio during his stint as an A’s coach!
#16 by Kek on 05.16.07 10:06 am |
Could that have possible been that special Saturday uniform? On “Dressed to the Nines” they have that uniform shown for 1979 and that was the only year they used the outfit.
I just recently watched a show on FSN Pittsburgh regarding Pittsburgh and all-star games. They showed a shot of Dave Parker’s famous throw to Gary Carter to gun down Brian Downing. It was from a camera shot in the outfield and you could vaguely make out Rose at first, starting to get set up for the cut-off. If my memory serves me correctly, I think he had the maroon top on with the blue pants but I’m not 100% sure.
#17 by DJ on 05.16.07 10:09 am |
I remember the logos on the sides of the Cardinals helmets. They were of a cardinal swinging a bat and clobbering a ball, with the ball streaking across the field of the logo. Wish I had a photo… :-(
#18 by jesse on 05.16.07 10:18 am |
Dressed to the nines had the Phillies wearing a Maroon jersey in 1979, but it looks like it had buttons. The Phillies also had a Maroon BP jersey that was a pull over, but I don’t think it goes back that far.
#19 by Joe Drennan on 05.16.07 10:19 am |
So while I was waiting for this site to be updated with today’s post, I thought I’d peruse the links. I came across the Chicago White Sox Uniform History site and came away with a few interesting nuggets that I haven’t seen posted here yet.
“For the first time the Sox were wearing red stirrups. Perhaps noting their faux pas, a white White Sox logo (a batter swinging over a white sock) was added near the top of the red stirrup. Naturally the players’ pants leg covered most of the logo, so the gesture towards franchise tradition was futile.”
And it looks like Bill Veek would have been a UNi Watch member as well, “Veeck was a real student of Sox uniform history!”
I hate the White Sox, but it was intersting to see some of the changes they made, even wearing white stiruiips over white sanies. I still don’t know why they White Sox main color is black, as the only logical explination can be 1919.
#20 by Paul Lukas on 05.16.07 10:21 am |
You mean they wore the helmet logos in non-All-Star Game situation?
#21 by steve on 05.16.07 10:33 am |
though i’m no NBA fan, i noticed what looks like a “3″ on the bottom of Baron Davis’ shoe from last night’s game. he clearly wears “5″ - so anyone know why that’s on his shoe?
http://news.yahoo.co...
#22 by DrBear on 05.16.07 10:33 am |
Are you sure you aren’t mixing the Lambeau 50th anniversary logo up with the one when the team re-dedicated the stadium?
#23 by Tim on 05.16.07 10:37 am |
I’m not sure if this has been mentioned before but ESPN Classic Canada is having a Faux Pas Weekend
Maybe someone there is a Uni Watch reader?
#24 by Korch on 05.16.07 10:41 am |
Baron Davis is actually wearing Allen Iverson’s sigature shoe, but only on the road when the warriors wear black shoes.
here’s the shoe (chris webber wears them too):
http://www.eastbay.c...
#25 by Korch on 05.16.07 10:43 am |
Link didn’t work:
http://store.reebok....
#26 by Go Cyclones! on 05.16.07 10:46 am |
How could you leave off this spectacle between Randy Johnson and Larry Walker when Walker turned his batting helmet around? Not too uni-related, but an All Star uni moment none the less.
#27 by Sir Jock Strap on 05.16.07 10:48 am |
Lou Whitaker was also wearing Twins stirrups at that all-star game, complete with “TC” logo. They showed a close-up of them on the telly.
I can’t remember to pay my bills on time, or my mom’s birthday, but I can remember shit like that.
My special powers sucks.
#28 by Robert on 05.16.07 10:55 am |
Wasn’t it a Mizuno pullover? I remember Rose wearing such a thing back in the day, and being bitter that he was using a foreign company’s product. This compounded my unhappiness with him for leaving the Reds to sign with the Phillies as a free agent.
#29 by Elwood on 05.16.07 11:10 am |
My favorite part of the Lou Whitaker thing is it shows just how far sports jersey marketing has come. These days it would be infinitely easier to procure another numbered authentic jersey.
#30 by Scott on 05.16.07 11:11 am |
Anyone see the subtle logo creep during the the White Sox/Yankees rain out last night? I had trouble seeing. Hopefully you’ll have better luck.
logo creep
#31 by Brett on 05.16.07 11:11 am |
Wow, yeoman’s work on the All-Star games. Any mention of the early 70s A’s makes my day.
#32 by WVU Tom on 05.16.07 11:12 am |
I looked for photographic evidence myself (haven’t found any), but I did run accross this page, which features a few uni gems.
#33 by Brett on 05.16.07 11:14 am |
I remember the game and I’m sure it was a BP jersey. That was around the time the Yankees introduced their black BP shirts I coveted. Just a symbol of Rose’s desperate need for attention I suppose.
#34 by Ferdinand Cesarano on 05.16.07 11:16 am |
I remember seeing Tom Seaver bat while wearing a Dodger helmet during one All-Star Game. A quick check of Baseball Almanac shows that Seaver batted only once in an All-Star Game, in 1976 in Philly. So, that must have been the time. Interestingly, there were two other Mets on that NL All-Star team, including starting RF Dave Kingman, perhaps suggesting that Seaver grabbed the Dodger helmet not out of necessity, but by accident, since it is the same colour as the Met helmet.
Ah, another check of Baseball Almanac shows that Kong had already been to the plate and made an out in the 4th inning by the time Seaver’s turn at bat came in that inning. So, Kingman’s helmet would presumably have been available.
#35 by bj in gainesville on 05.16.07 11:16 am |
Having the stuff on your body doesn’t actually make much difference. You need two sticky surfaces to make the system work. A lot of guys I played football with in high school wore rubberized elbow/arm sleeves that grip the ball better than skin (see Jerome Bettis). While it works on tackified leather (like a football), the rubber isn’t actually that “grippy”. UnderArmour actually made a long-sleeve “turf shirt” with the tacky panels built in, and again, it works on a leather ball, but your hand doesn’t seem to stick to it. In football, tacky gloves don’t help you tackle any better than bare hands. You still need another tacky surface to make them stick.
#36 by tim b on 05.16.07 11:23 am |
During the Warriors/Jazz game last night, one thing that was driving me nuts from the point I noticed it (when S.Jackson almost lost it) until the game ended, was that there were noticeable gaps in the floor in Utah. I didn’t notice it in the key, but in this picture of the key (the only picture I could find) it is clearly visible.
What I was noticing was more where the planks butt together, not as much along the length of the them… but now that is bugging me as well!
http://www.nba.com/g...
In looking at the nba.com galleries and similar shots of Detroit’s floor, theirs seems to be all “shiny” and more “polished,” for lack of better terms, as you’d usually see in similar pictures from any game.
#37 by DJ on 05.16.07 11:27 am |
You mean they wore the helmet logos in non-All-Star Game situation?
As I recall, yes. Only for a year or two at the most.
#38 by Kerry on 05.16.07 11:37 am |
Does anyone else think that all those Rugby players should be holding bouquets of roses??? Looking at THIS reminds me of THIS.
#39 by Amy on 05.16.07 11:38 am |
You’re right this makes sense… although… the tackling in rugby (is supposed to) involves wrapping up so conceivably if two teams had these grippy uniforms, the shoulder grippy of the tackling player could end up in contact with the grippy torso part of the tackled player… but I think I’m way over analyzing. Plus if two teams played in uniforms that ugly there would be bigger problems than possible tackling assistance.
#40 by mg12 on 05.16.07 11:44 am |
What uniform is Wally Moon wearing in is 1954 rookie year? Being from STL, I thought I had seen them all, but I am not farmiliar with that uniform combo.
#41 by mg12 on 05.16.07 11:47 am |
Nevermind, I found it.
http://www.baseballh...
I hadn’t seen those uniforms. Obviously they were not very popular, they only lasted a year.
#42 by Anthony Verna on 05.16.07 11:56 am |
I always remember John Kruk and Randy Johnson tangling at the All-Star Game. Didn’t Kruk change his stance, too?
http://www.psslbaseb... supposedly has video. But it’s Real, and I’m not installing that now. :)
#43 by Jeff B on 05.16.07 12:02 pm |
Not sure if this is early 70’s enough for ya but I think we all appreciate the Simpsons.
#44 by Adam on 05.16.07 12:08 pm |
The White Sox have had ads on their tarp as long as I can remember (I think the bright yellow DHL one is new, it used to be blue with a insurance company ad on it, and I think there might have been a black one inbetween). Do other teams not do it? And is it just me, or is it silly to complain about “logo creep” on something that like this? It’s an advertising space, deal with it.
#45 by Valjean on 05.16.07 12:14 pm |
TC (and Paul),
Huge kudos on those A’s pix. I’d forgotten Finley’s All-Star shenanigans. Too bad they couldn’t get anyone to wear the famous all greens.
And I think Vida in those all yellows was just nostalgic for his rookie year …
#46 by Josh on 05.16.07 12:15 pm |
Hey, I’ve read this site plenty but this is my first post.
As a longtime rugby fan, I think I can speak for a lot of us when I say that those jerseys are not only ugly, but completely unfathomable. Most sports change relatively quickly, but rugby’s had a proud tradition of over 100 years of the same jersey designs, same short length and high socks, and that reflects itself in the players. I know from my experience trying to redesign Michigan’s club jersey that the elders absolutely refuse to compromise colors or patterns. Rugby was amateur until the mid-1990s and a lot of oldies still think that way. I can’t imagine what these countries were going for. Rugby isn’t like college basketball or pro-football. You don’t mess with England’s all-white (they’ve already done that to a degree, but not like this…). I can barely speak, I’m so repulsed.
#47 by DJ on 05.16.07 12:16 pm |
During Bill Veeck’s second ownership of the White Sox, he sold the advertising rights to the tarp to Morton Salt. With the tagline, “When it Rains, It Pours.”
#48 by Johnny O on 05.16.07 12:19 pm |
I am pretty sure that is what Paul is talking about. I was in college in Green Bay (St. Norbert College) when that logo came out, and it was indeed created for the “Rebirth of a Legend” when Lambeau Field did its renovations. I guess they were too lazy to make something else up. But in all honesty… I think it’s a classic logo, so I’m glad they used it again.
#49 by Joe on 05.16.07 12:25 pm |
He was paying tribute to John Kruk, who did it in the 1993 ASG.
#50 by John on 05.16.07 12:26 pm |
why is it that in that nolan ryan pic, both the national league players and the american league players are wearing their home unis? It appears that there is a royals player or coach wearing their home uniform in the background.
#51 by Sir Jock Strap on 05.16.07 12:27 pm |
Does anyone know the name of the font used in this logo …
http://www.ecst.csuc...
… or where I can find it?
Or what the name of the font is used in the current Warrior Logo?
Thanks,
Sir Jock Strap
#52 by DJ on 05.16.07 12:34 pm |
In 1985 (the year of that Nolan Ryan photo), the Astros road uniform was a very, very light gray color. You can sort of see the white outline on the lettering and the star.
#53 by Justin on 05.16.07 12:55 pm |
Not a big star, but a uni cameo nonetheless.
Brady Anderson with the Red Sox
#54 by Justin on 05.16.07 12:55 pm |
Not a big star, but a uni cameo nonetheless.
Brady Anderson with the Red Sox
#55 by David on 05.16.07 12:58 pm |
Speaking of All-Star games, I think Rose and Parker both wore BP jerseys in the 1985 game. Also, there was a practice of players wearing white shoes in All-Star games even though their team did not wear them. Carter wore white shoes in 81, Tommy Herr wore white shoes in 85. Several Expo players wore them in 82, I think. Dwight Gooden wore white shoes one year, if I’m not mistaken. It was 1986, I think. I remember the Dave Steib at-bat in 81, but I thought he was wearing a Mariners helmet. Does anybody else remember that?
#56 by patrick on 05.16.07 1:01 pm |
Not necessarily, the difference between grabbing cloth and grabbing rubber, not that big of a difference, but in a scrum, cloth on cloth doesnt provide much friction. Also interesting to note, one of the forwards, (the one lifted on a line out) wears special shorts with rubber grip on the outseams, so players can grip it easeir and hoist them up.
#57 by Colin on 05.16.07 1:16 pm |
55/100 on the Soccer quiz. Not too bad for just looking at each image once.
BTW, did anyone post a picture of the lovely Bristol Rovers socks? Not the best image, but you get the idea.
#58 by tessa on 05.16.07 1:16 pm |
Welcome, Josh! Good way to start - with an interesting, reasoned opinion. Thanks!
#59 by Dustin on 05.16.07 1:25 pm |
It’s not that they’re lazy at all. The “old” player design is part of the official Lambeau Field logo, which appears everywhere around the stadium.
#60 by Josh on 05.16.07 1:26 pm |
Thanks a lot! One of my equally put-out friends forwarded me this.
For those unfamiliar with rugby, this might offer a little primer on how England’s jerseys have changed (or not changed) over the years. Darn that Nike influence!
(I hope my link comes through okay, it being my first try and all…)
#61 by GBoJackson on 05.16.07 1:28 pm |
My friends think I am crazy when I tell them about Uni Watch. BUT I LOVE IT!!!! I look at it everyday. THANKS PAUL!!!
#62 by Amy on 05.16.07 1:30 pm |
Great link. The biggest problem I have with it is that it looks nothing like a rugby jersey. It doesn’t even look like any kind of jersey really. It looks like a workout or training shirt for someone who likes to show off their guns. Where is the collar and the rubber buttons? And don’t even get me started with the splash design on the shorts…
#63 by scott on 05.16.07 1:35 pm |
During Bill Veeck’s second ownership of the White Sox, he sold the advertising rights to the tarp to Morton Salt. With the tagline, “When it Rains, It Pours.â€
I remember the Braves had Morton Salt on their tarp at Fulton County Stadium in 1986.
The wearing of white shoes in an All-Star game remains common, doesn’t it? It’s something that a few ballplayers seem to do every year, and appears to have started in the early 1980s.
#64 by Kyle at IU on 05.16.07 1:47 pm |
I’m surprised no one is pointing out some of the uni-gaffes in that Felipe Lopez photo. Apart from having the (ugly) curly W instead of the (awesome) interlocking DC, and the breast cancer pin on the wrong side, he’s got the cuffs of his pants down almost to his heels and — the worst of them all — the top of his jersey is unbuttoned.
In other Nats notes, Ryan Zimmerman was wearing long pants for the first time I’ve seen in a long time last night. I didn’t look through pictures from last Saturday, but he must’ve been wearing them when he hit the walk-off GS against the Marlins.
#65 by Philly Bill on 05.16.07 1:50 pm |
That Star-Tribune article is awfully hacky. Maple bats, while less likely to split lengthwise than ash bats, are much more likely to shatter completely. And Travis Hafner’s nickname is a mashup of the words “Project” and “Donkey,” not “Prospect” and “Donkey.”
#66 by marc on 05.16.07 1:54 pm |
he wasn’t
#67 by Kyle at IU on 05.16.07 1:56 pm |
Zim’s grand slam…long pants
I have a picture of him from the Cubs series a week and a half ago, but there’s way too much work involved in putting it online…(voice of Red Stripe guy) boooo laziness.
#68 by Kyle at IU on 05.16.07 1:57 pm |
*picture from Cubs series with lots of sock showing. Should have clarified.
#69 by Chad G on 05.16.07 2:10 pm |
For the umpteenth time, the Yankees wear NAVY not black.
#70 by WVU Tom on 05.16.07 2:25 pm |
How is it that so many people make this mistake? Again, I can see how you may be able to make an argument like “the color on my TV is screwed up” or something like that, but c’mon!–there are people wearing Yankee gear frigging everywhere!
#71 by Amy on 05.16.07 2:28 pm |
As someone who has gone to work wearing one black shoe and one navy shoe, its not aways easy to tell. That said I thought the Yankees wearing navy is common knowledge, at least around here.
#72 by todd krevanchi on 05.16.07 2:41 pm |
here is a pic prior to the 79 game
http://cache.gettyim...
but even weirder…
http://cache.gettyim...
#73 by Joe Drennan on 05.16.07 2:41 pm |
I know the Yankee tarp, when rolled up anyway, has the distinguishable 3 stripes running horizontal, with the addidas logo on it. The tarp is black [sorry navy ;)] and white.
#74 by Jaye on 05.16.07 2:42 pm |
Wow, you too Amy? I pulled the mix-match shoe thing last year. Funny how folks who watch what others wear often screw up our own unis!
#75 by Valjean on 05.16.07 2:43 pm |
That said I thought the Yankees wearing navy is common knowledge, at least around here.
And, of course, should be common knowledge among Uniwatchers. But speaking as someone west of the Hudson (gratefully, it’s not “frigging everywhere” out here), it often looks like a very dark navy — and many pix in newspapers and online (you can adjust your TV …) make it look a lot closer to black than blue.
#76 by todd krevanchi on 05.16.07 2:47 pm |
i have been searching for a pic of derek jeter from the all star game in boston (the one where he wore a cleated version of the jordan brand jumpman vindicates) it was the year he mocked nomar’s pre ab rituals with the batting gloves.
any help?
#77 by RaoulDuke on 05.16.07 2:49 pm |
Ive noticed that the Cardinals have a white dots on the tops of their batting helmets(road and home). However the “beans” on the field caps are red. Cant find a pic but its there. I ask you fellow Uni-Watchers WTF? What other teams do this, and why do they do it?
#78 by Jason in Lexington on 05.16.07 2:50 pm |
I’ve heard this same mistake made about the Bears. While I understand that sometimes it looks like black, any real sports fan, not just a uniwatcher, should know the colors of the teams. Even if sometimes they appear to be what they aren’t.
#79 by Johnny O on 05.16.07 2:52 pm |
I understand that… but I am pretty sure that the “old player logo” wasn’t introduced until after the renovations of Lambeau Field.
#80 by Mr. Met on 05.16.07 3:00 pm |
It could be the shade of navy that they use. I have a Seattle Mariners cap, and I believe both they and the Yankees use midnight navy. I put the Mariners cap side-by-side with a Brooklyn Cyclones cap (which is true navy) and the Mariners cap literally looks black in comparison, the shade of blue is that much darker.
#81 by WVU Tom on 05.16.07 3:09 pm |
Yeah, sorry–I certainly wasn’t trying to sound condescending (but it seems some took it that way). I think Jason said it better than I did.
And yes, I’ve totally worn one black sock with one navy sock before, the color are very similar, especially in low light levels while trying to get dressed in the morning before your eyes are fully operational. It’s an honest (if not emabarassing) mistake, but with all the exposure teams like the yankees get, it makes Jason’s point even more applicable in this case.
#82 by Mark in Cincy on 05.16.07 3:29 pm |
todd where the heck did you find the pic of pete in a pads hat? he has that “what the heck am I doing here” look on his face.
#83 by Valjean on 05.16.07 3:34 pm |
While I understand that sometimes it looks like black, any real sports fan, not just a uniwatcher, should know the colors of the teams.
Agreed — but when you see something like this your monitor has to be seriously tweeked for Clemens’ gear to not look black. And I don’t see much blue in that corporate backdrop either.
Something like this doesn’t help either. You can’t tell me the jacket 2nd from right (albeit a different style) isn’t a different color than the others, which look — on my monitor — a lot more navy-esque.
Maybe somethin’ with their laundry …?
#84 by Matthew S. on 05.16.07 3:41 pm |
A few other teams do this; both the Cubs and Astros and possibly the Pirates all come to mind. Paul did either a blog entry or an espn article about this sometime last year I think. The main reason is that batting helmets were originally supposed to simple, hardened versions of the cap worn on the field. In fact I think the Pirates even attempted to wear them in lieu of regular caps in the field in the early 1960s. But the dot on top of the batting helmet is a leftover from this effort to make them look, from a distance, like a regular baseball cap.
#85 by DrBear on 05.16.07 3:43 pm |
According to this picture, it was up at least at the time the renovation had started (Dec. 2001) and my memory has those signs up well before then.
#86 by Matthew S. on 05.16.07 3:46 pm |
I think, based upon rereading your question, I completely misunderstood what you were asking. Sorry.
#87 by stuby on 05.16.07 4:07 pm |
You’re right, though. Paul did a piece about this a while back. I think its only one of the helmet manufacturers that does it and its sort of a trademark or something. Little help here?
#88 by =bg= on 05.16.07 4:09 pm |
way back when, all the Reds used to wear white shoes @ the ASG since the team made the players then wear ALL BLACK shoes. no one had shoe deals cause no trim could show. I remember Dave Conception looking quite cool in white adidas.
#89 by WVU Tom on 05.16.07 4:12 pm |
Still a correct answer though, kind of. ABC (I think) put the white dot on the helmet to mimic the button on the hats, but as a type of signature mark, added the white dot to all helmets, even for teams that didn’t have a differnet colored hat button. Teams could, however, request a different color (I believe the Phillies helmet had a blue dot), but apparently most didn’t bother.
#90 by Paul Lukas on 05.16.07 4:32 pm |
I don’t have a photo, but I do know which year it was: 1999.
#91 by Jones on 05.16.07 4:36 pm |
i saw a commercial for lamisil or one of those athlete foot’s creams last night. its an old one but seeing it reminded me of this. the guy has on a stirrup and the sani underneath, but its pretty clear he is wearing a football cleat. what gives? has this been mentioned on here before?
#92 by patrick on 05.16.07 4:39 pm |
1) Its probably a simple advertising oversight.
2) Its been discussed on here a bunch of times, baseball players, because of the relative lack of importance of footwear, tend to wear some crazy stuff. I believe it was mentioned that Manny ramirez was wearing football cleats, possibly this spring training?
#93 by Johnny O on 05.16.07 5:15 pm |
Good find and good call… so does anyone know when that logo was introduced first???
#94 by Chuck Ryals on 05.16.07 5:16 pm |
thanks Jeremy, for the Yomiuri Giants pics. I still say TOKYO GIANTS, sounds much better.
#95 by Mike on 05.16.07 5:24 pm |
Why is the “s” on the 1969 A’s jerseys covered up?
#96 by Jim on 05.16.07 5:24 pm |
Thanks for those ‘77 Royals pictures. (Cookie Rojas was my first favorite baseball player.)
That was a great team, but after so many years of 60-102, it’s hard to remember what 102-60 was like.
I think the coach in that shot was Chuck Hiller, but I’ve got no clue about the differing thickness of the lettering.