In recent years, Major League Baseball has ventured further into its “look” in support of marketing and charitable initiatives as well as historic celebrations. Some, like the pink bats for Mother’s Day and universal wearing of 42 on Jackie Robinson Day, have met with mostly favorable response. Spiderman on the bases? Not quite.
Which brings me to the commemorative Memorial Day caps teams sported in yesterday’s games. Last year, the Yankees were forced to wear hideous red caps which looked terrible against their road grays and home pinstripes.
Yesterday’s white caps fit the uniform quite a bit better (even if Brett Gardner, as noted in today’s Star-Ledger, noted that it was worse than his Little League cap). I suppose I had put the red cap disaster out of my mind, forgetting about the new Memorial Day “tradition,” but of course immediately noticed the white lids when the team began stretching. To me, it recalled the look of some of the very early Yankees teams. To others, it might have recalled the Good Humor man, an apt connection on such a hot day in the Bronx.
I like that the Yankees don’t have alternate jerseys, Sunday jerseys, or other alterations to their uniforms, even though I enjoy seeing teams wearing “throwback” or Negro Leagues jerseys from time to time. I recall only one game that the Yankees wore Negro League jerseys, I believe it was at Detroit in 1996 when they donned N.Y. Black Yankees uniforms. I think once a year, maybe Old Timer’s Day or another weekend game, or even a road game against a classic rival, I wouldn’t mind seeing them in a Highlanders jersey (say, 1911 next year) or revive the Black Yankees, since they played at the Stadium on occasion.
My three favorite on-field alterations:
- Jackie Robinson 42’s (but one day only, please)
- pink bats, sweatbands for Memorial Day
- occasional throwback jerseys