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Uni Watch

And So It Begins

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MLB caps entered the logo creep era last night, as the Blue Jays faced the Orioles in the American League Wild Card Game. As I’ve noted before in recent weeks, three teams wore the New Era logo on their special-occasion caps in 2005 (Padres on April 20, Twins on July 3, and White Sox of Sept. 9), but last night’s game marked the first time the company’s logo has appeared on standard game caps. It was also the first time that all the players on both teams in a given game wore the headwear maker’s mark.

Well, almost all the players. Jays reliever Brett Cecil pitched one inning in a cap that was blissfully logo-free. Cecil did have the Postseason patch on the other side of his cap, however. So either (a) it was his “lucky cap” and they added the Postseason patch to it (as described in this article that was linked in yesterday’s Ticker) but somehow didn’t/couldn’t add the maker’s mark, or (b) it was a new cap with the Postseason logo and the maker’s mark was either omitted or just fell off (remember, as we covered two weeks ago, that logo is glued/adhered, not stitched).

Also: After the New Era news was announced two weeks ago, a few people asked me if the logo would also appear on the umpires’ caps. The answer, it turns out, is yes.

A few other notes regarding the game:

•  Both teams wore their solid-colored alternate jerseys — unusual for a playoff game, and doubly so for the Orioles, who usually wear black only on Fridays.

•  I got a few emails about Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson’s white high-tops. Turns out he’s worn them before. People who know more about sneakers than I do tell me that’s the LeBron Soldier X, but with cleats.

•  The roof was open in Toronto, marking the first time in more than 30 years that the Jays had played an open-air postseason game.

•  Speaking of the ballpark, reader Doug Brei sent in this observation:

There are two rows of seats behind home plate at the Rogers Centre. For a number of years, the padded wall behind these seats has been green, with the TD Bank logo. Aesthetically, the green has been very out of place in an otherwise all-blue ballpark. But for the Wild Card game, it was suddenly blue, with an MLB.com logo.

You can see what Doug means in these before/after shots (click to enlarge):

•  In case you missed it, there was a play in which O’s outfielder Hyun Soo Kim was camped under a fly ball and almost missed it because some moron in the stands threw a beverage onto the field:

That prompted longtime Uni Watch pal/ally Tyler Kepner to post the tweet of the night:

•  •  •  •  •

The Ticker
By Paul

Baseball News: If you click on only one Ticker link today, make it this completely amazing story about bat flips in Korean baseball. Great writing, great animations, great all-around package. Trust me — you’ll enjoy this one. My compliments to the chef. … The Cubs wore vests from 1940 through 1942, and Okkonen shows them wearing the white-yoked undershirt only with the 1941 and ’42 home uniforms. But it appears that pitcher Claude Passeau wore the white-yoked shirt with the team’s light-blue road uni at the 1941 All-Star Game (nice spot by Mark Guttag). … Very cool project: A Staten Island man is nearing his goal of photographing the same baseball with every living Hall of Famer and at the graves of every deceased inductee. … Here’s an oddity: Phillies 1B Ryan Howard bats and throws left-handed but he writes — or at least signs autographs — right-handed. Look, there’s even video evidence (good observation by Sean Kane). … Reprinted from yesterday’s comments: Two nights ago Jeopardy! had a category called “Baseball in Uniform.” Unfortunately, it was about ballplayers in the military, not baseball uniforms (from R. Scott Rogers). … Great feature on a 98-year-old usher at PNC Park (from Rob Ullman). … The Mets held a team workout yesterday and already had the postseason logo on their helmets — and their caps already had the New Era logo creep. … Hadn’t seen this before: a 1984 shot of Joan Kroc, widow of Padres owner Ray Kroc, in a Padres uni, complete with her late husband’s “RAK” sleeve memorial. Incidentally, if you’re a fan of the Salvation Army and/or National Public Radio, you have Kroc to thank for keeping those organizations in good shape: Her will included $1.6 billion for the former and $225 million for the latter (from BSmile). … The Cubs held a workout at Wrigley yesterday, and OF Dexter Fowler took BP while wearing a Miami Dolphins helmet. … There’s a T-Mobile commercial that shows Nats OF Bryce Harper wearing a cap that has the Postseason patch but no New Era logo (from Kevin Monahan).

NFL and College Football News: A Cowboys fan executed a fun modification to his Tony Romo jersey (from David Cline). … Throwback helmets this Saturday for Albany (from Jason Palatsky). … The radio station in Fayetteville, N.C., that normally broadcasts ECU games will not be airing this weekend’s game against USF. The move is meant to punish the ECU marching band, several members of which knelt down while playing the national anthem last weekend (from Andrew Costentino). … Here’s this week’s uni combo for Vanderbilt. … People were so creeped out by Saint Louis University’s new Billiken mascot that the school has decided to redesign him (from @GMMohr).

Hockey News: New uniforms for the Pensacola Ice Flyers (from @SinBingSPHL). … “Police and First Responders Night” jerseys upcoming for the Macon Mayhem. … Slasher-themed “scare away cancer” jersey for the Omaha Lancers (from Andrew Nordmeier). … The Saskatoon Blades have native son Gordie Howe’s number and signature behind the nets this year (from Chuck Loads). … The Carolina Thunderbirds — a new team in the Federal Hockey League — are having a contest to determine the team’s colors (from Mark Richter).

NBA News: With lots of NBA players changing teams, here’s a look at some players in their new teams’ jerseys. … ESPN will have a new NBA graphics package this season. … Here’s a good view of the Knicks’ 70th-anniversary patch (from Matthew M).

College Hoops News: Here’s a word I didn’t know until yesterday: dodransbicentennial. It refers to a 175th anniversary, which is what Fordham is commemorating this year with a patch. “The small Fordham logo under the collar is also new,” says P. Costello. … New BFBS unis for Northern Iowa (from @fred__rick). … New uni set for Richmond (from Matt Estreich). … Dayton is apparently planning some sort of uni memorial for Steve McElvene (from Mary Lynn Delfino).

Soccer News: New uniforms for the Baltimore Blast (from Jim Vilk). … There’s a new book about the Wolverhampton Wanderers’ jersey history.

Grab Bag: Hoover, Ala., is the latest town to go with pink police badges (from Chase Troutner). … Ditto for the sheriff’s offices in Meeker County, Minnesota, and Fayette County, Ohio, and the fire department in Columbus, Indiana. … Here’s a look at some of the best and worst Ryder Cup looks over the years. … There is now a UNC T-shirt archive (from James Gilbert). … Nike is raffling off 89 pairs of self-lacing Back to the Future sneakers. … A children’s museum in Maryland features an exhibit on Maryland sports teams. … There are lots of yellow ribbons tied around mulberry trees in Tehran. But they’re not tributes or symbols — they’re flypaper. … The great typographer Jonathan Hoefler has released a new family of typefaces, called Chronicle Hairline. Further info here. … Spectacular shot of the 1912 Stanford crew team (from Charles Rogers). … Sacramento State is bringing back the hornet as the school’s secondary logo (from Russell Preston). … Party-color role reversal at last night’s veep debate, as Democratic candidate Tim Kaine wore a red necktie and GOP candidate Mike Pence wore blue. … Also, as you can see that last photo link, Pence wore an American flag lapel pin, while Kaine did not. His pin is “the blue star,” the symbol for families with a member currently serving in the military. This apparently led to some confusion when some political operatives criticized Kaine for not wearing the American flag and then had to apologize once they learned what he was actually wearing (thanks, Phil). … The girls’ volleyball team at Marian Central Catholic High in Illinois wore pink last night. … Times are tough in Venezuela’s state-run oil fields, where many workers are selling their uniforms for food.

•  •  •  •  •

For the second consecutive year, my favorite team is in the playoffs (first time since 2000 that I’ve been able to say that), so you know what I’ll be doing tonight. I don’t have particularly high hopes — I mean, even if they win tonight, they’ll just get slaughtered by the Cubs in the divisional round, right? Still, ya gotta believe — Let’s Go Mets!

 
  
 
Comments (72)

    “Here’s an oddity: Phillies 1B Ryan Howard bats and throws left-handed but he writes – or at least signs autographs – right-handed.”

    I bat and throw left-handed (and kick, too; basically, everything I do athletically is as a lefty), but I write and eat right-handed.

    I’m righty at everything except being able to use a cellphone with one hand. Left hand is the only one that works correctly.

    My dad is the same way, but splits it up even more. He’s a lefty, and throws a baseball and bowls left-handed…but he batted right-handed and plays golf right-handed.

    The golf thing makes sense, as back when he was a kid, left-handed clubs were fairly rare. I guess a lot of it has to do with how your taught as a kid.

    I bat/throw/golf left-handed and play tennis/fence/shoot right-handed.

    I think it has a lot to do with being right-eye dominant. The things I do left-handed tend to be things where I stand somewhat sideways leading with my right foot and turning my head toward my right shoulder. Shooting and fencing also require this turn to the right to aim.

    (Tennis is interesting for me. I have a weak forehand, but my backhand swing is my baseball swing so I can knock the tennis ball over the fence every time. What? There’s no such thing as a tennis home run? Darn!)

    I write, bat, throw, play hockey right handed, but I play guitar and bowl left handed – kick left footed too.

    Proofreading:

    “There’s a new book about the Wolfhampton Warriors’ jersey history.” Wolverhampton

    Proofreading II:
    Wolverhampton Wanderers

    the Ryder Cup link reviews different looks from this year’s Ryder Cup, not past years

    I also linked to a pic of Donaldson’s new cleats (and short pants & long socks) in the 1st comment on Sept 24.
    link

    Thought the blue vs black matchup looked great last night.

    Boo to the fan that threw beer.

    There are teams and seasons that feel predestined. Not sure the 2016 Mets are one of them, however. Felt more that way *last* season.

    If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that teams who have gotten a little taste of the buffet but still went home hungry can be VERY dangerous. Good luck to the Mets.

    I’m granting myself a special one-night dispensation to cheer for the Mets this evening. Mainly because I’m tired of the Giants’ even-year shtick. I’ll be all in for the Cubs in the NLDS whoever wins tonight, but I’d much rather see a Cubs-Mets rematch. And hey, the outcome of any five game series is much closer to random than a seven game series, so Mets would have a real shot even against the mighty Cubs.

    It doesn’t matter which one wins since the Indians are gonna “win the whole f*ckin’ thing.”

    Aw c’mon, I can dream can’t I?

    A Cubs and Indians World Series would be kinda neat. After all, they couldn’t BOTH lose, right? ;)

    After the 1969 Cubs’ epic collapse in the pennant race with the Miracle Mets (for a generation before me), and last year’s sweep at the hands of the Mets, there are many Cubs fans who would like nothing better than for the Cubs to slaughter the Mets in the divisional round.

    My dreams of a Beltway Series are dashed again, but all I really want is for the Nats to win.

    Weird — it was definitely there yesterday! Just checked their feed, and the tweet appears to have been removed, so I’ve removed it from the Ticker.

    I was reading an article yesterday about baseball wives, and learned that David Robertson’s (White Sox closer, who typically goes high-cuffed) charitable foundation is called High Socks for Hope.

    It was funny to me that the kid in the Bryce Harper commercial couldn’t watch the game while at the laundromat because he’d run out of data.

    If he’s a Nationals fan at a laundromat in DC, he can’t watch the games because MLB.TV’s pathetic blackout rules – regardless of his data plan…

    That is great. So true and so sad.

    Was anyone else forced to watch last night’s Jays O’s game on the MLB app with the raw TBS camera feed? I found it odd that while the camera feed was raw, they still had the TBS broadcast of the game with the video. So the only thing missing were the TBS graphics and production. What’s the point then?

    These days, for a baseball fan at least, you’re actually better off living outside your favorite team’s home market. No MLB.TV blackout (unless they’re playing your “local” team), and no being held hostage in a carriage dispute.

    Am I the only one that questions the use of “divisional” to refer to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs? Both MLB (NLDS, ALDS) and the NFL (Divisional Round) use this terminology. But in neither case does that round of the playoffs determine the winner of a division. It could feature two teams from the same division or different divisions. Maybe it’s a holdover from an earlier time?

    Ah, but until recently, so did the wild card. And they still called it the division series. It’s definitely a misnomer.

    And in the NFL, only half of the division winners proceed directly to the Divisional Round. The other four division winners have to play in the Wild Card Round.

    I always thought it referred to the fact that in that round has a representative from each division (plus the Wild Card which for qualifying purposes is Essentially its own division).

    I guess I’m willing to concede the point for MLB based on Paul’s and Brian’s explanations. But I still have a problem with the NFL’s use of Divisional Round. (They call it Wild Card Round, Divisional Round, Conference Championships, Super Bowl). The NBA (First Round, Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, The Finals) and NHL (First Round, Second Round, Conference Finals, Stanley Cup Final) make more sense, except for the NHL inexplicably changing from the plural Conference Finals to the singular Stanley Cup Final. I know that their use of the singular Final has been discussed in the comments on this website in the past. I guess they would say that there are two Conference Finals (the Eastern Conference Final and the Western Conference Final), and only one Stanley Cup Final. But the fact that they are best-of-seven series with multiple games, I prefer the plural Finals.

    A lot of this is — surprise — just pointless branding. Come up with a name for each round, whether it makes sense or not, so you can create a logo for it and sell that logo on crappy merch.

    The NHL is actually remarkably consistent. It’s been correctly pointed out that the Stanley Cup Final is singular. But actually so are the individual series in the prior rounds: the Western Conference Final or the conference final. Collectively, when referring to the multiple series in the round, it’s plural. So, the conference finals include the Eastern Conference Final and the Western Conference Final. The CBC might, for instance, accurately say in a voice-over, “as the conference finals begin this weekend, please join us for our exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference Final.” In summary: an individual series is singular, while multiple series or an entire round is plural. This consistency applies to prior playoff formats, whether you mean the Norris Division Final (one series), the NHL semifinals (collectively) or even the NHL Final (pre-1927, when the NHL took exclusive control of the Stanley Cup.) Now, let’s apply this consistency to the word “playoffs”…. (kidding)

    I was just talking to a Canadian acquaintance of mine. I mentioned that the Blue Jays did well last night. She replied “Oh, I really don’t pay attention to baseball until the finals.”

    Surprisrd she didnt say “final” since thats what the last round of Stanley Cup playoffs is called. Finals – NBA; Final – NHL

    As a former band member (not that band, but band member) the Star Spangled Banner was always where the band took the most pride for a non-fight song perspective. This is a level of unprofessional conduct (if you’re going into a music career at least) to not perform what is put in front of you.

    Looks like you’ve got a spare o in Catholic in the second-to-last item in the Grab Bag section.

    Regarding the East Carolina blackout:

    Why?

    No, seriously. Why would a radio station not want to broadcast a game where a protest is rumored/threatened if the people tuning into the game CAN’T ACTUALLY SEE IT? Because it’s RADIO.

    They’re engaging in a boycott. You can question the wisdom of it, or the efficacy of it, but the basic concept of engaging in a boycott is perfectly straightforward and defensible. They disapprove of the band’s behavior and don’t want to be associated with it, so they’ve disengaging from it. It’s presumably going to cost them money (game broadcasts are lucrative), but they’re doing it because of what they consider to be a higher principle.

    Related: Does the station usually feature the marching band’s performances in game broadcasts? I haven’t listened to NCAA football on the radio since Ray Christensen called Gophers games for WCCO, but I don’t recall the marching band getting much air time.

    I live in eastern NC. It’s a conservative area with a large military population. This is less about limiting the marching band’s already minimal radio exposure and more about the station owner making a statement to the public about the band’s demonstration, which many people were outraged by.

    agm,

    I lived in eastern NC from 1986-98 and was stationed at the good ole “Shady J”… I also did the logo for WIlber Shirley’s link decades ago and is still used today. Quite proud of that one.

    You can see Wilbers place right off route 70 but it is best viewed from the air – it is literally at the end of the main runway at Seymour Johnson AFB. A great landmark for those who love to use VFR when landing.

    I am not surprised by the boycott at all – and not surprised by the reaction.

    Rather than make a political comment on all of this here (not really the place). And since I’m married a Warsaw NC girl who always reminds me to say something nice about events even though you are not crazy about them – in order to keep one’s calm from being damaged -I will say this…

    East Carolina University was and might still be… (according to Playboy magazine no less) the hands down Heavyweight Champion of party schools.

    Good God those good ole boys and rednecks sure do know how to have a large time.

    I attended the last Halloween party held on the main drag there (dressed as Captain Kirk no less) and narrowly avoided the riot and round up caused by the local Gendarme’s and their school bus paddy wagons.

    The party in the streets was too rowdy for the ATTIC club and they closed their doors to the mob of revelers. We won’t see anything like that again.

    You did the Wilber’s logo?!? That’s awesome! We used to stop there all the time on the way back from my grandparents’ house when I was growing up. ECU’s party school reputation is definitely intact, or at least it was when I was a teenager. The high school I graduated from basically tried to funnel kids straight to Greenville. My guidance counselor was shocked when I told him I wanted to go somewhere else.

    I would guess that the reason for covering the green TD bank logos is that they would be problematic with the addition of the green screen behind home plate.

    There was already a green screen there.

    Stadium ads are routinely replaced when the postseason starts, because the normal advertisers have only paid for the regular season, not for the postseason. That’s why the TD Bank ad was swapped out.

    While that may in fact be the reason for the cover up, the green screen is not always in place at most stadiums, including Rogers Center: link Usually the green screen usage is reserved for nationally televised games.

    Mets beat the 97 win Cubs last year and believe it or not when teams play each other in playoff rematches, the result is normally the same. So hopefully the Mets csn beat the Giants then play cubs, dosgers, Red Sox

    Re: The Tehran whitefly infestation

    Interesting article. Just thought I’d share that we had a terrible infestation of whiteflies in Los Angeles in the 1990s due to ship cargo importation but the city then introduced a very tiny species of wasp from Israel (if memory serves). Within a mere year or two, the whitefly problem was solved. I’m surprised the Iranian officials have not tried a similar solution.

    Totally non-uni related post, I know, but what the heck.
    -C.

    Is there a word for when two teams, separated by relocation or expansion but with roots in the same city, play each other in the postseason? Like the San Francisco nee New York Giants play the Mets? Or if we were lucky enough to get a World Series matchup between the Washington Nationals and the former Washington Senators of Texas?

    In Grab Bag section I’m getting a “file not found” for the ‘1912 Stanford Crew Team’.

    P.S.
    Korean bat flip article is amazing. Never mind just looking at it if you want to click on only one item in the Ticker, I’d expand that to only one item today on the internet.

    I’m not getting my hopes up with the Mets this year…last year had a much different feel. I hope they do win tonight (one series at a time…don’t want to get ahead of myself), but I’m hoping that they wear the pinstripes tonight…Let’s Go Mets!!!

    I’d assume they’ll be in the pins tonight. They’ve barely worn the blue alts this year, but I guess you never know. For Syndergaard’s home starts in the playoffs last year, he wore blue alts in the NLCS, pinstripes in the World Series.

    Ya gotta believe, man! One game, then let’s take our chances. LGM!!

    Must be Paul’s nightmare (perhaps not “worst”): a team with “UNI” on the front of their jerseys, which are not only BFBS, but also have purple with the uni! Dreadful.

    Re: Ryan Howard’s dexterity, I throw & bat right-handed, write left-handed. I brush teeth left-handed, tennis racket left-handed, throw darts righthanded, kick a ball right-footed. My brother is the exact opposite everything.

    The story about the East Carolina band is disturbing. Sure ESPN banning the game on radio is dopey, but why is it that people can be offended by America, but others can’t be offended by what those people are doing? Seems like a double standard to me.

    Wha–?

    Leaving aside the term “offended” (an increasingly meaningless term that I think you’ve misapplied in this instance), I don’t think anyone has said that the radio station doesn’t have the right to do what they’ve done. In an earlier comment thread, I specifically defended their right to boycott the game — just as I would also defend anyone’s right to make a gesture of protest during the national anthem.

    The person who wrote that article also has the right to assess the situation as he sees it.

    What exactly is “disturbing” about any of that?

    The station is an ESPN affiliate, but it wasn’t ESPN that is blacklisting the game. I wonder if they’ll get any pressure from ESPN to reverse their decision.

    The band members, like anyone else, have every right to protest. But this serves as a perfect illustration that actions have consequences. Piss off enough people, and there’s bound to be pushback.

    this serves as a perfect illustration that actions have consequences. Piss off enough people, and there’s bound to be pushback.

    Yes, actions have consequences, and there’s nothing wrong with that. All part of the give and take.

    But keep in mind that the chicken and the egg — the “pissing people off” and the “pushback” — can easily be transposed here. One might plausibly argue, for example, that if you piss off enough people by, say, building a society with a lot of systemic racism and inequality, unfair police treatment, etc., there may be pushback like, say, people choosing not to honor that society’s national song because they feel the society has not lived up to the song’s ideals.

    I’m not suggesting that one consequence is “better” than another, and I’m not taking sides in this debate. I’m just pointing out that when we look at a given chain of actions and consequences, it’s easy to pick a starting point that suits our predisposed notions and forget that the chain may actually be a lot longer, with a lot of earlier actions and consequences that led up to that point, than we realize. When you isolate one action/consequence pair in the chain and hold it up as a moral lesson (or a teachable moment, or whatever you want to call it), you run the risk of ignoring the fact that the other links in the chain may also hold lessons we can learn from.

    The first presidential debate had the same color “reversal” that the vice presidential debate had, as Clinton wore red and Trump wore a blue tie.

    Yitzhak Perlman rocking the old Mets Starter jacket…if l knew he was gonna wear a black jacket l could’ve let him borrow my blue one…

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