In today’s Ticker: An unusual MLB bat knob, non-USA flag decals coming to NFL helmets, and a World Cup soccer kit that doubles as a human rights protest.
Uni Watch News Ticker for Sept. 29, 2022
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Baseball
MLB
- Nice uni-related passage in this article about Cardinals 1B/DH Albert Pujols: “By the last Sunday of spring [in 2001], Pujols had obviously made the team. Bobby Bonilla’s injury assured playing time and a spot in the opening day lineup. Pujols handed in his No. 68 jersey and was about to receive No. 32 when [GM Walt] Jocketty suggested ‘a significant number.’ Equipment manager Buddy Bates stitched the last name to ever appear above a Cardinals’ No. 5: ‘PUJOLS.'” (From Erik Spoonmore)
- Red Sox OF Tommy Pham was missing the team logo on his batting helmet last night.
- Atlanta SS Orlando Arcia wears his cap over his ears. (From Steve Dodell)
- Nats SS C.J. Abrams’s bat knob featured a photo of him and his dad from when he was a little boy. (From William Yurasko)
- Here’s something I haven’t seen before: Reggie Jackson wearing No. 20 during his first spring training with the Yankees. He wore it as a one-game tribute to Frank Robinson. (From Brian Kraus)
More
- Nippon-Ham Fighters manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo is changing his NOB from “Big Boss” to “Shinjo.” (From Jeremy Brahm)
- Televised hurricane coverage from Florida featured correspondents wearing batting helmets, as seen here and here. (Thanks to all who shared)
Football
NFL
- Lots of great details in this article about a Packers statue in Green Bay. (From Nicole Haase and Adam Diny)
- DL Jason Pierre-Paul will wear No. 4 for the Ravens. “It was previously worn by Sam Koch, the longest-tenured Raven ever,” says Andrew Cosentino.
- Mono-green vs. Gang Green: The Packers will wear their 1950s green-over-green throwbacks on Oct. 16 against the Jets.
- The NFL is rolling out an international diversity initiative for Weeks Four and Five. Key passage: “Players can choose to wear, alongside the American flag, the flag of an international country or territory if they lived there for two years or more, or have a parent or grandparent who were born there.” Here are the flags that will be appearing, and here’s a list of players who’ll be wearing them. (Thanks to all who shared)
- The Jags’ teal pants will make their season debut this Sunday.
- With the Bengals’ new white-striped alternate helmets debuting tonight, the team is using new white-striped patterns for the end zones and midfield logo — except the stripes look more grey than white, at least to me.
- Yesterday’s installment of the comic strip Tank McNamara was about the Browns’ new midfield logo. (From Paul Dillon)
College
- Three Wisconsin captains decide which uni combo the team will wear for each game. (From Jeff Ash and Jerry Nitzh)
- Northwestern released renderings for a new stadium. (Thanks to all who shared)
- Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. wore an Apple Watch during last week’s game. (From Kevin Eckhoff)
Hockey
NHL
- There’s a collector out there who has a stick from every goalie ever to have played for the Islanders. (From Brandon Weir)
- The Maple Leafs and Canadiens wore 1972 Summit Series throwback jerseys prior to last night’s preseason game. (From Wade Heidt)
Minors/Juniors
- New masks for the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors’ goalies. (From Wade Heidt)
- The BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings will wear Indigenous-themed uniforms this Friday. (Also from Wade)
- The sandwich chain Potbelly has a Baltimore outlet where the tabletops feature the logo of the long-defunct Baltimore Clippers. (From David Raglin)
Basketball
College
- Fairfield’s new arena, set to open in November, will be named after a wealthy donor.
- New men’s uniforms for D3 UW-Whitewater. (From Parker Olsen)
- New retro-flavored men’s uniforms for Arizona. (Thanks to all who shared)
- New men’s uniforms for Butler. (From @DBrown_50)
Soccer
International
- Denmark’s very toned-down World Cup kits are reportedly a quiet protest against conditions in Cup host country Qatar. That prompted a response from Qatar’s Supreme Committee. (Thanks to all who shared)
Grab Bag
- Airline Virgin Atlantic has adopted a gender-neutral uniform policy, so employees can now wear whichever shirts, skirts, slacks, and jackets they’re comfortable with.
- For the first time in 10 years, M&M’s is adding a new animated character — and she’s purple. (From Ron Ruelle)
- New uniforms in the works for the U.S. Navy. (From Timmy Donahue)
Comments (14)
I’m really hoping the Danes get far in the World Cup now.
I’m in the same boat. I expect USA to wash out of the group stage with a 0-2-1 record, so I’m scouting out my post-USA rooting interest. Netherlands is usually my go-to, my wife is a huge Germany fan even though Miroslav Klose is no longer on the roster, and Wales is a great story. But Denmark is making a play for my loyalty, both with this gesture and with their recent quality of play.
Also, Christian Eriksen is their captain, who is somehow still playing at an elite level after suffering a cardiac arrest during the Euros. Good story all around.
This is entirely a FIFA issue. They took a bazillion dollars from Qatar (some of which was apparently under the table) to hold the WC there. Then, they suddenly figured out that Qatar is a desert and hot in July and August, so now the WC is in November and December.
The Bengals are in fact using grey for their end zones and mid field logo…The Bengals painted over their turf, the midfield logo already has a white outline that can not be removed, and painting the orange parts of the ‘B’ logo white would make it look very bold and illegible.
As far as the end zones, they MUST contrast with the side and endlines, so officials can determine whether feet are inbounds or not. White simply was not an option as they would blend right into the side and end lines.
Great info. Thanks!
Great insight. Thank you!
Per the NFL Rulebook, end zone designs have to be approved by the Commissioner, and the design cannot cause confusion with the sidelines, goal lines, and endlines. As those lines have to be white, that eliminates white as a background fill color, but in theory white could be used if a border of sufficient size was left inside those lines to provide sufficient contrast for rulings.
“Tank McNamara” is still around?
I did not know that!
If one (like me) considers the franchise’s real history, wouldn’t Matt Stover be “the longest-tenured Raven ever”?
I remember when Bonilla was hurt and opened the door for Pujols. I drafted him as a sleeper in our fantasy league. Maybe my best pick ever. What a career.
The Houston Cougars will be going BFBS for Friday’s game vs Tulane: link
Now if I can only purchase one of those adidas Team Canada ’72 sweaters…
I don’t think it’s true that Reggie Jackson wore number 20 as a tribute to Frank Robinson.
As I understand it, that was Reggie’s original assigned number with the Yankees, his normal number 9 being unavailable. But Reggie decided after a few days to switch to number 44, in tribute to Hank Aaron.
Being “one who gets it” on the west coast of FL, if I saw a batting helmet clad meteorologist in my neighborhood I would have purposely beaned him!!