History of Baseball Stirrup Socks August 20 2021, 0 Comments

Baseball stirrups have gained in popularity recently, but they're far from new. They date all the way back to 1905, when it became standard practice to wear two pairs of socks at once. In July of this year, Nap Lajoie became sick with sepsis after getting blood poisoning from his socks' dye. To prevent themselves from getting similarly sick, other baseball players began wearing undyed white socks underneath their colorful socks. While this practice prevented players from getting blood poisoning, they had a hard time fitting both pairs into their cleats. An ingenius solution led to the creation of the first stirrups socks; players began cutting off their colored socks' ankles and toes, creating more room in their cleats. The style increased in popularity, with improvements in dye technology allowing sock manufacturers to use colors in their undersocks, too. In the 1970s, different teams competed to see whose oversocks could expose the most of their undersocks. After this surge in popularity, stirrups became unpopular until the most recent baseball seasons.

When Did It All Begin?

In 1868 the Cincinnati Red Stockings exposed their baseball socks by cuffing their pants to resemble cricketers. Soon, exposed colored stockings became all the rage, adding more color to baseball team uniforms. But it wasn’t until 1905, when Nap Lajoie’s injury from a cleat drove players to wear two layers of sock, that baseball stirrups were born. A white, washable underlining sanitary sock was worn under the colored uniform sock. Two layers were a tight fit for the cleats, so players cut the toe and ankle out of the colored over-sock, creating the first baseball stirrups. 

It was in the 1920s that stripes and ‘candy cane’ colors debuted, giving stirrup socks a decorative use that went past their sanitary purpose. Baseball stirrups, already a distinctive part of the uniform, became an even greater part of America’s Past Time. In the 1960s colorfast dyes allowed the sanitary socks to be colored other than white, creating combinations like the Athletics green-over-gold look.

Going Overboard?

The 1970s saw the loops of baseball stirrups climb higher and higher up the player’s lower leg. It became a fashion competition to try for the longest loop, leading to some interesting sock looks. Eventually, the trend overcorrected in the other direction and stirrup socks fell out of fashion.

You Can’t Keep A Good Sock Down

After decades of decline, the baseball stirrup is making a comeback. Tradition conscious players are taking advantage of Major League Baseball’s relaxed oversight of uniform rules to make their own personal statements regarding footwear. From sock hiding pants to knee-high stirrups under knicker-like cuffed pants, players are making their own choices -- even within the same team. An individual identifier in a team uniform that any player and fan can get behind, and stick their foot into!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why Did Baseball Players Wear Dyed Socks?

Dyed socks became popular in 1868 after the Cincinnati Red Stockings started rolling up their pants, allowing them to show off the long baseball socks that gave them their name. Other teams decided to join in the trend and started experimenting with colorful team socks as part of their uniforms.

Why Was Sock Dye Poisonous?

When baseball stirrups first became popular in the 1800s, there was nowhere near as much government oversight into the substances that could be used for dyes. Many of the colors or their fixers contained toxic chemicals that gave wearers burns, especially when the socks weren't washed properly or were worn for a long time.

Which Teams Are Famous for Their Stirrups?

In addition to the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the Red Sox are also famous for their stirrups. Their design dates back to 1936 and features a red oversock with thick stripes that showcase the traditional white undersock. The St. Louis Cardinals only wore their candy cane stirrups for one year, in 1923, but they started a trend that persists today.

Are Stirrups Comfortable?

Stirrups started as a way to prevent injuries while preserving baseball players' comfort, and modern stirrups continue that tradition. While they provide extra support for your ankles and the balls of your feet, they're not bulky or hard to move in. In fact, many baseball players call them the most comfortable socks.

How Do You Wear Stirrups?

Properly-fitted stirrups work like knee socks, stretching all the way up to but not over your knees. They need to be tight so that they don't fall down and get in your way, but they shouldn't be so tight that they constrict your movement or blood flow. Pull them on before you put on your uniform pants for best results.

To participate in the stirrup-wearing tradition, check out the collection at Socks Rock today. Choose your team's colors for the over- and undersocks, and, thanks to modern dye innovations, don't be afraid to choose two dyed options.