Why do baseball players wear caps? January 10 2020, 0 Comments

If you have ever tried to track an airplane as it moves across the skies, you know it’s impossible without shading your eyes from the sun. Baseball players have the same need to block the sun and bright lights to track a baseball that’s hit by an opponent or thrown to them from teammates. Custom baseball hats are part of every professional baseball player’s wardrobe for this reason and others. Their use has been adopted by baseball and softball players at all levels and all around the world.

Not Just for Baseball

Beyond their functionality, baseball hats have become much more than tools of the trade. Today, they are worn by baseball and softball players of all ages and genders, as well as many others who use them while playing other sports, such as golf and tennis. Many others wear them daily for jogging, walking or working outside. They have become a fashion statement for many who sport them with flat and round brims and in all positions, backward, forward and sideways.

Some Hat History

Initially, baseball caps were made from straw; they were adopted as part of the uniform of the New York Knickerbockers in 1849, one of the modern sport’s first clubs. The straw caps were quickly replaced by wool ones that included a visor and crown. Here’s a look at several styles in custom baseball hats that were available by 1888.

• Particolored cap: The St. Louis Browns sported this style while winning the 1886 championship. It had a pillbox (flat) crown with vertical stripes up the sides and across the top, as well on the brim.
• Chicago cap: With the same pillbox shape as the particolored cap, the Chicago baseball hat had a single-colored bill and horizontal stripes around its round exterior.
• Boston-style cap: A short bill and a crown that leaned forward are hallmarks of the Boston-style cap. It was offered with a star on the crown or without one.
• Jockey shape cap: Borrowing its style from horse-racing attire, the jockey shape cap included a longer bill and a larger, round crown. This style is most like those worn today.
• Skull cap: Very similar to the jockey shape cap, the skull cap had a much shorter bill.

Although their heyday was ending as the 20th century was beginning, pillbox hats experienced a few revivals in the major leagues. The Philadelphia Athletics wore the style from 1909 to 1915, also winning three World Series championships during the same period. In 1976, several teams in the National League wore them for a year in honor of the league’s centennial anniversary. The Pittsburgh Pirates wore the caps from 1976 to 1987, including the 1979 season in which they won the World Series.

Browse Custom Baseball Hats Today

Another great reason for wearing custom baseball hats is the instant recognition they provide. Players can quickly tell at a glance an opponent from a teammate, even when the similarity in uniform styles and colors is confusingly close to their own. If you manage or play on a team at any recreational or competitive level, you know how crucial that instant recognition can be. Browse the variety of custom hat styles available at Socks Rock today.