One Last Look at Baseball.....again!

During the World Series, we had a guest column on SDB from frequent contributor Dan Leonard. Dan's column received lots of great feedback and he wanted to do a follow-up  on his baseball subject. So, without further introduction, here's Dan's column:

By Dan Leonard

I've received quite a bit of positive feedback from readers on my guest column. This comment on my article was made by Starskee on October 30th:

It's curious to consider that innovation is often tempered by superstition and superstition can drive teams to emulate the design of winning teams. A team could come out with some wacky new design and be ridiculed, but if they're winning, all will be forgiven. And then emulated! Having said that, I do dig the classic uniforms. By the way, the font and uniform style of the L.A. Dodgers is still pretty much the original Brooklyn look, right? (Except for the knickers/socks, I guess...)

Starskee's point is quite insightful.

The early 70s Oakland Athletics came out with new uniforms in kelly green, gold and white jerseys that were interchangeable with their white pants. It was a huge break from traditional, staid baseball uniforms. In addition to the radical colored jerseys, they sported gold socks beneath the kelly green stirrups, also a departure from the norm. Yes, those A's teams were certainly trendy, and successful! These stylish dudes won three consecutive world series championships from 1972-74, all while sporting long hair, sideburns, beards and mustaches.

I was devastated when my hometown favorite, Pittsburgh Pirates were unable to hold onto their National League crown in 1972. Their loss in the  divisional playoffs to the Cincinnati Reds forfeited a chance for the grooviest Series baseball had ever seen!

Those Pirates ultimately mimicked the successful Oakland franchise in 1976 with their own radical black, gold and pinstriped, interchangeable jerseys and pants. It was the Centennial celebration of the National League that year and many teams were sporting pill-box styled caps, similar to those worn during the senior circuit's first season. With two different colored caps, they outdid their predecessors, the A's, wearing their jerseys and pants in 15 different combinations.

The Buccos did become superstitious, too. During the 1979 season, the elder statesman, 38 year-old team captain , Willie Stargell decreed that they would only wear the black jerseys with gold pants or vice versa. Thereby, disbanding the pinstriped versions altogether, during their divisional playoffs and World Series games.

Stargell added to the color of those uniforms. Throughout the pennant -winning campaign, he awarded gold 'Stargell Stars' to teammates who's contributions helped win crucial ballgames. The stars were worn on the black pill-box styled caps in between the gold stripes. This exemplified Willie's leadership. He'd been through previous pennant-winning wars, as a young member of the world championship 1971 team led by the great Roberto Clemente, then 37.

All this culminated in the only themed-song title team to date. The '79 Pirates had adopted Sister Sledge's, "We Are Family" as their song during that summer. Some of the player's wives danced to the music on top of the dugout  celebrating a world series victory over the Baltimore Orioles!

The New York Yankees celebrated their 27th World Series title this season. We often fault the big market teams for buying the latest, greatest players, and pennants. Lets give Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera their due. Having only been Yankees, their leadership has been responsible for many championships. It's fun to remember when other small market teams had the same opportunities. Who can imagine Willie Stargell as anything other than a Pittsburgh Pirate?

 

Comments

[Dave Murgie]

The Buccos still have one of the nicest uniforms in major league baseball.
Unfortunately they haven't had many major league baseball players in them the past decade or so.
Also, the Pirates & Orioles wore '79 throw back uniforms for a game last season in inter-league play to celebrate the 30th anniversary of that World Series. So the pillbox hats did make a brief return last year which was interesting. Or not.

[Steve Freno]

I believe I must part ways with your esteemed guest columnist Dan here on this subject.... to refer to the Oakland A's of the early '70s as "stylish" borders on the absurd...I think that his worship (fully understood btw) of the Pirates from the same era are also slanting his views on their uniforms. Great teams both, but stylish or trendy?? More like an abomination!
If Dan was born an Astros Fan, would he be telling us how great they looked in the 80's? or the '76 White Sox (shorts!) or possibly the Padres in the '70s...???

Let's see more columns from Dan, but this one..?? Only a fan of the Pirates or A's could write this one! -:) Sorry Dan!

~~Steve

[Grant Kraus]

One's likes and dislikes are the opinion of the beholder. The colors, style, logos or design of uniforms don't really make a difference. It is the athletes who wear them that make the difference. Sports are debatable till the end of time. Every team, no matter what color jersey, has had "poor", "good", "very good", and "great", players to have performed for our dismay and/or pleasure. I never the saw the 70's A's play live. I collected baseball cards, read, and saw highlights of their success though! The kelly green and gold remain one of my favorite color combinations of all time. The boxer short bearing punk with his hat askew wearing one of those bright orange softball style Astros jersey today couldn't tell you a damn thing about Jose Cruz's high leg stance or J.R. Richard's fastball or that Joe Niekro threw a nailfile on the field. Talk up the new colors, historic pinstipes, throwbacks,or whatever. That's what it's there for!