Vintage Baseball Uniforms - A New Trend

As a manufacturer of custom made baseball uniforms and a long time coach and fan of the great game of baseball there is a movement afoot that I find very interesting. Our company has been approached several times in the last year or two about manufacturing “vintage” style uniforms; like those worn by baseball players in the late 1800s.

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Apparently this is not just a phenomenon but a growing movement in the US. There are sanctioned leagues and organizations whose members must at least dress like the “old time” players and in some cases even use the authentic equipment and original rules. As I have researched this I can assure you that baseball is a much different game when played with this inferior equipment and with the rules that the game was originally played with. I would actually love to see some of the young men that I coach give this game a try with equipment and uniforms like the ones I describe. I have a feeling that I would hear a lot less complaints about“bad” gloves, bats, etc.

My specific area of expertise is the uniform aspect of this; the vintage uniforms are very interesting. First off, the fabric itself is fairly heavy and uncomfortable; somewhat like flannel. Many have ¾ length or even full length sleeves. I can’t imagine wearing these in some of the 100 degree days that we play in. The cuts are also large and almost baggy and the lettering and numbers are sewn-on felt. If I’m not mistaken numbers were not even mandatory on vintage uniforms.

Many of the uniform designs are simple yet visually appealing to purists. The jerseys feature solid color bodies and frequently offer contrasting color plackets and collars. The lettering is usually single color block or Old English style. The vintage hats are also interesting. They are either the “pillbox” style or a relaxed fit style with a very short visor. I can assure you that most of today’s young players wouldn’t be caught dead in hats such as these.

I will not even discuss the authentic equipment because it is not something that I am an expert on. Needless to say if you have ever seen the vintage gloves, bats and balls you will wonder how anyone could excel with this equipment.

The real issue, from my perspective, is whether this “look” will ever catch on with traditional teams. If college or even minor league teams were to wear these vintage uniforms it might actually take off. As a coach myself it would be very intriguing to dress like this and it is something that I would definitely consider. The heat and comfort aspect is the only thing that would give me pause. I will be very curious to see if this vintage concept becomes more mainstream over the next several years.

For more information on vintage baseball, visit the Vintage Base Ball Association's website.