Best Throwback Uniforms in Baseball

Photo credit: mussinahof.com

Seemingly, every week, baseball fans are treated to an aesthetic kaleidoscope of their favorite teams wearing uniforms from decades past. While some of these re-creations are better executed than others, it’s hard to deny the fun in seeing teams trot out onto the field in bright 70s color schemes and long-forgotten logos. So which throwback uniforms are the best? Don’t worry, we chose the top five for you.

Photo credit: williampennmanship.blogspot.com

Phillies Powder Blues
Using baby blue as a replacement for the standard road gray was popular in the 1970s. While several teams such as the Expos, Brewer, Rangers and Mariners used the blue, no one did it better than Philadelphia. When paired with a contrasting maroon and unique logo, the Phillies were the best-looking team on the field. Here’s hoping they at least revert to maroon.

Photo credit: sportslogos.net

Mariners Trident
The Seattle Mariners have always embraced nautical themes in their uniforms, but none has been as clever as their use of a trident to make the letter “M.” Shades of green and blue might have turned into a representation of the Emerald City, but you just can’t beat classic logo design with classic colors. The trident has our vote, even in their current teal and navy blue getups.


Astros Rainbow Shoulders

Photo credit: ultimatebaseballlook.blogpost.com

Of course, we were going to include the Houston Astros in this post; and of course, it was going to pay tribute to their days in the orange-and-yellow rainbow design. We just prefer the more toned down use of the stripes, as seen here on Craig Biggio. It still features the unique rainbow pattern, adds a bit more flair to the shoulders and sleeves (an often-overlooked element of baseball uniforms) and gives the torso a clean, classic look.

Brewer's Ball-in-Glove
Logos that cleverly create two logos within one are our favorites. The Milwaukee Brewers logo used to be a thing of baseball beauty. Seen here on Robin Yount, what looks like a basic baseball glove is actually also the letters “M” and “B” for the team’s city and nickname. It doesn’t hurt that the uniform features the Brewers’ classic royal blue and yellow with a vintage script design. Do the right thing and revert to this design!

Photo credit: thecomeback.com

Pirates Pillbox
In many ways, the Pittsburgh Pirates began rewriting the script on how baseball uniforms were supposed to look. They blended different colors of pants and jerseys to accentuate their black and yellow colors, and they even re-thought the baseball cap. Their pillbox caps with rings around the top were instantly recognizable and instantly unique. Admittedly, a bit strange, the caps made the Pirates a household favorite during the 70s.

Baseball has always been a sport rooted in nostalgia, from its historic players and stadiums to its classic uniforms and memorable games. Which throwback threads are your favorite in baseball? Leave a comment below!

What is the BIG3?

Credit: prnewswire.com

If you lamented the end of the NBA season, basketball has quickly returned with BIG3, a new league that features some familiar faces. BIG3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by rapper Ice Cube and comprised of former NBA players such as Allen Iverson, Jermaine O-Neal, Mike Bibby and Kenyon Martin. Played without a clock and on a half-court setup, the first team to score 60 points (and win by two) is the winner. The game is a bit rougher than the modern NBA, with players allowed to get away with harder fouls that remind fans of the NBA from decades past. Let’s take a quick look at the teams of the league and their colors (all logo credit to big3.com)!

3’s Company – 3’s Company features a mixture of orange, blue and grey. The use of the colors reminds us of Syracuse or the New York Knicks.

Killer 3s – The Killer 3s logo invokes a bee with its lightning bolts and yellow and black color scheme. Their uniforms even include some horizontal striping to mimic a bee.

Tri-State – Patriotic to a T, the logo and colors for Tri-State remind us of something you’d see the Wizards, Nets or 76ers wear.

3 Headed Monsters – We love the clever detailing on the M and S of “monsters” to resemble a pointed dragon’s tail. The color scheme of purple, green and yellow is very New Orleansesque, especially when the Jazz played in the Big Easy.

Trilogy – A creepy, bloodshot basket-eyeball dripping black goo? Sure, why not?

Ghost Ballers – The curvy design of the text on this logo adds to the feeling of the ghost, and we like the decision to use purple here instead of navy blue. Purple doesn’t get the respect it deserves in many color schemes, so using it as a primary instead of an accent here is nice.

Ball Hogs – A very literal definition of the term, the Ball Hogs logo is a great use of shades of green and yellow we haven’t seen since the Oakland A’s of the 1970s. Glad to see this boar is concerned with hygiene, what with its sweatband and all.

Power – We like the subtle saw blade design around the basketball, which, paired with the sharp edges of the lettering, gives this team a blue-collar feel to it. The use of a brighter blue (a la the Orlando Magic) instead of a deeper, royal blue really lets the letters stand out against the black background.

The BIG3 is already getting a ton of publicity thanks to its loaded roster of former NBA superstars. If the league does well over the years, we’re likely to see more and more teams join the fold. What colors do you hope they toss into the mix in the future? Call us crazy, but something uncommon like orange and green would be pretty cool. Share your thoughts in the comments below and enjoy the 10-week season!