Product Spotlight: Baseball Caps

There have been lots of hat designs over the years. Some, such as the fedora offer a formal, classic look. Others, such as the “fascinators” women wear to the Kentucky Derby, are meant to be bold, distinctive, even a bit outrageous.

There’s one style that you’ll see just about everywhere, especially in summer, at events both formal and casual – the baseball cap. From presidents and popes to children and celebrities alike, the iconic design has a universal appeal.

So how did this timeless design come about? What’s kept it popular for nearly two centuries, even as other hat styles declined? Let’s take a look.

The Beginnings of Baseball 

The roots of the baseball cap and those of baseball itself are intertwined. Let’s take a look at how the game began.

Most Americans believe that Abner Doubleday invented baseball in 1839 in Cooperstown, N.Y. Well, not exactly.

For one thing, Doubleday wasn’t in Cooperstown that year. He was a student at West Point. He later went on to achieve military success in the Union Army during the Civil War. He was the first Union officer to order return fire when Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter at the start of the war, and later fought at Gettysburg.

More significantly for baseball, a similar game called “rounders” was played in England for more than a hundred years earlier, and was referred to in 1744 as “Base-Ball.” Baseball historians today generally agree that America’s pastime is a variation of rounders, adapted with a few differences.

The Beginnings of the Baseball Cap

Baseball caps have been around since the 1800s, but they didn’t always take the familiar form we know today. In fact, the first hats baseball players wore weren’t caps at all. Rather, they were straw hats, of the style commonly known as “boaters.”

While you might think they were something better suited to barbershop quartets than baseball, those first hats served a twofold purpose. They kept the sun out of players’ eyes, and became an identifiable part of the official uniform.

According to MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, it didn’t take long to discover the hats might not be the ideal choice for players. In the late 1800s, a New York company, Peck & Snyder crafted the precursor to our modern baseball cap. Made of merino wool, it featured a star-shaped crown and a short visor in front.

Brooklyn Sets the Standard

That was just the beginning. For a few years, players donned what we know today as a “pillbox”-style hat, the one that looks like an old-fashioned railroad conductor’s hat. It took a New York team, the Brooklyn Excelsiors, to move caps forward to a more modern look.

Their caps featured a button-topped crown and a longer brim. By the end of the 19th century, that cap design became the standard for virtually all teams.

And there were more changes to come.

Of Tigers and Philadelphia

By the early 1900s, a Philadelphia style cap became the norm, with a stitched brim that held its shape better. In 1901, the Detroit Tigers created the next major change, with the addition of a red tiger mascot to the front of the cap. Within a few more years, the cap evolved from the original eight-panel construction to the six-panel style we know today.

From Field to Fashion

What began as a way to prevent players from losing a flying baseball in the sun evolved over the years. Baseball fans started wearing their teams’ caps to show their loyalty to the team, or to their city. Before long, other athletes started wearing them too, off the court or field.

The advent of hip-hop in the 1980s and ‘90s brought the humble baseball cap into the world of fashion. Rappers started wearing the caps as a statement, one that signified both rebellion and an embrace of fashion. Many chose to embellish their caps with custom logos or symbols.

In the years since, baseball caps have become a valued aspect of street style and hip-hop culture. Designers have even incorporated baseball caps – often bejeweled or otherwise accessorized – into the runways of haute couture.

Which Way to Wear It?

Baseball caps were designed, of course, to be worn with brim in the front, shading the eyes. But in recent years, wearing a cap backwards has become popular. But how did wearing baseball caps that way become a thing in the first place?

It began right where the caps did, in baseball itself. Catchers wear a mask to protect themselves from pitches. Wearing a cap interferes with the mask, so they began turning them backwards when at the plate.

Once again, in the 1980s and ‘90s, the simple baseball cap became a symbol of rebellion. Athletes, rappers and other celebrities began wearing their caps backward, as a symbol of nonconformity and independent thought. The trend caught on, and today, you’ll see backward caps just about everywhere, from campuses to concerts.

The bottom line is, there’s no particular right or wrong way to wear your baseball cap. Whichever way feels right to you is the way to go. Keep in mind however, that if you’re wearing your cap backward outdoors and shielding your eyes from the sun with your hand, you’ll look pretty ridiculous. Turn it around in that case!

Baseball Cap or Trucker Cap?

You may be familiar with a trucker cap or trucker hat. While they may look similar to baseball caps, there are significant differences between the two.

Trucker hats typically have a large front panel made from foam, and a back made of mesh material for ventilation. Baseball caps, on the other hand, typically are fully made of fabric such as cotton.

Baseball caps feature a firm brim or bill designed to protect the wearer from the sun. Trucker hats offer a softer, slightly curved brim. As for fit, trucker hats feature a snap closure in back to allow an adjustable fit. In contrast, baseball caps may be either single-size fitted or feature a buckle style adjustment in back.

Either cap can be customized with embroidery or patches to promote a team, brand or logo. The choice of which one to wear comes down to personal preference.

Promotional Caps

Custom caps are a great way to promote your team, band or organization. They’re a time-tested way to promote vehicle brands, farm machinery and other heavy equipment.

Whether you want to promote your brand, create camaraderie with your team, or just look cool, baseball caps are a great way to go. If you’d like to find out more about how custom caps can help promote and enhance your organization, we’re here to help. Give us a call at (800) 423-0449, or fill out our fast and easy contact form. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have about custom caps or any of our other outstanding custom promotional products!