Nothing makes me feel like winter is over like baseball’s opening day. Each season I like to buy a new cap to wear throughout the summer. Recently I have been buying throwback caps from the Cooperstown Collection. I’m a long suffering Cleveland Indians fan and the franchise has some really classic retro hats to choose from. Styles like the 1978 block “C” version pictured below. You won’t see everyone wearing those throwback styles around the stadium, which is a good thing. This is especially true for me – I hardly see any Indians hats at my stadium in the Bronx.
Philadelphia Phillies 1939-1941
I ordered one and had to return it, as the fit wasn’t right. Mind you, I have a huge melon, and a high-rise head needs a high-rise hat. I wish ball hats were made a little deeper, as they were in the ’70s and ’80s.
The one I ordered looked great – the Houston Colt .45s, from the early ’60s. Beautifully simple: a nice orange “.45s” embroidered on a navy hat with an orange nub on top. Or whatever that thing’s called.
Style-wise, the Cooperstown Collection is unassailable. While the enormous “Cooperstown Collection” patch on the back is a bit much, it’s nothing a seam-ripper couldn’t take care of.
Nice work on the site – I check it twice a day. Have a great time in Austin!
Dave
Toronto
Phillies…BOOOO!
Don’t forget Ebbets Field Flannels and their vintage hats and jerseys – http://www.ebbets.com/ . I mean, who wouldn’t want a 1888 Shenandoah Hungarian Riotors shirt?
Good call Amit. The Ebbets collection is great. Mr. Corey Wilson tipped me off to them not too long ago. Very nice.
ACL
Great hats! But where are the Cubbies!?!
Second Erich, this is my favourite old time cubbies hat: http://tiny.cc/gBLwl
Go Indians!!!!
I think you should consider Cooperstown Ballcap Company. The hats are handmade to order, with leather bands, and you can specify the height of the crown and length of the bill. They’re a bit more expensive than a regular cap, but not much more. The quality is really spectacular. And made in the USA — in Cooperstown, no less.
Great post. After waxing poetic to a friend on the more storied club of St. Louis baseball, I received a Browns cap for Christmas a few years ago. With 4-F ballplayers during the war, Bill Veeck and his midget pinch hitter, and one of the greatest to play the game, Satchel Paige, it’s the STL Brown Stockings for me!
I think I have that Phillies cap. A lot of these are made by American Needle… in Bangladesh :(
Nice.
Oh how I hated those White Sox uniforms from the 80’s.
The guys look like a 16″ softball team.
And then there were the shorts!
Glad to see there’s more die-hard Tribe fans out there.
I have a question for Mr. Williams (and everyone else). I was happy to see a ballcap on this site, since I like them, but come summer I got into a predicament: I tend to wear a knit cap in the winter, and it looks fine with a suit on my way to work, going out at night, etc.. But in the summer, if I want to wear a casual hat with my summer suit, what are my options? A fedora/stroller/etc. tends to look a bit pompous, I think, but can a man really wear a ballcap with a blazer without looking like a tool? thanks!
I need that Orioles cap immediately.
love these.
I’ve been a die-hard fitted cap wearer since high- school. but at some point i realized their popular might become a detriment to my style.
Then I found New Era’s Cooperstown collection. they don’t have any of the modern New Era adornment(new era logo, MLB badge), classic styling and the almighty green under-brim. And for someone with a sizable dome, they fit pretty well, which serves my (and maybe Dave’s) needs without the use of a seam ripper.
and honestly the hats just look damn good, my 1980 Phils is easily the best looking thing in the park at Nats home games. ha.
best bets:
http://www.mickeysplace.com
http://www.distantreplays.com
I definitely endorse JT’s recommendation of Cooperstown Ballcap Co over the MLB throwback collection. I’ve had several hats made up by CBC. They offer an exhaustive range of historical styles and manufacturer their hats in a more traditional style with horsehide leather bands and high quality wool. Plus they can customize any hat (adding panels or shortening the crown). The website and catalog images are presented in the form of charming, hand drawn illustrations.
http://www.ballcap.com/
Thirding the recommendation for the Cooperstown Ballcap Company. The website isn’t much but the product is fantastic and far exceeds at least the Cooperstown Collection, if not Ebbets Flannels as well.
Great links. I’m not even a baseball fan but the Seattle Rainier’s hats from 55 & 57 are incredible.
I must be one of few owners of one of these baseball caps in Dublin!
/Cillian.
Go Tribe!!!