MLB Field of Dreams 1919 Fauxbacks/Throwbacks (Expos 11/11)

[coco1997]

Now that MLB has announced that Dyersville, Iowa will once again host the Field of Dreams game in 2022, I got to wondering, if this becomes an annual tradition, will each of the 30 MLB teams eventually get a chance to participate in this special game? And if so, what would the teams who didn't even exist until decades later wear? This project seeks to answer that question.

 

Expect lots of off-white uniforms, pinstriped caps and McAuliffe style numbers.  There will be a mix of home and road uniforms, and for presentation's sake I'll also be including the teams that did exist in 1919 so you can see how my fauxback designs look alongside those real life ones. 

Rather than just post one team at a time, I'll go division by division. We start today with the NL West!

 

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (1919):

Loosely based on the New York Giants' 1919 road uniform but in the Giants' current colors and using the San Francisco Seals "SF" monogram which looks like it could have existed at this time. 

LOS ANGELES DODGERS (1919):

Inspired by the 1919 Brooklyn Dodgers uniforms with L.A. on the front, somewhat evoking the 1907 New York Giants uniforms. 

 

SAN DIEGO PADRES (1919):

 

Based on these 1936 Pacific Coast League Padres uniforms, replacing navy blue with their current brown. 

 

COLORADO ROCKIES (1919):

 

This one is inspired by the Denver White Elephants, a Negro League team that existed from 1915-35. The jersey design is one I'm particularly proud of, replacing the white elephant from the original with a triceratops. 

 

PHOENIX DIAMONDBACKS (1919):

 

Inspired by the Phoenix Senators, a minor league team that existed from 1915-1957. I really wanted to use the D-Backs' original purple and turquoise scheme, but that didn't feel very early 20th century so I instead opted for colors inspired by Arizona's City Connect uniform. 

 

C&C appreciated! Another division will be up soon. 

[Coiler]

The actual renamed throwbacks look good, and I love the fauxbacks, especially the dinosaur one.

[MilSox]

I like where this is going so far. Most MLB cities had teams back then, even if they weren't major league. Quite a few even had the sane name as their current MLB club.

[coco1997]

19 hours ago, Coiler said:

The actual renamed throwbacks look good, and I love the fauxbacks, especially the dinosaur one.

 

Thanks!
 

15 hours ago, NicDB said:

I like where this is going so far. Most MLB cities had teams back then, even if they weren't major league. Quite a few even had the same name as their current MLB club.

 

Thank you! You'll probably see some of that last comment show up in this project.

 

Today we have the AL East!

 

TAMPA BAY RAYS (1919):

 

This design is inspired by the St. Pete Saints, a minor league team that existed from 1908-2000. Not terribly different from the St. Pete Pelicans uniforms the Rays threw back to in 2007. 

 

NEW YORK YANKEES (1919):

 

Identical to the design the Yankees took the field in for the Field of Dreams game with one notable difference: I added a melange texture which would have went a long way towards making the Yanks' actual Field of Dreams unis look more era accurate. 

 

TORONTO BLUE JAYS (1919):

Inspired by the Toronto Maple Leafs, an International League team that operated from 1896-1967. This might end up being the only design in this project whose cap and jersey logo don't match. 

 

BOSTON RED SOX (1919):

Modeled after this uniform.

 

BALTIMORE ORIOLES (1919):

 

This one throws a bit further back to the original 1901 Baltimore Orioles but with a new chest insignia and matching jersey numbers. 

 

C&C appreciated as always! 

[Carolingian Steamroller]

I need that Blue Jays cap. 

[-Akronite-]

Toronto, Baltimore, & Colorado are all brilliant. If the Rockies built their identity around the Triceratops I would be tempted to buy a jersey, I love that.

[PowderedWater]

I can’t see any of the pictures. I’ve tried on multiple devices but they don’t load.

[Coiler]

Looks good. It's the first division where a majority of the teams existed in some form then, so some are just variants on their historical designs. Like the Leaf Jays and the Orioles (instead of the more technically accurate St. Louis Browns of the period).

[coco1997]

On 10/3/2021 at 9:23 AM, -Akronite- said:

Toronto, Baltimore, & Colorado are all brilliant. If the Rockies built their identity around the Triceratops I would be tempted to buy a jersey, I love that.

 

Thanks!
 

On 10/3/2021 at 11:21 AM, PowderedWater said:

I can’t see any of the pictures. I’ve tried on multiple devices but they don’t load.

 

Hmm, no one else seems to be having this problem. Let me know if you're having trouble seeing the next batch of teams, too. 

 

20 hours ago, Coiler said:

It's the first division where a majority of the teams existed in some form then, so some are just variants on their historical designs. Like the Leaf Jays and the Orioles (instead of the more technically accurate St. Louis Browns of the period).

 

Thanks. You'll see something similar with this next division, but the NL East and AL West in particular will have some surprises. 

 

MILWAUKEE BREWERS (1919):

The Brewers were the only NL Central team who did not exist in 1919. This design is based on the Milwaukee Bears Negro Leagues team who played for one season in 1923. 
 

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (1919):

 

Based on this uniform.

 

CINCINNATI REDS (1919):

 

The Reds wore this design for their 150th anniversary season back in 2019.

 

CHICAGO CUBS (1919):

 

With the Cubs playing as the road team in next season's Field of Dreams game, this is probably a pretty accurate depiction of how their uniforms will end up looking.

 

PITTSBURGH PIRATES (1919):

 

Long before the Pirates were synonymous with black and gold, they were just another boring old blue and red team. 

 

C&C appreciated! The AL West is up next. 

[PowderedWater]

42 minutes ago, coco1997 said:

Hmm, no one else seems to be having this problem. Let me know if you're having trouble seeing the next batch of teams, too. 

Still can't see the pics. On both my computer and my phone, the images only appear as the file name spacer.png. Opening the image and the link both yield no results. It sucks because I'd really like to see the pics!

[Coiler]

Looks good, although the home white hat with red stripes would look more distinctive on the Cardinals instead of the red road one you used , IMO.

[Victormrey]

Great idea for a series!

Well done so far, all the designs look great, but I specially like Rockies and the logo you've given them.

Keep up the good work

[mcrosby]

I'd wager the Cubs put something on the cap, if only for the sale$ of new merch. 

While I like the Brewers look, an evolution of the 1905 Milwaukee Brewers would have been nice to see. 

[coco1997]

On 10/4/2021 at 1:53 PM, PowderedWater said:

Still can't see the pics. On both my computer and my phone, the images only appear as the file name spacer.png. Opening the image and the link both yield no results. It sucks because I'd really like to see the pics!

 

Hmm. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what to tell you since no one else seems to be having this problem. Maybe contact one of the forum administrators?

 

22 hours ago, Coiler said:

Looks good, although the home white hat with red stripes would look more distinctive on the Cardinals instead of the red road one you used , IMO.

 

Thanks! I did consider including the home cap but ultimately settled on the road version. I can post a version with the home hat when I have time. 

 

7 hours ago, Victormrey said:

Great idea for a series!

Well done so far, all the designs look great, but I specially like Rockies and the logo you've given them.

Keep up the good work

 

Thanks, man! The Rockies are definitely one of my favorite designs in this project. 

 

4 hours ago, mcrosby said:

I'd wager the Cubs put something on the cap, if only for the sale$ of new merch. 

While I like the Brewers look, an evolution of the 1905 Milwaukee Brewers would have been nice to see. 

 

Interesting suggestion, but those uniforms might be a little too old timey even for this project. Baseball uniform designs changed a lot between the early 1900s and the late 1910's. For what it's worth, the arched block "MILWAUKEE" I used is pretty close to the ones on those 1905 unis. 

 

Up today is the AL West!

HOUSTON ASTROS (1919):

 

Based on the Houston Buffs, a minor league team that existed from 1888-1961. I replaced the buffalo in the chest insignia with a block letter "H."

 

LOS ANGELES ANGELS (1919):

 

The Halos in a pinstriped design based on the original L.A. Angels of the Pacific Coast League.

 

OAKLAND ATHLETICS (1919):

 

The 1919 Philadelphia Athletics' road uniform in Oakland's green and gold. 

 

TEXAS RANGERS (1919):

 

A design inspired by the Dallas Steers, a minor league team that existed from 1895-1938. 

 

SEATTLE MARINERS (1919):

 

Fun fact, there was once a Pacific Coast League team called the Seattle Purple Sox that played for exactly one season--in 1919. Since no clear images of the Purple Sox appear to exist, this design is an approximation of what that team's uniforms looked like in 1919.

 

C&C appreciated as always! Another division will be up soon. 

[packerfan21396]

On 10/4/2021 at 1:08 PM, coco1997 said:

MILWAUKEE BREWERS (1919):

The Brewers were the only NL Central team who did not exist in 1919. This design is based on the Milwaukee Bears Negro Leagues team who played for one season in 1923. 

The AA Brewers lasted from 1902 to 1952, here's an unfortunately low res picture of the 1920 Brewers, and here's @Gothamite's blog about them.

[coco1997]

15 hours ago, packerfan21396 said:

The AA Brewers lasted from 1902 to 1952, here's an unfortunately low res picture of the 1920 Brewers, and here's @Gothamite's blog about them.

 

I really wish a clearer photo of those uniforms existed because I'd love to make an accurate recreation of that logo. 

[mcrosby]

1 hour ago, coco1997 said:

 

I really wish a clearer photo of those uniforms existed because I'd love to make an accurate recreation of that logo. 

I'd say try it out with what you've got. Love the curled vertex of the M. Unless someone else finds clearer photos who's to say you don't get it just right? 

[coco1997]

6 hours ago, mcrosby said:

I'd say try it out with what you've got. Love the curled vertex of the M. Unless someone else finds clearer photos who's to say you don't get it just right? 

 

How's this?

MILWAUKEE BREWERS (1919):

 

Also, some updates to a few AL West teams. First, Oakland:

 

OAKLAND ATHLETICS (1919):

I was initially on the fence as to whether my A's design should pay homage to the Philadelphia A's or to the city the A's have played in for the past 50+ years by honoring the old Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League. I decided to revisit the latter idea but combine it with the Philadelphia A's-inspired design, replacing the "A" crest with the Old English "O" the Oaks used to use and dropping athletic gold entirely. 

 

Next, the Mariners:

SEATTLE MARINERS (1919):

 

This one combines multiple ideas, taking inspiration from the Seattle Giants of the Northwestern League while using the PCL Seattle Rainiers' color scheme. It's certainly a less plain design than my initial version.

 

C&C appreciated! I'll try to have the next division up tomorrow. 

[mcrosby]

It looks like the M has on open curl at the bottom, is a bit wider, and thinner. 

[MilSox]

I think I like your second Brewers one better. It's unfortunate that anything having to do with the traditional Milwaukee block M in the modern colors reads more as Michigan.