indians in pinstripes?

[HatManTC]

I was watching G4tv and they were doing a review on MLB the show 07. they kept showing what looked to be cubs unis with indians on the front. and a wishbone c cap. when did the tribe wear these

[MJWalker45]

The Indians had unis like these in the late 1950's

[speedy]

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/exhibits...amp;Entryid=942

[LEWJ]

I believe these are the ones that were in MLB 06 the show. But I'm not positive if they are the same unis you are referring to:

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/exhibits...mp;Entryid=1158

[HatManTC]

thanks. it looked very odd. I was praying that the tribe won't be putting these on any time soon

[ElwoodCuse]

The baseball games were never much for showing off new uni stuff, unlike the NBA games.

[winghaz]

When I first started collecting baseball cards (and football cards to a lesser degree) as a little kid in the early 1960s, I associated the wishbone C with the Cleveland Indians more than any other team in sports. The NFL wasn't as big as it is now, so the Chicago Bears' C was an after-thought. And the Cincinnati Reds didn't use the wishbone C at the time. Here are the 62 Reds:

1962 Reds

[Guest]

They didn't? Are you sure?

[John in KY]

It all depends on when you started paying attention to things like logos, caps, etc.

I'm pretty sure the Bears had been using a wishbone C on letterhead and other things for a while, but they didn't put it on their helmets until 1963. It was a plain white wishbone C from 1963-1972; they switched to the current orange with a white border wishbone C on the helmet in 1973.

Thanks to "Dressed to the Nines" I did a little quick research on the Reds and the Indians.

The Reds first used a wishbone C - admittedly an Old English version - on their jeseys from 1905-1907. They first used something like their modern logo (the word "Reds" inside the wishbone C) in 1911, but it was again an Old English style wishbone C. They began using what we all would call a wishbone C (again typically with the word "Reds" inside) in 1913, and used one all the way through the 1960 season on at least one of their jerseys. However, they used a different C on the caps until 1934, when they switched to the wishbone C. Even during the "Commie Scare" 50s (1956-1960) when they became the "Redlegs," they still used the wishbone C but removed the "offensive" word "Reds". So, since about 1913 the only time the Reds didn't use a wishbone C was the period from 1961-1966 when they brought back the traditional "Reds" name but used the plain oval C shown in the 1962 uniform linked above by winghaz on both caps and home jersey. The wishbone C returned in 1967 on both the caps and the home jersey and is still in use.

The Indians also have a long history with the wishbone C; they began using it on their caps and jerseys in 1933. While the Reds had it in their logo for about 20 years, they didn't add it to their caps until after the Indians began using it. It was on the jerseys and caps from 1933-1945, and on the caps only from 1946-1953. For a short period from 1954-1957, a small Chief Wahoo logo was inside the wishbone C. The Chief appears to be gone and a plain wishbone C is used from 1958-1961, but he is back inside the C for 1962. The Chief was again removed but the wishbone C was still used from 1963-1972. The Indians have not used a wishbone C (unless it was used in a turn-back-the-clock game) since.

[Gothamite]

Thanks for the research!

[Artmanc3po]

Did the Indians stop using Chief Wahoo on their caps in the seventies for any reason, or was it just a phase they went through? I remember the "Tribal" C, then the block C, all the way up into the eighties. I also remember seeing President Clinton throwing out a first ball at Jacobs Field during the Chief Wahoo nineties, wearing a block C cap. I figured that was a PC decision on his part.

[powersurge]

Its funny how I don't mind the fact that multiple franchises use the stylized 'wishbone' letter 'C' but it bothers me when multiple baseball teams use pin stripes on their jerseys. I just don't like it. I think only a select few teams should be able to wear pin stripes and one of them is obviously the Yankees, but also the Cubs. I know its stupid to think that but it has bothered me for years.

[cranium]

Its funny how I don't mind the fact that multiple franchises use the stylized 'wishbone' letter 'C' but it bothers me when multiple baseball teams use pin stripes on their jerseys. I just don't like it. I think only a select few teams should be able to wear pin stripes and one of them is obviously the Yankees, but also the Cubs. I know its stupid to think that but it has bothered me for years.

I know it sounds lame, but I agree. A team should have to earn pinstripes, like the franchise had existed for at least 50 years or something. It always seemed inappropriate to me to see the Rockies and other new franchises in pinstripes.

[John in KY]

Did the Indians stop using Chief Wahoo on their caps in the seventies for any reason, or was it just a phase they went through? I remember the "Tribal" C, then the block C, all the way up into the eighties. I also remember seeing President Clinton throwing out a first ball at Jacobs Field during the Chief Wahoo nineties, wearing a block C cap. I figured that was a PC decision on his part.

Historically, it appears that Chief Wahoo was only on the caps from 1954-1957 and 1962, and even then it was a small logo pretty much inside the wishbone C - at least based on the Dressed To The Nines material. As I mentioned in my long post, they just used the wishbone C from 1963-1972.

Then came the "Tribal" C from 1973-1977, followed by the block C from 1978-1985.

Of course, Chief Wahoo has been back on the caps since 1986.

However, they used Chief Wahoo on their jerseys in some form or another (sleeve patch, vest front logo, etc.) even though they didn't use it on the caps.

[BBTV]

Its funny how I don't mind the fact that multiple franchises use the stylized 'wishbone' letter 'C' but it bothers me when multiple baseball teams use pin stripes on their jerseys. I just don't like it. I think only a select few teams should be able to wear pin stripes and one of them is obviously the Yankees, but also the Cubs. I know its stupid to think that but it has bothered me for years.

I know it sounds lame, but I agree. A team should have to earn pinstripes, like the franchise had existed for at least 50 years or something. It always seemed inappropriate to me to see the Rockies and other new franchises in pinstripes.

So what about a <50 year old man in a pinstripe suit? Pinstripes are just a classic style, not a badge of honor. Some teams (like some men) look stupid because of how they wear them, but when done right they look timeless and great and fantastic and awesome.

[cranium]

Its funny how I don't mind the fact that multiple franchises use the stylized 'wishbone' letter 'C' but it bothers me when multiple baseball teams use pin stripes on their jerseys. I just don't like it. I think only a select few teams should be able to wear pin stripes and one of them is obviously the Yankees, but also the Cubs. I know its stupid to think that but it has bothered me for years.

I know it sounds lame, but I agree. A team should have to earn pinstripes, like the franchise had existed for at least 50 years or something. It always seemed inappropriate to me to see the Rockies and other new franchises in pinstripes.

So what about a <50 year old man in a pinstripe suit? Pinstripes are just a classic style, not a badge of honor. Some teams (like some men) look stupid because of how they wear them, but when done right they look timeless and great and fantastic and awesome.

I guess that was part of my issue with the Rockies, etal. wearing pinstripes. It was like they were saying, look we have been around for a long time. We wear timeless, classic uniforms

[powersurge]

Its funny how I don't mind the fact that multiple franchises use the stylized 'wishbone' letter 'C' but it bothers me when multiple baseball teams use pin stripes on their jerseys. I just don't like it. I think only a select few teams should be able to wear pin stripes and one of them is obviously the Yankees, but also the Cubs. I know its stupid to think that but it has bothered me for years.

I know it sounds lame, but I agree. A team should have to earn pinstripes, like the franchise had existed for at least 50 years or something. It always seemed inappropriate to me to see the Rockies and other new franchises in pinstripes.

So what about a <50 year old man in a pinstripe suit? Pinstripes are just a classic style, not a badge of honor. Some teams (like some men) look stupid because of how they wear them, but when done right they look timeless and great and fantastic and awesome.

I guess that was part of my issue with the Rockies, etal. wearing pinstripes. It was like they were saying, look we have been around for a long time. We wear timeless, classic uniforms

Agreed, you could add to that the Marlins as well....although they've won two WS titles so maybe they've earned it

If I ever see the Devil Rays wearing pin stripes I'll boycott baseball!!!

[infrared41]

I was watching G4tv and they were doing a review on MLB the show 07. they kept showing what looked to be cubs unis with indians on the front. and a wishbone c cap. when did the tribe wear these

The Indians wore a version of the pinstripe unis sometime between '69 and '71 because that is what they were wearing at the first major league game I ever attended. I'm not sure of the year but I think it was 1970. I have the wishbone C cooperstown collection hat now. It's always been my favorite Indians hat and those have always been my favorite Indians uniforms. Probably because they remind me of my first game and when I really became a baseball fan.

[Discrim]

heh, I remember I got cards with some early 90s Indians wearing the 70s C cap with the early 90s uniform...any Tribe fans know what was up with that? the hat's kinda cool and would still be unique, but I always wondered about it.

[winghaz]

Some teams just look right in pinstripes. Some don't.

The Twins, White Sox, Mets, Phillies and Cubs just look like they were made for pinstripes.

I'm withholding judgement on the Marlins, Rockies and Diamondbacks.