The Fonting of Youth

[josh1068]

Back in my youth, I hated the Red Sox road uniforms. Looked like they were designed by Betsy Ross. All gray with no striping with just BOSTON in plain navy block letters on the front, with equally plain numbers on the back. And this was in the day of wild colors and softball-style uniforms. Talk about standing out, and not in a good way.

But, looking back, I think it was interesting how the numbers on the home unis were so dramatically different from the roads. The homes used the current two-color, fancy Red Sox numerals...the road numbers were borrowed from the Yankees' equipment manager. Quite a contrast.

So, I wanted to prepare a list of other teams that did this. To qualify, we need completely different fonts and/or colors from home to road (alternate jerseys do NOT count.)

Here is what I have so far:

1979-89 Boston Red Sox (see above)

1981 Dallas Cowboys (white jerseys featured royal blue western numbers; navy jerseys featured silver-on-white varsity numbers...later in the season they added a navy blue outline)

1976 - 1979 Baltimore Orioles (home jerseys used block, road jerseys used varsity)

1986 Cleveland Indians (home jerseys used block, road jerseys used varsity)

Current Ottawa Senators (dark jerseys use an original font, white jerseys use a more traditional font)

Mid-70's New York Mets (home jerseys used block, road jerseys used varsity)

1982 Oakland A's (home white button-up jerseys used varsity numbers; road gray pullover jerseys used block numbers)

[Gothamite]

The 1957 Milwaukee Braves also used two different number fonts:

[hormone]

What about when the Penguins (sorry about no dates) used the white jersey with the yellow shoulders and pigeon on the front and then matched it with the alt that became the road (which replaced the diagonal Pittsburgh jersey) that had the gray with yellow pinstriped shoulders?

[bulldogbarks55]

The mid-80s Red Sox used Wilson's stock full block numerals. I don't think the BoSox "borrowed" anything from the Bronx Bumblers. Anyone who ordered from Wilson in those days got that style.

In 1955 the Dodgers home unis used "Pro Style Plain Block." That's the name from Leibes who did all of Rawlings' lettering in those days.

On the road unis the '55 Bums used the standard Wilson full block.

In '62 the LA Dodgers used the BoSox font on their home whites (actually cream) and their normal Liebes Pro Style Plain Block on the road greys.

And while we're at it. "Varsity" is the name Stahls uses for their version of full block numerals. But no MLB team actually uses "Varsity" numerals. The 2s in Varsity have the middle bar on a diagonal. All Full Block 2s made by Liebes and Wilson have the center bar horizontal.

I've been selling uniforms for 40 years and have seen a lot.

[griffelh]

the 1961/62 Washington Senators:

[FiddySicks]

Are you looking for number fonts specifically? Because if not, the Giants home and road fonts are pretty damn different. Especially so considering the roadies use no gold (did for one season, but ditched it already).

[DGivens87]

The Mets is an obvious one...

[Moontrills]

Remember when the New York script DID match the Mets script? That was the best one they had. If it was up to me, they'd use the old Giants script in blue and orange.

[Hoopskid]

Sacrament Kings. White home and purple road are different.

[illwauk]

The 1978-84 Brewers used block letters at home and a script on the road.

They kept this arrangement when they first replaced the powder blue with grey in 1985.

I was only 4 back then, but did the Brewers really use two different shades of blue, or is that just a bad printing job?

[IronChefShark]

Are you looking for number fonts specifically? Because if not, the Giants home and road fonts are pretty damn different. Especially so considering the roadies use no gold (did for one season, but ditched it already).

they didn't ditch the gold on the road jerseys

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Remember when the New York script DID match the Mets script? That was the best one they had. If it was up to me, they'd use the old Giants script in blue and orange.

You talking about this one?

Oh..nevermind...I guess we'll never know.

But that's a cool pic anyway, huh?

[koizim]

Coulda sworn that at first glance that this topic was called "The Fondling of Youth"

[Slickster]

We'll leave that to Akon, thanks.

[oddball]

Just for clarification, I thought this was on the fonts used for surnames on the backs and the numbers and not the wordmark used on the front. Am I right or wrong?

[powersurge]

Just for clarification, I thought this was on the fonts used for surnames on the backs and the numbers and not the wordmark used on the front. Am I right or wrong?

you're right....he meant numbers but I do have to say that some of these examples are interesting to look back on.

[Gothamite]

Well, if we're going to take it afield it's worth mentioning again the Yankees and Tigers, each of which use different fonts for the logos on their caps and jerseys and a whole different font entirely for their road:

[josh1068]

Thanks for all the feedback. I do believe I was a bit confusing. I'm more focused on number styles.

BTW, the 1979 road Red Sox jerseys didn't techically borrow anything from the Yankees, but the number styles were 100% the same. This always bothered me, since they were styled after the ones worn in the 40's, 50's and 60's...but the Sox always used their old english number style then on both home and road.