New Orioles Look for 2008?

[leopard88]

If I was a citizen of the fair city of Baltimore, I'd tattoo this little guy on my arm:

Every time I see that one, I feel like I'm 12 years old, glancing at the bottom corner of the morning newspaper as I eat my Froot Loops. The Baltimore Sun used to put a small cartoon at the bottom of the front page each morning reflecting the results of the prior night's game. The bird was happy if the Orioles won (and might be throwing back a cold, frosty one or stomping on a pair of socks if they beat Milwaukee or Boston), sad if they lost.

Exactly. That's the one Orioles cartoon logo I don't hate, precisely because of the oversized bat. Makes him a plucky little bird swinging above his weight, which is a perfect identity for the Orioles. Assuming, of course, that the team has even minimally competent executive management and is therefore capable of competing once or twice a decade.

That said, it would be a sin to put a smiling cartoon mascot, even this one, on Baltimore's ballcaps. The ornithological bird has one of the richest traditions in baseball.

I definitely wouldn't want the swinging bird on the caps. If they returned a cartoon bird to the caps (and I'm not saying they should, because I love the ornithologically correct bird despite my childhood memories), it should be the 1966-88 bird head.

[Smitty69]

I'm not sure where you are seeing that hat (I don't see it on MLB Shop). But I do really like it and they should use it.

They sell it at Camden Yards & some other sports shops around town. It's an MLB licensed product & the tag has it as part of the "Cooperstown Collection" listing it at circa 1955. Erroneous, but it's a great hat.

[BaltimoreFan]

I'm not sure where you are seeing that hat (I don't see it on MLB Shop). But I do really like it and they should use it.

They sell it at Camden Yards & some other sports shops around town. It's an MLB licensed product & the tag has it as part of the "Cooperstown Collection" listing it at circa 1955. Erroneous, but it's a great hat.

I've never seen it before. But I've only made it to Camden Yards once this season. Next time I go I'm definitely going to look for it.

[Smitty69]

Hit the stadium store in the warehouse right off Eutaw. They've got 'em.

[DGivens87]

Hi guys. New poster here. This is pretty crappy news for a fan of the Orioles through the Angelos Era. (read: worst era of team's existence) It's two years running that Pete's talked about doing this, this is the first we've heard that there was actual contact with MLB about it. Why he can't just pull the trigger, I have no idea. This is a very provincial city with a lot of civic pride. You put BALTIMORE on shirts & jerseys, they sell. Period.

BTW, someone mentioned a "B" cap for Baltimore, which is one of my personal hopes. MLB sells an Orioles "B" cap marketed as an authentic Cooperstown collection from 1955. The only problem is that the O's never wore it. I don't know how MLB could make such a large mistake, but I do know it's to my benefit. I LOVE this hat - the O's should incorporate it.

(And any cartoonizing of the bird better be back to the old bird - that new incarnation from the Dugout Club looks like it was drawn by Disney & blows big goat balls!)

Anyway, here's the "B" hat:

My uncle bought one of those hats last year when we went to Camden Yards, and I'm kickin' myself in the arse for not picking up one as well. Oh well...I'm going back next weekend for the O's-Rockies series, so I'll have to pick one up then. Anyway, thanks for the reminder - I'll have to keep my eyes peeled !

[huggermugger]

Thats not the correct "B" cap.

The hat worn in 1963 was this

The only problem is that you can only find it in baseball card photos because apparently it was used during spring traing and dropped for the season.

I've seen a photo confirming it, I'll have to scrounge it up.

[Smitty69]

Maybe you missed it, Huggermugger - the '63 hat made an appearance on Pg. 4.

The hat I posted is depicted as the 1955 version but was never worn by the team.

[huggermugger]

you are correct I should have looked back a page.

[charliec107]

Hit the stadium store in the warehouse right off Eutaw. They've got 'em.

For vintage caps go to Sports Legends on the side with all the retired numbers. I think it is open before night games.

[reedpm]

Hit the stadium store in the warehouse right off Eutaw. They've got 'em.

For vintage caps go to Sports Legends on the side with all the retired numbers. I think it is open before night games.

Plus, SportsLegends has NewEra 5950 Cooperstown hats, which the Orioles team store does not.

[cappital92]

Hit the stadium store in the warehouse right off Eutaw. They've got 'em.

For vintage caps go to Sports Legends on the side with all the retired numbers. I think it is open before night games.

Plus, SportsLegends has NewEra 5950 Cooperstown hats, which the Orioles team store does not.

But, the Orioles team store has a pillbox Birds hat. Therefore, Team store>Sports Legends.

[random_ax]

On a fan board, someone posted that there would be changes to the road uniform as well as a possible new "modern" logo. Is there any more to this rumor that someone could add?

I hope not. I think it's the best logo in the MLB

[Gothamite]

Cannot disagree more.

The wordmark itself is excellent, and the bird is good, but the field is awkward, overly busy and completely unnecessary.

Ruins an otherwise solid design.

[McCall]

On a fan board, someone posted that there would be changes to the road uniform as well as a possible new "modern" logo. Is there any more to this rumor that someone could add?

I hope not. I think it's the best logo in the MLB

Actually, I love this logo, too. I actually did a concept where I put a thin strip of that yellow in between the orange and black on the wordmark and numbers (on the homes, the wordmark was black with orange outline). It looked really sharp. Unfortunately, I never got it posted and now don't have access. I may try it again sometime if I can.

[dahatman]

Hit the stadium store in the warehouse right off Eutaw. They've got 'em.

For vintage caps go to Sports Legends on the side with all the retired numbers. I think it is open before night games.

Plus, SportsLegends has NewEra 5950 Cooperstown hats, which the Orioles team store does not.

But, the Orioles team store has a pillbox Birds hat. Therefore, Team store>Sports Legends.

I do not recall the Orioles ever wearing a pillbox. Any photos?

[leopard88]

Hit the stadium store in the warehouse right off Eutaw. They've got 'em.

For vintage caps go to Sports Legends on the side with all the retired numbers. I think it is open before night games.

Plus, SportsLegends has NewEra 5950 Cooperstown hats, which the Orioles team store does not.

But, the Orioles team store has a pillbox Birds hat. Therefore, Team store>Sports Legends.

I do not recall the Orioles ever wearing a pillbox. Any photos?

They haven't. It would have to be a fashion cap. I think he is just saying that an Orioles pillbox hat would find favor among today's youth.

[Shumway]

Hit the stadium store in the warehouse right off Eutaw. They've got 'em.

For vintage caps go to Sports Legends on the side with all the retired numbers. I think it is open before night games.

Plus, SportsLegends has NewEra 5950 Cooperstown hats, which the Orioles team store does not.

But, the Orioles team store has a pillbox Birds hat. Therefore, Team store>Sports Legends.

I do not recall the Orioles ever wearing a pillbox. Any photos?

They haven't. It would have to be a fashion cap. I think he is just saying that an Orioles pillbox hat would find favor among today's youth.

It is a fashion cap. A few of my friends bought them when we went to games last season, maybe even 2 years ago. It's the 80s bird on a black hat with orange stripes. I might have to check out the store when I go on Sunday (Ripken 1983 WS bobblehead, for those who don't know). Unfortunately, they play the Rockies, but I want my friggin' bobblehead.

[cappital92]

Hit the stadium store in the warehouse right off Eutaw. They've got 'em.

For vintage caps go to Sports Legends on the side with all the retired numbers. I think it is open before night games.

Plus, SportsLegends has NewEra 5950 Cooperstown hats, which the Orioles team store does not.

But, the Orioles team store has a pillbox Birds hat. Therefore, Team store>Sports Legends.

I do not recall the Orioles ever wearing a pillbox. Any photos?

They haven't. It would have to be a fashion cap. I think he is just saying that an Orioles pillbox hat would find favor among today's youth.

It is a fashion cap. A few of my friends bought them when we went to games last season, maybe even 2 years ago. It's the 80s bird on a black hat with orange stripes. I might have to check out the store when I go on Sunday (Ripken 1983 WS bobblehead, for those who don't know). Unfortunately, they play the Rockies, but I want my friggin' bobblehead.

And it's a great fashion hat. I wish they made them for all the teams.

[powersurge]

On a fan board, someone posted that there would be changes to the road uniform as well as a possible new "modern" logo. Is there any more to this rumor that someone could add?

I hope not. I think it's the best logo in the MLB

I'm not sure if it is the BEST logo in baseball, but I do think it is a good one. I do think it is a bit busy and should be simpler, but not bad for what it is.

[machpost]

Nothing beats this logo: