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Padres Retro Caps - why can't anyone get it right?


larrypep

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I long for someone, be it New Era, American Needle, or even the knock-off Chinese manufacturers, to get the Padres retro caps right.

Here's an authentic 70s cap:

0b37_12.JPG

Here's one of the junkers that you can buy as a "retro" cap:

padrescloser.jpg

I realize we are comparing 70s cap against an 80s example, but the concept remains the same, note the "SD" and the shape of the triangle panels. Every single retro cap cannot get those two combinations correct. You will either find a screwed up "SD", a screwed up front panel, or both.

Why can't anyone get it right? I've been looking for one since the early 90s. I know eBay is a goldmine for older models, but they are either used or not the right size. I'd love to be able to walk into a cap shop and order a brand new, correct version of the Padres 70s and 80s caps.

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I long for someone, be it New Era, American Needle, or even the knock-off Chinese manufacturers, to get the Padres retro caps right.

Here's an authentic 70s cap:

0b37_12.JPG

Here's one of the junkers that you can buy as a "retro" cap:

padrescloser.jpg

I realize we are comparing 70s cap against an 80s example, but the concept remains the same, note the "SD" and the shape of the triangle panels. Every single retro cap cannot get those two combinations correct. You will either find a screwed up "SD", a screwed up front panel, or both.

Why can't anyone get it right? I've been looking for one since the early 90s. I know eBay is a goldmine for older models, but they are either used or not the right size. I'd love to be able to walk into a cap shop and order a brand new, correct version of the Padres 70s and 80s caps.

this gies back to the quality issues at new era. as for american needle, i think their hats are garbage. go to www.distantreplays.com they have the '80's version of the hats and it is pretty close

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go to www.distantreplays.com they have the '80's version of the hats and it is pretty close

The hat that used to be available from Distant Replays (it is no longer on their website) has a huge yellow field, it is not really right, though the SD is.

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ballcap.com cannot do any cap from after 1960 correctly.

As for the Padres issue, I actually wrote the president of New Era a letter about 10 years, when NO ONE offered any type of Padres throwback caps, they simply were not made. What he told me is that they now use a different process than they used in the 70's and 80's and while they could not make an exact replica, they could come close. He then proceeded to offer to specially make the caps for me. I ordered 4, 2 for me and 2 for a friend. They got the logo and coloring, and the polyester front correct. The one thing that they could not get correct was the curvature of the front panel, and that is evidently due to how they now make the caps. I find it hard to believe that with modern technology they cannot make something that they were able to make 30 years, ago, but that is the explanation from the president of New Era himself.

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To answer you question........ I live here in Az. I was at the HatClub yesterday and they do have the Padres hat you are looking for. It is made by NewEra, and it is 100% wool. It is a custom Padres hat they got made. You can check out their web site, but Im pretty sure its not on there yet.

Here is the website address, plus a phone number for one of the stores, maybe the manager can help you out.

www.hatclub.com

HatClub Az Mills: 480-345-8900

I hope this helps you out.......

Good luck

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It's funny you mention Twins Enterprise--I've got a red "TC" Twins hat where the bill is sewn on slightly off-center.

As far as Pad's throwbacks go, I think there's a shop not far from here that still sells Pads' hat all the way back to the old blue and orange at full price--they upgrade their inventory so infrequently, that I wouldn't be surprised if they have it there. Unfortunately, they don't have a website, but I'll check the next time I'm there.

"Well, they made that change uptown and The Big Man joined the band."

--Bruce Springsteen

"10th Avenue Freeze-Out"

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I long for someone, be it New Era, American Needle, or even the knock-off Chinese manufacturers, to get the Padres retro caps right.

I realize we are comparing 70s cap against an 80s example, but the concept remains the same, note the "SD" and the shape of the triangle panels. Every single retro cap cannot get those two combinations correct. You will either find a screwed up "SD", a screwed up front panel, or both.

Why can't anyone get it right? I've been looking for one since the early 90s. I know eBay is a goldmine for older models, but they are either used or not the right size. I'd love to be able to walk into a cap shop and order a brand new, correct version of the Padres 70s and 80s caps.

I hear ya, brother. I have similar frustrations with the souvenir batting helmets I collect. Here is the actual Padres helmet from those days...

OZSD.jpg

Here's Sports Products' version (they used the same pattern for every team that had a different-colored front panel)...

ef24_1.JPG

...and here is the HORRIBLE version put out by Fotoball/Rawlings in recent years...

retro10.jpg

At least Sports Products had the logo right.

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All of these brown and yellow Padre images are taking me back to my childhood days of endless baseball summers....I wonder where Gene Richards , Mike Ivie , Butch Metzger and Bill Almon are today......? Thanks for the images guys...

"We root for the laundry"

(Jerome Seinfeld)

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To answer you question........ I live here in Az. I was at the HatClub yesterday and they do have the Padres hat you are looking for. It is made by NewEra, and it is 100% wool. It is a custom Padres hat they got made. You can check out their web site, but Im pretty sure its not on there yet.

Here is the website address, plus a phone number for one of the stores, maybe the manager can help you out.

www.hatclub.com

HatClub Az Mills: 480-345-8900

I hope this helps you out.......

Good luck

There is a Hat Club here in San Diego too, I know of the cap you speak of. It's the same one that was available on Distant Replays, and the yellow is humongous.

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That Hat Club is an interesting site. I had not heard of them before. I wish the Twins Enterprises made more of a variety of throwback hats for all teams. They are the only hat that I find comfortable and I am in need of a '94 era Angels hat.

MildlyPsycho.png

Realsig.png

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My all-time favorite hat--the one with a little orange added to it that they used in the early 80s. I wish they were available. Small, curved triangle, much smaller than the panels other teams used during that era. I wish the Pads were still brown. I know most folks are glad they moved to navy, but I think they just blend in with lots of other teams now, more or less.

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Looking at those Shimmer Padres caps at www.hatclub.com, the first thing I noticed about the giant slanted SD was that it looks a bit like a fancy swastika. Someone tell me I'm not the only one who notices this. It's a little weird.

You know, say what you will about America. Thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a load of mice.

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My all-time favorite hat--the one with a little orange added to it that they used in the early 80s. I wish they were available. Small, curved triangle, much smaller than the panels other teams used during that era. I wish the Pads were still brown. I know most folks are glad they moved to navy, but I think they just blend in with lots of other teams now, more or less.

Don't even get me started. Padres SHOULD be brown. Maybe it's just me but I have yet to see a Friar wearing a navy blue robe with light blue accents. I've said it a thousand times but either have the uni/logo match the mascot or lose the mascot.

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My all-time favorite hat--the one with a little orange added to it that they used in the early 80s. I wish they were available. Small, curved triangle, much smaller than the panels other teams used during that era. I wish the Pads were still brown. I know most folks are glad they moved to navy, but I think they just blend in with lots of other teams now, more or less.

Don't even get me started. Padres SHOULD be brown. Maybe it's just me but I have yet to see a Friar wearing a navy blue robe with light blue accents. I've said it a thousand times but either have the uni/logo match the mascot or lose the mascot.

They definitely should go back to the brown, at the very least as an alternate. The brown made them different. Their unis of the 70's and 80's bring me back to my childhood. I remember seeing them play the Mets at Shea on numerous occasions back then and I loved how different thier uniforms were.

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