Story on Portland Beavers new uniforms

[pdxuoduck]

Portland Beavers get new uniforms, logo

Baseball team's look goes retro but upgraded; season-opener Thursday

Saturday, March 29, 2008

VIVIAN McINERNY

The Oregonian

The Portland Beavers needed a makeover.

Not just a little rouge on the rodent, or a fashion ambush by snotty stylists, but rather, a thoughtful redo of their baseball uniforms.

Merritt Paulson bought the team last summer and wanted a new look. To honor the 100-plus years of the Beavers, he enlisted Sandstrom Design to make what is old totally now for the new season.

"Baseball," says Chris Metz, a Beavers spokesman, "is about nostalgia."

Says Steve Sandstrom, whose designers also worked with the Trail Blazers, "The trick is to translate the past into something that is relevant and interesting today and has the potential staying power for the years ahead."

The new uniforms were unveiled Jan. 29 and will debut at the season opener Thursday at PGE Park. The changes passed muster with the league, which must first approve all uniform changes.

"They don't want teams willy-nilly changing uniforms," Metz says. "I imagine if you got too edgy they would probably step in and give their 2 cents."

Stealing home Many uniforms are based on old styles but look, designer Steve Sandstrom says, "like bad remodeling jobs." To redesign the Beavers, his company focused on the late '40s, not only because the uniforms looked good but also because of the era: The Depression was over, World War II was won, the population was about to boom with babies and Bucky the Beaver temporarily earned the nickname Lucky Beaver after a rare winning streak. Bases loaded The Beavers have one uniform design for home games, one for the road and a third most-vintage-like uniform for Sunday home games. Fans tend to view the game in soft-focus sepia tones, and the old-school uniform plays to those emotions. But nostalgia stopped at using wool-flannel fabric. You're out The red-and-black color combo of the old uniforms had to go. The Trail Blazers (they play that other ball game) practically own it. Plus, Oregon State University's baseball team, also called the Beavers, wears orange and black, and would-be fans were getting their semi-aquatic rodent teams confused. The new blue and ecru (that's off-white to all you unfashion fans) reference vintage uniforms. Plus, they're super snazzy. Batter up The bat-swinging Beaver mascot needed to evolve. Sandstrom Design referred to a circa 1947 illustration for inspiration but gave the critter a more determined facial expression and a more compact, fitter physique. Even the animal's tail is -- how to put this delicately? -- less floppy. Sandstrom swears, "No steroids were used." Fly ball A dark stripe down the center of the shoulder gives the shirts a sharp look. Sandstrom Design picked up the broader stripe from some Negro League uniforms of the '40s. Says Sandstrom, "I think their uniforms had more fashionable appeal than what exists right now." Bottom of the ninth The scripted letter P for Portland and B for Beaver form subtle beaver tails, complete with waffle pattern. Dam, that's clever!

[Gothamite]

Nice. I like that they're acknowledging the Negro Leagues inspiration.

The more I see of this, the more I love the update. I've bought three caps already, and will pick up jerseys as soon as they're available.