Yankees in BLACK pinstripes ?!

[TheOldRoman]

This issue came up on another board I frequent, and I'm sure you guys have the answer. I know the Yankees' primary color is navy (not black), and their home jersey has navy pinstripes. However, someone else claimed that despite wearing navy hats, they actually have black pinstripes. I said that the Yankees had never worn black pinstripes, to which he linked me to this.

In 1912, their final season at Hilltop Park, the Yankees as they were now commonly known made a fashionable debut at their home opener on April 11. Their traditional white uniforms were now trimmed with black pinstripes, creating a look that would become the most famous uniform design in sports history. The Yankees, however, were not the first team with pinstripes and would actually abandon the look for the next two seasons. By 1915, though, the pinstripes were back for good and, with the exception of the cap, the uniform would remain relatively unchanged.

According to the color swatches on SSUR, the Yankees last wore black in 1908, as the Highlanders. They debuted pinstripes in 1912. Other than possibly a manufacturer's error, I don't think the Yanks ever wore black pinstripes. Even if they did wear them at some point, this page doesn't say at which point they changed to navy. Does anyone have the real answer? I am assuming the website is wrong. I know MLB, and not the teams, runs those websites.

[uniguy22]

This issue came up on another board I frequent, and I'm sure you guys have the answer. I know the Yankees' primary color is navy (not black), and their home jersey has navy pinstripes. However, someone else claimed that despite wearing navy hats, they actually have black pinstripes. I said that the Yankees had never worn black pinstripes, to which he linked me to this.

In 1912, their final season at Hilltop Park, the Yankees as they were now commonly known made a fashionable debut at their home opener on April 11. Their traditional white uniforms were now trimmed with black pinstripes, creating a look that would become the most famous uniform design in sports history. The Yankees, however, were not the first team with pinstripes and would actually abandon the look for the next two seasons. By 1915, though, the pinstripes were back for good and, with the exception of the cap, the uniform would remain relatively unchanged.

According to the color swatches on SSUR, the Yankees last wore black in 1908, as the Highlanders. They debuted pinstripes in 1912. Other than possibly a manufacturer's error, I don't think the Yanks ever wore black pinstripes. Even if they did wear them at some point, this page doesn't say at which point they changed to navy. Does anyone have the real answer? I am assuming the website is wrong. I know MLB, and not the teams, runs those websites.

Most casual fans think its black anyway, so maybe this is directed at them.

[TBGKon]

My old roommate from college had an authentic Yanks jersey (zig-zag pinstripes) and it was clearly navy blue and not black.

[sacker12]

I think they wore the black pinstripes at the same time they wore the cotton jerseys over 10 years ago.

Seriously, they have always worn navy pinstripes in all of the photos that I have seen of old jerseys from that time (on auction sites, of course).

[Gothamite]

I've never seen an actual jersey from that period, but the caps I've seen sure look black. Black logo on black cap, to be precise.

I don't know. I'm running 50% possibility of error, 50% they're actually correct.

[frozenguy]

This issue came up on another board I frequent, and I'm sure you guys have the answer. I know the Yankees' primary color is navy (not black), and their home jersey has navy pinstripes. However, someone else claimed that despite wearing navy hats, they actually have black pinstripes. I said that the Yankees had never worn black pinstripes, to which he linked me to this.

In 1912, their final season at Hilltop Park, the Yankees as they were now commonly known made a fashionable debut at their home opener on April 11. Their traditional white uniforms were now trimmed with black pinstripes, creating a look that would become the most famous uniform design in sports history. The Yankees, however, were not the first team with pinstripes and would actually abandon the look for the next two seasons. By 1915, though, the pinstripes were back for good and, with the exception of the cap, the uniform would remain relatively unchanged.

According to the color swatches on SSUR, the Yankees last wore black in 1908, as the Highlanders. They debuted pinstripes in 1912. Other than possibly a manufacturer's error, I don't think the Yanks ever wore black pinstripes. Even if they did wear them at some point, this page doesn't say at which point they changed to navy. Does anyone have the real answer? I am assuming the website is wrong. I know MLB, and not the teams, runs those websites.

So what, they look the same to the common fan and the naked eye, .

[Gothamite]

Well, not really, but even if you're right, isn't such a discussion exactly what these boards are for?

[frozenguy]

Well, not really, but even if you're right, isn't such a discussion exactly what these boards are for?

I beat you in the last argument, just quit while you have some pride.

And yes, these boards are to compare different uniform designs.....

[Gothamite]

That's right, you were the "everything not totally dissimilar must therefore be virtually identical" guy.

Some of us here do have a little interest in the details.

[frozenguy]

That's right, you were the "everything not totally dissimilar must therefore be virtually identical" guy.

Some of us here do have a little interest in the details.

Thats right, you were the "nothing in the universe looks remotely like anything else in the universe" guy.

Some of us here realize that two things can look alike.

[Gothamite]

Even accepting that they may look alike, they are not actually the same.

Now can we end the personal stuff? You don't have to love every conversation. If this isn't your thing, leave us who want to discuss it alone.

[frozenguy]

Even accepting that they may look alike, they are not actually the same.

Now can we end the personal stuff? You don't have to love every conversation. If this isn't your thing, leave us who want to discuss it alone.

When it comes to uniforms, they don't have to BE the same, to look the same. And uniforms are all about how they LOOK.

Let's say the Hornets and Lakers were getting ready to play a game in LA, and the Lakers said they were going to wear their gold uniforms. And let's say you are the Hornets equip manager. would you have your hornets wear their gold alternates? No? But why not, aren't they different?

I like comparing and contrasting unis and logos. Thats why we are here. Im assuming thats why you are here, too.

[BallWonk]

Well, to be fair, I remember having heated arguments on the little league bench as a kid about whether the Yankees were black or blue. And in the pre-HD era, the Yankees always looked more black than blue, unless they were playing a black team. Since they don't play the White Sox at home 162 games a year, the Yankees often do look black. Before the mid-1990s, the Yankees were one of very few if not the only team wearing such a dark shade of blue on their caps. So against the Twins, for example, it could look like a blue team (Twins) playing a black team (Yankees) on TV.

But it does remain an interesting question whether for any reason the Yankees ever have worn black, and if so, why.

[Gothamite]

Even accepting that they may look alike, they are not actually the same.

Now can we end the personal stuff? You don't have to love every conversation. If this isn't your thing, leave us who want to discuss it alone.

When it comes to uniforms, they don't have to BE the same, to look the same. And uniforms are all about how they LOOK.

Let's say the Hornets and Lakers were getting ready to play a game in LA, and the Lakers said they were going to wear their gold uniforms. And let's say you are the Hornets equip manager. would you have your hornets wear their gold alternates? No? But why not, aren't they different?

I like comparing and contrasting unis and logos. Thats why we are here. Im assuming thats why you are here, too.

Then I don't understand why we're on different sides of this argument.

Navy and black aren't the same. Heck, in sunlight they don't even look the same. So what's wrong with exploring whether the Yankees, who have been so identified with one color, may have worn a different one early in their history?

[frozenguy]

Even accepting that they may look alike, they are not actually the same.

Now can we end the personal stuff? You don't have to love every conversation. If this isn't your thing, leave us who want to discuss it alone.

When it comes to uniforms, they don't have to BE the same, to look the same. And uniforms are all about how they LOOK.

Let's say the Hornets and Lakers were getting ready to play a game in LA, and the Lakers said they were going to wear their gold uniforms. And let's say you are the Hornets equip manager. would you have your hornets wear their gold alternates? No? But why not, aren't they different?

I like comparing and contrasting unis and logos. Thats why we are here. Im assuming thats why you are here, too.

Then I don't understand why we're on different sides of this argument.

Navy and black aren't the same. Heck, in sunlight they don't even look the same. So what's wrong with exploring whether the Yankees, who have been so identified with one color, may have worn a different one early in their history?

It's because I am willing to accept that there are similarities between uniforms that aren't identical. SIMILARITIES SIMILARITIES SIMILARITIES.SIMILARITIES SIMILARITIES SIMILARITIES.

Guess we have some different opinion on closeness between navy and black, especially in extremely thin pinstripes.

Nothin wrong with exploring. My conclusion is that the difference is not very discernable. Key word "MY".

[Gothamite]

Nothin wrong with exploring.

Thank you.

Had you not lept right in with "So what" as your response to the question, we'd not have gone off on this tangent.

[frozenguy]

Nothin wrong with exploring.

Thank you.

Had you not lept right in with "So what" as your response to the question, we'd not have gone off on this tangent.

"So what" implies that I did not see a big difference in the pinstripe colors. If I told you something that didn't really impress you or you thought was more trouble than it was worth to research, you would have the same reaction.

[Gothamite]

Sigh.

At the risk of furthering this tangent, "So what" isn't exactly a helpful comment.

If you told me something that didn't impress me, I probably would have ignored the thread. Not everything that happens on these boards interests me - I skip over plenty of threads, and browse out of others without comment.

I wouldn't dismiss the subject out of hand as somehow unworthy of discussion, which is exactly what you did.

[frozenguy]

Sigh.

At the risk of furthering this tangent, "So what" isn't exactly a helpful comment.

If you told me something that didn't impress me, I probably would have ignored the thread. Not everything that happens on these boards interests me - I skip over plenty of threads, and browse out of others without comment.

I wouldn't dismiss the subject out of hand as somehow unworthy of discussion, which is exactly what you did.

So what isnt meant to be helpful. It is meant to give my opinion. We arent here to help people all the time, sometimes we are here to express opinions.

Are you implying that you have never used the phrase "so what"?

[Gothamite]

I have never joined a thread only to say the subject is not worthy of discussion. It's not just your choice of words, but the dismissive attitude they reveal.

Getting back on topic, I can't find actual photos of the actual black-on-black Yankee cap (must be on one of my archival hard drives), but this is a t205 of it (you can just make out the cap logo):