Missives of a Baseball Milquetoast

Update : While I originally stated that this cap was probably from 1992, I really should have also mentioned that 59Fifty tags didn't appear until 1994. I've seen New Era use older, leftover tags on caps, if this is really from 1992 then this is interesting because they applied a 59Fifty tag from 1994 on a cap with a green underbrim and no MILB batterman. Either I've been wrong about the 59Fifty tag first appearing in 1994 or they ran out of the 1992 tags at some point in the manufacturing process and had to use the ones from 1994 ahead of time, which is so weird. Update (4/20/2019) : This blog has been a learning experience for me over the years but sometimes new information comes to light so I've got to fall on my sword about something here. The previous update to this post mistakenly states that the 59Fifty tag first appeared in 1994 but I've seen caps from 1992 and 1993 that have it so there's that.  More importantly, I should mention that the only Rive

Update : While I originally stated that this cap was from the later years of the Sun Rays history, I really should have also mentioned that 59Fifty tags didn't appear until 1994. This is important because while I've seen New Era use older, leftover tags on caps, this is the first clear example I've seen where they applied a 59Fifty tag from 1994 on a cap that was defunct by 1993. E ither I've been wrong about the 59Fifty tag first appearing in 1994 or that they ran out of the 1992 tags at some point in the manufacturing process and had to use the ones from 1994 instead, which is so weird. Update (4/20/2019) :  This blog has been a learning experience for me over the years but sometimes new information comes to light so I've got to fall on my sword about something here. The previous update to this post mistakenly states that the 59Fifty tag first appeared in 1994 but I've seen caps from 1992 and 1993 that have it so there's that. Because the SunRays only wo

I don't go to many Mets games and that is mostly because they've been a disappointing franchise to follow, but I'm also not a fan of the old Ebbets Field influence in the park's design. Despite all of the club's poor business decisions and overt tributes to the Brooklyn Dodgers' legacy, going to a Mets game is a big part of getting my "Flushing-on" in Queens. For me that means relaxing at a ballgame while drinking some craft beers and putting down a few shake shack burgers. It also means heading down to the Chinatown on Main Street in Flushing after the game to enjoy some duck buns, soup dumplings, bubble tea and other tasty edible Asian treats! I love Flushing for many food-related reasons but it doesn't do much to step up my fitted hat game like Brooklyn and the Bronx can. The fact that I don't want any Mets hats in my cap rotation probably has something to do with the fact that the cap I feel most comfortable wearing to CitiField is a

I'm sorry about the hiatus but, don't worry; I haven't stopped my rabid consumption of fresh (and sometimes not-so-fresh) hats from my favorite purveyors. It's true that it has been a while since I've hit up this blog. Hopefully you haven't forgotten about me -or perhaps worse- the fitted hat game! This is why I wanted to mark my return by sharing one of my favorite hats of all time: a 1992 Seattle Mariners cap! To me, this cap evokes so much nostalgia because it reminds me of one of my favorite baseball cards from that era: Ken Griffey, Jr.'s 1989 Upper Deck rookie card! Look at that smile! Look at that bling around his neck! Look at that super-comfy turtleneck! But, I digress. We all knew back then that he was going to be a spectacular ballplayer; however, I don't think anyone could have foreseen the magnitude of Ken Griffey Jr.'s legacy. He was one of the best players to ever wear a major league uniform, or any sports uniform for that matt

This cap is boss because it offers a glimpse into the small changes that MLB caps go through from year to year. The Yankees were the last team to hang onto the green underbrim style for their on-field caps before switching to the grey brims in 1994. Because this cap's style is so timeless, collectors such as myself will scour the earth for vintage caps with the elusive green underbrim. There is something so official-seeming about this cap; all others pale in comparison. These next two photos are from a post entitled 1983-1993 SF Giants Cap 4 (1991) and what I'd like to note here is that the "Authentic Diamond Collection" tags are exactly alike but that is where the similarities end. The "New Era" tags closely resemble each other but I have to deduce that the one on the Yankees cap is more recent because of the updated style of the size tag. These next two photos are from a previous post entitled 1983-1993 SF Giant