Design History: Baseball

BOOK 001

DESIGN HISTORY EDITION : BASEBALL

THE HISTORY OF DESIGN

AMERICA’S FAVORITE PASTIME

BASEBALL Ines Bu

Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga with a near-perfect pitch, 2010. June 2, 2010; Comerica Park, Detroit Michigan, Galarraga nearly becomes the 21st pitcher in MLB history to throw a perfect game.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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HISTORY OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL foundations of baseball, formation of baseball leagues, the major leagues

BASEBALL CARDS

production of baseball cards, history of trading cards, economic impacts

BASEBALL UNIFORMS

origins of uniforms, functions, development of uniform design

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HISTORY OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

FOUNDING OF BASEBALL In the 1860s, aided by soldiers during the Civil War, New York-style baseball expanded into a national game and spawned baseball’s first governing body - The National Association of Base Ball Players. By 1867, more than 400 clubs were members of the league, with the Cincinnati Red Stockings marking the foundation of professional baseball in 1869.

The NABBP split into two organizations, the amateur and professional organizations in 1871, and while the amateur organization disassembled after only a few years, the professional league continued to develop over the years.

FORMATION OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and is the oldest major professional sports league in the world. As of 2021, a total of thirty teams play in the league. The MLB was originally categorized into two separate entities — the National League and the American League — until merging into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball in 2000. The National League and the American League were formed in 1876 and 1901, respectively.

The first all-professional team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings, who were founded in 1869.

Jackie Robinson swining a bat in Dodgers uniform, 1954. Robinson breaks baseball’s color barrier by being the first African American to sign with an official Major League Baseball team in 1946.

The first decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and the players who often jumped from one team or league to another. The period before 1920 is infamously known as the dead-ball era, which players would rarely hit home runs.

Baseball rose to popularity in the United States during the 1920s, and survived potential downturns during the Great Depression and World War II. Shortly after WWII, Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

HISTORY OF BASEBALL

1839: Abner Doubleday is credited with inventing baseball in Cooperstown, New York.

1845: Alexander Joy Cartwright develops the rules of baseball.

1846: First official game of baseball is played between the New York Knickerbockers and a group of cricket players.

1867: Candy Cummings throws the first curveball in baseball.

1869: First all-professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, takes the field.

TIMELINE

1876: The Nation league is established with William Hulbert as president.

1882: The American Baseball Association is started.

1884: Moses Fleetwood Walker becomes he first African-American to play professional baseball.

1903: The first World Series was played between the Pittsburg Pirates and the Boston Pilgrims.

1912: The first baseball strike goes into effect.

Players go on their first strike putting games on halt.

1921: Baseball broadcasted on radio for the first time.

1924: The Washington Senators win the World Series.

1929: Babe Ruth hits his 500th home run, making baseball history.

BASEBALL

1939: The Baseball Hall of Fame is opened and inducted five players into the first Hall of Fame.

1945: Jackie Robinson makes his Major League debut.

1947: The World Series was played on television for the first time.

1956: Don Larsen pitches a first game in the World Series for the first time in MLB history.

1957: The Brooklyn Dodges and New York Giants announce their move to California.

1964: CBS purchases the New York Yankees.

1969: The New York Mets win the World Series.

Curt Flood refuses trade to the Phillies, marking a long, legal battle against baseball’s reserve clause.

1981: Baseball players go on strive for seven weeks.

1989: Pete Rose is banned from baseball for betting on the game. 7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes San Francisco just before the third game of the World Series.

1994: World Series is cancelled due to a strike.

This marks the beginning of the longest and costliest strike in baseball history. Begins on August 12 and lasts until the following spring.

2000: First Major League Baseball season to open internationally. The Chicago Cubs and New York Mets play in Tokyo, Japan.

2001: Just weeks after the attacks on September 11, President George W. Bush throws out the first ball of the third game of the World Series in the Yankee’s Stadium, New York.

BASEBALL CARDS

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THE BASEBALL CARD A baseball card is a type of trading card relating to baseball, usually printed on cardboard, silk, or plastic. In the 1950s, a handful of baseball cards came with a stick of gum, and featured one or more baseball players, teams, stadiums or celebrity-supporters of baseball. Baseball cards are most commonly found within the United States mainland but can also be found in Puerto Rico, Canada, Cuba and Japan, where top-level leagues are present with a substantial fan base to support the sport.

Topps, Upper Deck Company, and the Panini Group are some of the most notable producers of baseball cards. Baseball card production peaked in the late 1980s, although many collectors left the hobby behind after the 1994-95 MLB strike. Despite this, baseball cards still remain to be one of the most influential collectibles of all time. As recently as 2021, a T206 Honus Wagner card was sold for $6.606 million.

Pre-1900s During the mid-19th century, baseball and photography saw an increase in popularity within the United States. Baseball clubs started to pose for group and individual pictures, and these were then printed onto small cards that can be compared to wallet photos today. As baseball continued to raise in popularity and became an official professional sport in the 1860s, trade cards started to feature notable baseball players and were used as a marketing tool for major baseball equipment manufacturers.

1900-1920 By the turn of the century, most baseball cards were being produced by confectionery and tobacco companies. The Breisch-Williams Company issues the first major set of baseball cards of the 20th century in 1903. Shortly after, several other companies started to advertise their products with baseball cards.

Most notably, The American Tobacco Company introduced baseball cards into their tobacco products with the issue of the T206 White Border Set in 1909.

The set of cards were included in packs of cigarettes and were produced over a three-year period until the ATC was dissolved.

Simultaneously, many non-tobacco companies had also started producing and distributing baseball trade cards to the public. By the mid-teens, companies including The Sporting News Magazine and caramel companies began sponsoring card issues, using them as prizes in their packaging.

1920-1950 After the end of World War I, baseball card production slowed down for a few years as foreign markets were not yet as developed and the United States economy was transitioning away from wartime production.

This continued until the 1930s when the effects of the Great Depression hit. Production peaked again in the twenties, and the American Caramel Company began to re-emerge as a primary producer of baseball trading cards.

By the 1930s, production was soaring and cards featured some of baseball’s most prominent names including Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Major design changes were made during this time period as well. In stark contrast to the economical designs from earlier decades, the new sets featured bright, hand-crafted player photos alongside player biographies.

In 1933, the World Wide Gum issue occurred. World Wide Gum Co. was based in Montreal and maintained close relationships with the Goudey Gum Company, and other competitors continued to produce these cards against each other until the beginning of World War II. After 1941, cards were not produced until the end of the war. In 1948, baseball card production resumed in the United States with the leading gum companies being Topps Gum Company, who issued their Magic Photos set four years prior to releasing their first traditional card set.

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BASEBALL JERSEYS

THE BASEBALL UNIFORM A baseball uniform is a type of uniform worn by baseball players, coaches and managers. Most baseball uniforms feature the names and uniform numbers of the players who wear them, usually on the backs of the uniforms to help distinguish players apart from each other. They have different logos and colors to aid players, officials, and spectators to distinguish the two competing teams. Baseball uniforms were first worn by the New York Knickerbockers Baseball Club in 1849, and since then, sales of replica uniforms and derivative branded products generate generous amounts of income for the MLB through merchandising.

EARLY DEVELOPMENTS The New York Knickerbockers were the first baseball team to wear uniforms, taking on the field on April 4, 1849.

Their first uniforms were comprised of pants made of blue wool, white flannel shirts and straw hats. By 1900, all Major League Baseball teams had adopted them.

These uniforms had different colors and patterns that reflected the different baseball positions. In the late 1880s, the Detroit Wolverines and Washington Nations were the first to wear striped uniforms to an official game.

HOME AND AWAY UNIFORMS By the end of the 19th century, teams started to wear two different uniforms — one when they played at their home stadium, and the other when they played at the stadiums of opposing teams. It soon became tradition to wear white jerseys at home and either gray, dark blue, or black when playing away.

In 1916, the New York Giants’ debuted a new style of jerseys with purple lines that gave their uniforms a tartan-like effect. Later on, the Kansas City Athletics’ home and road uniforms were modified

by Charles O. Finley to gold and green in 1963. Towards the 1990s, many teams began to wear striped patterns, which is now known as pin striping. The first public appearance of the pinstripe uniform was in 1907. Further modifications were made and satin uniforms became a new standard after the Brooklyn Dodgers wore them at their night games.

In 1916, the Cleveland Indians became the first team to add numbers on their uniforms on the left sleeve. By 1929, the New York Yankees featured their numbers on the backs of their jerseys. By 1960, the Chicago White Sox included their players’ names on the backs of their jerseys, and shortly after, this practice became the universal standard for MLB uniforms.

BASEBALL GLOSSARY Ace: A team’s No. 1 starting pitcher.

Alley: The areas of the outfield between the outfielders.

Around the horn: A double play that begins with the third baseman and goes to second and then to first.

Backdoor slider: A pitch that appears to be out of the strike zone, but then breaks back over the plate.

Bad-ball hitter: A batter adept at hitting pitches outside the strike zone.

High cheese: Also known as “high cheddar,” refers to a high (and often inside) fastball.

Hill: Pitcher’s mound.

Hook: When the manager changes pitchers.

Hot corner: Third base.

Bad hop: When a groundball unexpectedly makes a strange jump.

Hot Stove: The offseason, when speculation and rumors figuratively keep fans warm in the winter months.

Bang-bang play: A play in which the baserunner hits the bag a split-second before or after the ball arrives.

In the hole: The batter after the on-deck hitter.

Banjo hitter: A hitter who notches a lot of bloop hits without hard contact.

Jam: A hitter is “jammed” when the pitch is thrown near his hands, and a pitcher is in a “jam” when he allows a lot of baserunning traffic.

Basket catch: When a fielder catches a ball with his glove near his belt.

Junk: Pitches thrown with low velocity but lots of movement.

Batter’s eye: A solid-colored, uncluttered area beyond the center-field wall that is in the hitter’s line of sight when looking out at the pitcher.

Knock: Another term for a hit.

Bronx cheer: When the crowd boos.

Leather: The glove. When a player makes a great fielding play, he is said to have “flashed the leather.”

Brushback: A pitch that nearly hits a batter.

LOOGY: An acronym for “Lefty One Out GuY,” used to describe a left-handed relief specialist

Bonus Baby: A young player who received a large signing bonus when he became a pro.

Meatball: An easy pitch to hit, usually right down the middle of the plate.

Bush league: Amateur play or behavior.

Mendoza line: A batting average around .200, named after former Major Leaguer Mario Mendoza, who posted a .215 career average.

Can of corn: A fly ball to the outfield that is easy to catch.

Catbird seat: When a team is in a desirable situation in a game.

Caught napping: When a runner is picked off.

Chin music: A pitch that is high and inside.

Choke up: When a batter grips the bat handle higher to achieve greater control.

Circus catch: An outstanding catch by a fielder.

Climbing the ladder: When a pitcher delivers a series of pitches out of the strike zone, each higher than the last, trying to get the batter to chase them.

Moon shot: A long, high home run.

Nibble: When a pitcher throws a lot of pitches on the edges of the plate and strike zone.

No-no: A no-hitter.

Nubber: A batted ball off the end of the bat that does not travel very far.

Offspeed pitch: Any pitch thrown at a slower speed than a fastball.

On the screws: When a batter makes ideal contact.

Painting the black: When a pitcher throws the ball over the edge of the plate.

Collar: When a hitter goes hitless in a game, he is said to have taken the “collar.”

Pea: A batted or thrown ball traveling at high speed.

Comebacker: A ball hit back to the pitcher.

Platoon: When two players share playing time at a particular position.

Cookie: An easily hittable pitch.

Rhubarb: A fight or scuffle.

Crooked number: A team’s inning run total greater than zero or one.

Rundown: When a baserunner gets caught between bases by the fielders.

Cup of coffee: A short time spent by a Minor League player in the big leagues.

Runners in scoring position: When there is a baserunner at second and/or third base, capable of scoring on a single.

Curtain call: As in theater, when a player’s performance causes such excitement from the audience that he returns from the dugout to tip his cap or wave.

Seeing-eye single: A soft ground ball that finds its way between fielders for a base hit.

Cutoff man: A fielder who takes the incoming throw from an outfielder after a hit.

Senior circuit: Nickname for the National League, as it is the older of the two leagues.

Cycle: When a batter hits a single, double, triple and homer in the same game.

Small ball: Advancing the runner one base at a time, often with a sacrifice fly or a bunt.

Dead red: When a hitter is looking for a specific pitch, receives it and takes advantage of it.

Snowman: When a team “hangs a snowman,” it has scored 8 runs in an inning (because the 8 resembles a snowman).

Dinger: A home run.

Dish: Home plate.

Southpaw: A left-handed pitcher.

Ducks on the pond: When two or three players are on base.

Sweet spot: The part of the bat near the barrel where batted-ball contact causes minimal sensation in the hands.

Eephus: A lobbed pitch with movement.

Table setter: A batter whose job is to get on base for others to drive him in.

Excuse-me swing: When a batter inadvertently makes contact with a checked swing.

Tape-measure blast: An extremely long home run.

Fireman: A team’s closer or late-inning relief pitcher.

Tater: A home run.

Five-tool player: A player who can do everything well -- throw, run, field, hit for average and hit for power.

Texas leaguer: A bloop hit that drops between an infielder and outfielder.

Four-bagger: A home run.

Three true outcomes: The three ways a plate appearance can end without fielders coming into play -- walks, homers and strikeouts.

Free baseball: Extra innings.

Tools of ignorance: Catcher’s equipment.

Frozen rope: A hard-hit line drive.

Twin killing: A double play.

Fungo: A ball hit to a fielder during practice. It’s hit by a coach using a fungo bat, which is longer and thinner than a normal bat.

Ultimate grand slam: A game-ending grand slam hit when the hitter’s team is down by exactly three runs in the final inning of play.

Gap: Same as “alley.”

Uncle Charlie: Curveball.

Gas: A high-velocity fastball.

Utility player: A player who fills in at many positions.

Golden sombrero: When a player strikes out four times in a game.

Walk-off: A hit that ends a game.

Gopher ball: A pitch hit for a home run.

Warning track power: When a hitter doesn’t have enough power to hit the ball over the wall.

Green light: When a hitter is given the go-ahead to swing in a 3-0 count or a runner is given the go-ahead to try to steal a base.

Wheelhouse: A hitter’s power zone.

High and tight: Referring to a pitch that’s up in the strike zone and inside on a hitter. Also known as “up and in.”

Wheels: A player’s legs.

Worm burner: A scorching groundball.

Yakker: Curveball.