Sartorial Tribe: 2005 Indians Alternate

Welcome to the second installment of Sartorial Tribe, where I take a look at some of history's baseball uniforms I like, that I love, and some that I hate. I'll try and feature a good variety too, from every era of Tribe baseball (you can find part one here). Without further ado, let's look at the latest entry:

A sleeveless baseball jersey is a novel thing. At least I thought it was when I first saw them. When I initially discovered these gems of polyester wonder I could scarcely believe my eyes. How the hell does a vest top work as athletic apparel outside of a basketball court? But work they do, at least in this instance.

I'd even go so far to argue that the 2005 alternate Indians edition is a work of uniform art.

This uniform was actually worn between 2003 and 2007, with a modified edition worn in 2002, lacking the player number on the front of the jersey. I've selected examples from 2005 in this case, as it was a decent year for the Tribe. They finished with a 93-69 record and a second place finish in the AL Central, after falling short of the division-winning White Sox (who went on to win the whole thing).

Let's get back to the jersey though. It's sleeveless. Why the hell did they decide to do that? Luckily it works and the contrasting combination of navy and white really make it sing.

One very strange thing I considered about these sleeveless jerseys: did anyone buy them? It's a strange purchase I can imagine, a vest for a baseball jersey, because if you aren't wearing a navy t-shirt underneath then the look is ruined. Also, it probably helps if you're athletic enough to pull it all together (although you could say that about anyone who chooses to wear replica sportswear).

Above we have a pretty good photo of a young Cliff Lee (from 2004 actually) showing off the uniform in all it's glory. I particularly like the blue piping down the center of the jersey, an aspect the current home jerseys could really benefit from I feel. The choice of red for the numbers is also a nice touch, perfectly complementing the rest of the design.

Here's second baseman Ronnie Belliard throwing from deep in the infield. Another element of these uniforms I liked so much was the cursive logo on the alternate hat, however it only lasted as long as these uniforms did, ultimately fading away after 2007.

The issue of Chief Wahoo rears its ugly head again, featuring on the chest of this jersey. Of some comfort however is the fact the logo is at least smaller than it could be, and doesn't feel as prominent here as it once did in the seventies. It's still not really an excuse but thankfully I don't believe it spoils the overall design of the uniform too much. I made my feelings about the Chief pretty clear in 2016.

In conclusion, I'd love to see the Indians bring back this uniform in the future, perhaps swapping out the Chief for the block C logo. Better yet would be a return of that cursive "I" logo that featured on the hats. A larger version of that could really work as a replacement for the Chief on the chest. Sleeveless jerseys still work in today's MLB, with the Rockies sporting them regularly, so it's a look that could hopefully return one day in Cleveland.

Sartorial Tribe: 1948 Indians Home

As the years tick by it feels like every new season sees MLB introduce another batch of special uniforms to each team's wardrobe. We've got Mother's Day, Father's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, retro throwbacks and a bunch more. And this got me thinking; the entire aesthetic side to sports has always been hugely appealing to me. I love the uniforms, the logos, the entire design of sporting attire. Baseball in particular has an extremely rich history and has always been a huge factor in my love for the game.

On that note, I thought I would sprinkle in the odd post here and there about the Indians' uniforms, past and present. Uniforms I like, that I love, and some that I hate. I'll try and feature a good variety too, from every era of Tribe baseball. Without further ado, let's look at our entry edition:

What better way to start than with Cleveland's cream of the crop, the best Indians team in the club's history, the 1948 championship side. Their home uniform that season was something to behold, and not only because it was the uniform worn when the Tribe last took home the World Series.

Here's a photo of player-manager and hall of fame shortstop Lou Boudreau congratulating pitcher Gene Bearden after the left-hander had shut down the Boston Braves in Game 3 of the World Series. You'll have already noticed that the Indians script across the chest is very reminiscent of today's uniforms, a certain throwback to the glory days.

An iconic shot of the legendary Satchel Paige from the 1948 season, his first in the majors following a dominant career in the Negro Leagues. The socks stand out immediately and would look good on today's players (and they do, with Francisco Lindor regularly rocking the look). You'll have also noticed the cap with the wishbone C logo, now a staple logo for the Cincinnati Reds, but was used by the Tribe for nearly four decades between the 30's and 70's.

The only blemish on these classic threads is the rather ghastly Chief Wahoo logo on the player's left sleeves. The Native American image that would come to define the Indians was still a couple of years away from becoming the team's primary logo and wouldn't feature prominently on the club's caps until the mid-80's. The 1948 version is, shall we say, less refined than his modern counterpart.

Overall though, it's a vintage uniform from a glorious era of baseball. Many would argue that baseball has never looked better aesthetically than the late 40's (I would argue this, actually). It was a time when the Indians were so stacked with talent, with legends like Bob Feller, Larry Doby, and Bob Lemon representing the Tribe, leading them to their second and most recent championship. And they looked damn good too. Maybe our current group can join their 1948 counterparts and help elevate the 2017 uniform to legendary status? Time will tell on that one.

Bat Flips & Nerds Podcast - Indians Preview

I was recently asked to feature on the Bat Flips & Nerds baseball podcast, a uniquely British take on the American Pastime. John, Darius, Ben and Tom have been doing a fantastic job and produced some really high quality content since they launched their podcast and website just over 7 months ago. I was honoured to be asked to come on and talk about the Indians ahead of the 2017 campaign.

Give this episode a listen and be sure to check out the rest of their pods too!

Let Chief Wahoo Go

Chief Wahoo is a divisive topic among Indians fans, and fans of baseball and all-around taste in general. For a while now the grinning cartoon upon our team's caps and jerseys has caused all manner of controversy. It was brought to the fore once again during the postseason. And now the Chief is back, but with a much bigger bang.

It was reported last week that the Indians had taken the decision to finally retire the controversial logo once and for all. This turned out to be incorrect and in actual fact the logo was only being taken off the caps that go with the alternate navy uniforms. The Chief was alive and well for a little bit longer, but the news triggered another round of debate nonetheless.

Look, I'm not from Cleveland. I didn't spend my early years with this team, I didn't grow up with them. I came to baseball relatively late in my youth, in 2007. So I don't have any personal connection to Chief Wahoo. Honestly, it kind of put me off when I first chose the Indians as my team. As a Cavs fan since 2003, when I got into baseball I wanted to keep my Cleveland connection but the Chief very nearly made me choose someone else (I won't tell you who, but they're from New York... shhhh). It wasn't even because I hated what it stood for, or the connotations connected with it. I simply thought it was an ugly logo.

And I fully understand that there are a great many fans who love the Chief, especially if you grew up with that successful nineties team. I'm sure the uniqueness and longevity of the logo may even be financially beneficial to the franchise in some way.

But guys, the logo isn't cool anymore. I mean, it never was to begin with!

And it's racist.

A very large group of people find it offensive and rightfully so. I more than anybody love and value the tradition and history associated with baseball, but there are times when change can be a good thing.

I think Matt Lyons said it best at Let's Go Tribe when he wrote, "Whenever we talk about the Cleveland Indians removing their controversial Chief Wahoo logo from their merchandise, the most frequent analogy is ripping off a bandaid. There’s going to be backlash, it’s going to hurt, but in the long run it’s for the better. You don’t want to leave that bandaid on your wound until it festers, and you don’t want to leave an antiquated logo festering on your franchise for the next millennia."

I for one really like the block C design on the caps, particularly the navy edition, although I know that's not a popular opinion. I also found it strange and a little bit puzzling why the team insisted on the Wahoo caps in every playoff game recently.

It's safe to say the Chief has had it's day. As we enter 2017, the world is very different to how it was in 1947, when Wahoo was created. It's time to bury the Chief and let him rest.