One must look deep inside the game of baseball when tracing the influence of head wear within American culture. Baseball has been a fixture within the early roots of Americana and head wear, dating its birth several years prior to the country’s Centennial year.
The cap always served as a piece within the make-up of a team’s uniform. It is clearly evident how baseball helped stylize the socially appropriate head garment within American society. Templates of baseball caps were seen within the units of the Union Army during the Civil War.
Prior to the 20th century teams played in several cap variations. One of the more notable styles has been noted as the pill box cap. These caps were boxed off wool and had felt lettering or stripes applied to the crown. Many teams revived this style in the late 1970’s, the most notable being the Pittsburgh Pirates.
At the turn of the century, teams began wearing low profiled, short brim caps with embroidered thread, as appose to cut felt. As the game evolved, so did the hat. Currently the style seen at the professional level has set the trend of modern day head wear. Many designs, colors and logos are embroidered onto a fitted cap, the same style worn within the game of baseball. There are not many remnants of baseball head wear which date prior to the 20th century. Those which are found tend to have failed the test of time, showing signs of age and exhibiting many blemishes.
This photographed piece, which serves as a notation of baseball, is a rare example of pre 20th century head wear. This hat is uniquely constructed and sits in pristine condition, showing limited signs of age or flaws. The cap is constructed of two styles of tightly woven straw, one being dyed in color. The straw runs both vertically and horizontally throughout the entire cap. A button sits atop the cap as the straw weaves its way above and around. The rear of the cap certainly predates the snap back style but depicts an interesting fascine design. A straw roped cord is shaped into a tight loop. It was designed to fascine to a button which sits on the opposite side (photo unavailable). The under visor and band are wrapped in either a soft canvass or leather, it is connected, through a single needle stitch, to the outer lining of the cap. A satin band runs across the front of the hat and is secured through two metal eyelets on both sides as well as being tucked under the band. Sublimated onto the band are a baseball theme image and term, tracing this significantly rare piece to baseball. This piece was auctioned off by Robert Edwards in 2006.
Image: Robert Edwards / Text: J. Wheeler