Inside Label: 1933 Frankie Frisch All Star Game 'NL' Fitted Cap

Throughout its history, the game of baseball has reflected the state of American society. In 1933, the economic depression was still a paralyzing force on a defeated society. Americans took refuge in days out to the ballpark. Arch Ward, sports editor for the Chicago Tribune, saw the important impact that the game had on our society. Ward proposed the idea of an All Star baseball game to coincide with Chicago’s Century of Progress Exhibition.
On July 6, 1933 the holy grounds of Comiskey Park welcomed the best players from both the National and American Leagues for the first All Star Game. The American League players wore their team uniforms while the National League wore a customized hat and jersey, identifying their league. It would be the only All Star Game in which one team wore a uniform that identified their league instead of their team. The All Star Game became an annual event and is now known as the Mid Summer Classic.
The Bronx born Frankie Frisch played in the first All Star Game at Chicago’s Comiskey Park. Frisch was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals famous Gas House Gang. The Hall of Fame seconded baseman was the best of his time. Frisch played in 8 World Series during his career with both the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. In 1937, after playing in just 17 games, Frisch called it quits. He finished his career with a .316 clip and just 120 hits shy of the holy hit number, 3000.
This uniquely styled navy wool, fitted hat is attributed to Frankie Frisch, of the St. Louis Cardinals. Frisch wore this hat during the 1933 All Star Game. This is a six panel hat constructed by the Spalding, Co. The front two panels hold the unique National League logo, NL, stitched in white thread while navy wool covers the metal button resting at the top of the hat. The under visor is lined in green cloth and the aged, sweatband is made of tanned leather. The Spalding, Co logo is stamped beautifully in silver on the rear of the hat, on the leather band. This rare, historical piece remains in the vaults at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum and Library.

Text: J.Wheeler

Inside Label: 2004 Chicago Stadium / Blackhawks "Remember The Roar" Snapback Cap

In 1926, Col. Frederic McLaughlin was granted permission by the NHL to establish an expansion franchise within the city bounds of Chicago. The team was named the Blackhawks, a tribute to the army battalion in which McLaughlin served. The Black Hawks rounded off the Original Six hockey clubs.
Chicago Stadium was one of six barn yard style arenas in which hockey action was played out. “The Madhouse on Madison,” opened its gates on March 28, 1929. The seating capacity rose just above the 17,000 mark. The small seating mark allowed the fans to become personal to the fast paced action of the Canadian past time, as well as the beloved players in which the fans so passionately followed. In 1967, the year in which the NHL began to expand, the NBA Chicago Bulls joined the Black Hawks as tenants of the historic Chicago Stadium. They both would remain strong to the end of the 1994 season, before both clubs moved across the street to the United Center.
In 1994, the NHL dissolved two of the original six barn yard style stadiums. The Leafs sadly parted from Maple Leafs Garden, an arena which owned a large majority of hockey history. The Chicago Blackhawks fought their way into the playoffs to keep the roar of Chicago Stadium going as long as they could.
Yupoong constructed this piece in honor of the Blackhawks and their contribution to hockey history inside the legendary Chicago Stadium. Yupoong created this cap by using a white, poly-cotton blend. The brim is in black fabric as the under visor is in a traditional green. The front two panels feature an image of Chicago Stadium resting behind the timeless Blackhawks logo. The logo is outlined in red embroidered thread with Chicago Stadium balancing the top and bottom of the circle. Riding across the front of the logo is a gold threaded banner which is outlined in black stitch. The banner dates the hockey palace, honoring the history of an original franchise and the history within the echoes of Chicago Stadium. The cap was created in a snapback style. Arched across the back of the cap is the famous phrase “Remember the Roar.” The team logo is embroidered in black thread as are the eyelets and button top. Chicago Stadium will forever be remembered as one of the palaces within the sporting world. Its historic stance captured the memories of both the Bulls of the NBA and the Original Six member, Blackhawks.

Inside Label: Starter NCAA Arkansas / UMass "Tip-Off" Cap

Each year, as the winter closes its fierce door, the NCAA Division 1 Basketball Tournament takes center stage. Brackets are filled throughout the country, predictions are made and seeds are awarded. Each chosen team carries the pride of their school onto the hardwood, hoping to leave the tournament with a National Title.
All eyes were on the 31-3 Arkansas Razorbacks, who were led by the powerful Corliss Williamson. The Razorbacks blew through the Midwest regional bracket, mightily handling each opponent. Former Arkansas governor and acting President, Bill Clinton paid close attention to the unfolding of the tournament. Clinton even made an appearance of support for the Razorbacks as they inched closed to the National Title.
The hype that surrounded the Midwest region was the inevitable matchup in which the country was vying to watch unfold. The #1 seeded Razorbacks taking on the #2 University of Massachusetts Minutemen. This would have been the game that would have placed either team in the Final Four. However, the Minutemen were sent home after a second round loss to the Maryland Terrapins.
This cap was constructed in preparation for a predicted meeting of the top two teams in the Midwest region. Its premature development makes it all the more sacred, due to the game never taking place. This cap was constructed by Starter whose logo sits above the snap closing on the back of the cap. The Starter word mark rest on the front panel with a distinct design of a basketball trailing to the net. The word, Tip-Off rests to the side of the logo. The left panel features the U Mass trademarked logo, as the Arkansas registered logo sits on the right. The brim, eyelets and button are a crimson color.
This cap is rare, both in time and accuracy. It is a piece which sums up the development of the game of basketball in the 1990’s. Corliss Williams was the machine that led the Razorbacks, being named Most Outstanding Player. His leader and coach, Nolan Richardson would carry home his first title while gaining the attention of the President.

Text: J.Wheeler

1992 USA Basketball AJD Snapback Cap

The 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games introduced the play of professional athletes. The most vivid example was in the game of basketball and the formation of The Dream Team, one of the most dominating teams ever assembled. The members of this team all held contracts with NBA teams. Their electric play packed the building. Fans of the game pinched in every cuby hole of the arena, seeing the buzz around the game and the interest in its pro athletes.
Their dominating trail to the gold medal globalized the game of basketball. They began to reach parts of the world that had no sense of the fast past, team oriented game. Their opponents were more than just that, they were fans.
The Dream Team showed the world the fun within the game of basketball. The names of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan became familiar nouns in rounds of conversation all throughout the world. The impact of the Dream Team helped the game flourish overseas, making it a universal game as well as expanded the development of Olympic procedures.
This cap was constructed by AJD, a prominent fixture in snapback headwear. It is structured in a six panel off white crown format. A scarlet button rests at the top and the eyelits are stitched with white thread. Another key feature is a thick mesh, which is stitched inside the buckram of the hat.
Directly embroidered on the front two panels is the USA Basketball logo, which was designed for the Barcelona Olympics. The logo uses navy, white and scarlet thread to accent a star shaped path. This is clearly one of the most notable logos that came out of the 1990’s.
Both the under visor and the top brim are wrapped in a scarlet cotton based fabric. The top brim features the facsimile signatures of 10 members on the 12 man roster. The signatures are white and are spread throughout the brim. They are applied to the brim with a heat seal flock method.
Nine of the ten signatures are members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. These are the men who put basketball on the world stage, allowing for it to develop and grow throughout the world.

Text: J.Wheeler

Inside Label: Pre- 20th Century "HOMERUN" Woven Straw Hat

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 20^th 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 20^th 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 20^th 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

Inside Label: Los Angeles Lakers 2000 NBA Champions Cap by PUMA

The offensive dominance of basketball exploded during the 1990’s. The rapid change of pace and the quick moving, stylized moves took the NBA to a higher level. The game became a global phenomenon after the Dream Team was formed. The professional Olympians dominated the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, drawing fans throughout the world. Michael Jordan began to dominate the hardwood, securing a legacy within the game and the sporting world. Jordan sat at the thrown of Phil Jackson’s triangular offensive attack. His presence secured three consecutive NBA titles twice within the decade. Each title came under the calm presence of Coach Jackson.

In 1999, the Los Angeles Lakers began courting the Zen master, Coach Jackson, out of retirement to help unify the potential of their offense. The ankle breaking Kobe Bryant and the super human power of Shaquille O’Neal needed structure to bring a title back to Los Angeles. Jackson agreed to terms and began his time with the Lakers during the 1999-2000 NBA season.
In accepting the philosophy of Coach Jackson the Lakers were unstoppable. They rolled right into the NBA Finals, facing Larry Bird’s Indiana Pacers. The Lakers would defeat the Pacers, winning their first of three consecutive titles. 
This cap was presented to the Los Angeles Lakers during their first of three consecutive NBA championship titles. Designed by Puma, this hat is constructed out of white wool and stitched in a standard six panel style. White embroidered eyelets are punched on the panels and a black button sits at the top of the crown. Puma’s trademarked logo is directly embroidered in black thread on the left side panel. The NBA logo, which is a silhouette image of Lakers great Jerry West, is embroidered in white, red and blue thread on the right side panel.
The cap features a stylized velcro back strap. Resting on the back of the cap is a direct embroidered image of the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The embroidery of the trophy consists of white, gold and black thread. The front two panels of the cap is a heat-sealed patch of the Los Angeles Lakers. The patch is embroidered in the Lakers standard colors, yellow, black and purple thread. Resting at the top of the stitched Lakers logo is NBA CHAMPIONS. It is embroidered in red, black, white and grey thread. The brim of the hat is tightly wrapped in a black poly based material. It is attached to the hat crown in a single needle style. The title year is directly embroidered onto the brim in white and black thread.

This cap is a celebration of a three year dynasty backed by the mystical approach of a legendary coach. The Los Angeles Lakers were the first champions within the new millennium. With the 2010 NBA season beginning, the Lakers are looking to defend their most recent title, making another worthy note in the history of the franchise.

Text: J.Wheeler