We give way to the great story behind the baseball cap, also cooked as “baseball cap” or just “baseball cap”, an accessory that has become a classic in sports, but also an item of clothing that is still very popular today.
This cap model is as typical as baseball itself, a sport that, according to legend, was formally invented in Cooperstown (New York) in 1839 by Abner Doubleday.
But the truth is that the practice of playing with a “stick” and a ball is ancient. Records show that ancient cultures played this game as a ceremony, but also for fun, and it later spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages. Once a similar game was popularized in England, it was transferred to the United States, where it reached its peak.
The first rules of the game, formerly known as Knickerbocker They were finally published in 1845 by Alexander Cartwright, who founded the “Knockerbocker Base Ball Club” in New York. These rules became the foundation of modern baseball.
Baseball has thus developed primarily in the United States, so much so that for many years it was also referred to as The New York Game from the beginning. It is, in fact, the national sport of the country, and the fan base of its major league teams is comparable to that of football in Spain. The competitiveness is huge!
Hence, just like in football, fans of baseball teams began to wear some clothing in support of their city's teams, which were becoming professional over the years.
But… What came first? The baseball or the cap?
Ball games older than baseball (such as cricket) already used improvised hats to protect against the sun, and the sport in the United States was no different. At one point, baseball players in the United States had the power to choose which hat to wear for competitions, and they got creative by creating prototypes of hats with visors.
The first team to get a proper cap prototype was the Detroit Tigers, who were also the first to display their emblem on their caps, and from then on, the teams followed this dynamic.
Of course, the manufacturers set out to create the 'perfect' cap for the 'perfect game', and they managed to nail the legendary design of baseball cap that we use today, which were not only sold to players, but also to consumers, because of their usefulness and because with the emblem attached they supported their favorite teams.
One of the most legendary cap manufacturing companies in the United States was New Era, originally founded in 1920 by Ehrhardt Koch, who started the “E.hoch Cap Company” with almost nothing, in Buffalo, New York.
Koch was a German-American who knew what he was doing. After working for more than 15 years at Miller Brother's Cap Company, he gained enough experience to start his own business, producing some 60,000 baseball caps annually with just 14 employees. Years later, in 1934, it became “New Era” and landed its first contract with the Cleveland Indians, officially entering the world of baseball.
This is how the paradox of the game began and the baseball cap: Companies that produced caps, professional and non-professional teams that needed to wear them, and sports fans who longed to have their own cap to wear with the logo, initials or mascot of their favorite teams.
From then on, society did its job. The cap, which was originally a useful garment invented to protect us from the sun - and which has existed since the Egyptians and other ancient civilizations covered their heads with devices to avoid sunburn - gradually stopped "belonging" to baseball players, and became popular in itself to offer urban fashion a new way to express its personality.
And it is that the baseball caps They say a lot about us. From the model you wear to the insignia it bears. They are a cap model that did not stop there. In its time, the famous trucker caps which were also used to display company logos as a form of advertising and which today, along with the baseball caps, are part of culture and urban fashion.
What makes the difference in itself baseball caps The difference is that they do not have a fastener on the back and they also incorporated flat visors instead of curved ones over time. Nowadays, caps of this style, or with adjustable size fasteners, have been used in many sports such as tennis or golf, as well as part of the attire in other artistic disciplines, as is the case of film directors (replacing their classic berets), always as a method of protection from the sun's rays, but also as a way of standing out from the rest.
There are countless models on the market, which have mass produced and made this garment very popular due to its utility, comfort, and style. Currently, many urban outfits feature this cap as part of their collection. looks ideal for adding a unique and personal style to each individual who uses them.
The truth is that it is a fascinating story. Baseball caps have evolved in a special way over time, improving their styles, and allowing us cap fans to find the one that best suits and identifies us. And you, are you a fan of caps? baseball caps?