Fashion Source Book: The Genealogy of Baseball Caps

The ancestry of baseball caps can be traced back to 1846 where it is said the first organized baseball game took place. The New York Knickerbockers proudly sported the full brimmed straw hats which would later evolve to the baseball cap we know and love today.

New York Knickerbockers 1846

In 1860, the Brooklyn Excelsior's wore the first official baseball cap along with a required uniform. In the image below, look to the far right: while the bill of the hat is still wide, the crown is defined and fitted. The baseball cap was developed to keep the sun and sweat out of the players eyes.

Brooklyn Excelsior's, 1860

The "No. 1" hat manufactured by Peck and Snyder, had a signature star on top of the crown. The cap was floppy, unstructured, and had a small bill.

New York Mutuals, late 1864

In 1888, Spalding published the "Spalding Baseball Guide of 1888." At this time there were various cap styles for players to choose from; it was up to the player to wear the hat that suited him best. These earlier styles are believed to be patterned after horse jockey and train conductor hats. For the most part, the bill of the hats were short, it was the crowns that varied most in shape.

In 1903, Spalding introduced the "Philadelphia Style" cap. The bill of this cap was completely stitched, giving the cap more stability. The stitched visor was a hit because it sustained its shape and lasted longer than previous hats.

Philadelphia Style hat, 1903

Introduced in the late 19th century, the "pillbox" cap made a come back in the early 1900s. This cap had a similar shape to the ones seen in Spaldings Guide of 1888. The cap was reinvented with a sturdier visor produced by the stitching.

Striped "pillbox style" cap, 1914

For additional structure, latex rubber stiffeners were inserted into the bill during the 1940s. With this innovation, the modern baseball cap was born. Another change to the baseball hat happened in the 1940s as well: 1945 marked the last year a baseball cap was worn without a team logo on the front of the crown.

During the 1960s, the unofficial dress code at baseball games relaxed and fans began sporting the same head gear as their favorite players on the field. The images below show the before and after:

Baseball fans, 1940s

Fans at 1960s World Series

In the 1990s, wearing your baseball cap backwards or to the side became a trend among the youth. Also introduced were baseball caps with unofficial team colors.

In 2007, Major League Baseball hat manufacturer, New Era, invented the 100% polyester baseball hat. The polyester material works better at keeping the wearers head dry. Also included in this new hat is a black sweat band which hides stains, and a black under visor which further reduces glare.

New Era 100% Polyester hat

As seen in recent years, baseball caps have become more than a symbol of loyalty to a favorite team/city. Nowadays, baseball caps are a fashion accessory, often having nothing to do with baseball at all (except for the shape of the hat). A big influence in the change of the baseball cap is the music scene. The bills of these "accessories" are wider and flatter, it is no longer imperative to have a perfectly curved visor.