50 plus years of grooming tomorrow's stars

Among the shadows of Mount Rainer in Tacoma, Washington, the crack of a baseball bat and the smell of freshly cut grass has been no stranger to the locals. For more 50 years consecutive years, Tacoma has played host to AAA baseball. Presently, The Tacoma Rainers, who get there name from the afore mentioned 14,000 plus foot elevated mountain, call the city home. The Rainers franchise, is currently affiliated with their seventh big league club. Before being linked to the geographically compatible Seattle Mariners, the club was paired with the Athletics, Indians, Yankees, Twins, Cubs, and Giants in reverse chronology. Regardless of the affiliation over the seasons, the club has been a member of the Pacific Coast League, playing in the Norhern Division. Tacoma's history of baseball, however, didn't originate a mere half century ago. Starting way back in 1904, Tacoma had a club known as the Tigers, who played to a first place finish in both halves of their first season. Accordingly, the club won the cities first ever Pacific Coast League title. A mere half season later, affiliated baseball left Washington State until its much anticipated return in 1960. During its current string of teams which have played in the city, the club has called Cheney Stadium home. The park, which was opened in 1960 upon the arrival of the club, has gone through multiple renovations to bring it up to respectable standards based on present day technology. In it's current form, the stadium can seat 9,600 fans at capacity. As if the 50 year history and survival of the club isn't enough to testify for the love the locals have for their club, the original structure was erected in a mere 42 days in order to begin play in time for the inaugural season. That my friends, is commitment and passion. Over the years, some big name players have made stops in Tacoma. Some of which are: Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Jose Canseco, and Mark McGwire. The cap shown above, and current logo seen, was first used last season in 2010. The fitted, has a navy brim, navy crown, and a capital "T" for Tacoma in front of a snow capped silhouette of Mt. Rainer. This is a great cap, which I hope to acquire on my trip to Washington, later this summer. As if the cap isn't nice enough to just pick up strictly based off looks, the history discussed in today's post hopefully gives you some added incentive to appreciate the team. The cap can be found on Lids.com under "Tacoma Rainers", or on the team website HERE. Until next time, keep exploring the world of baseball. There's always something new to learn.

The next great "Roman" leader begins his journey

Growing up as kids, most of us either played many summers of little league baseball or softball, with aspirations of one day potentially making it to the big leagues. We all had high hopes of hitting the game winning homer, or pitching a no hitter while playing in our back yards; but reality set in for most of us...Key word: MOST of us. Today's post is in honor of someone who I grew up with, who actually made it through the trials and tribulations of High School, Collegiate, and Cape Cod League baseball to realize the ultimate dream. That person is Tom La Stella. After years of practice and determination, he finally was granted a chance at greatness. Following two season where he lit it up for The Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers, in the Big South Conference, La Stella was named 2011 player of the year and drew national attention. During this years MLB Draft, La Stella was taken in the 8th round, by the Atlanta Braves. He has been assigned to the Rome Braves, who's cap is shown above. The Rome Braves play in the South Atlantic League's Southern Division. The Club, which is part of the Class A level of minor league baseball, have been in the SAL since 2003. The Braves have won one division and league title in their inaugural season in Rome. The Rome Braves play at State Mutual Stadium, a 5,000 plus capacity park in Rome, Georgia which features identical dimension of the parent clubs' Turner Field. The Rome Braves claim many MLB roster members to their on field alumni. Some of these players are: Jason Heyward, Jeff Francoeur, Tommy Hanson, Brian McCann, Jo-Jo Reyes, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The clubs lack of league titles may be an attribution to the great development of the players they draft. If you can't keep these great players down, you're roster in A ball will develop some holes subsequently. The cap shown above is the Home On-Field New Era Cap of the Rome Braves, and can be found on on Lids.com. It features a Braves red brim, a navy brim, and the Roman-esque pillar with an R and a ball flying across from left to right. This is a special cap to me, due to it being the first professional cap worn by an old friend of mine; hopefully you all like it as well. On that note, I wish my my friend good luck in his trip to "The Show". I know it will only be a matter of time.

Fear The Deer

In an effort to shoot a "what's up?" to one of my friends who's away for the summer working in the baseball world, today the blog features the team that serves as his employer. The State College Spikes, who have been an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates since the beginning of the '07 season, have had 28 seasons of history as a franchise. The team has has multiple cities to call home in the past, those of which are: Newark, Hamilton, Glens Falls, and most previously Augusta, New Jersey as part of the Cardinals organization. The Spikes, who play in the Pinckney Division of the New York-Penn League of Minor League Baseball, host their home games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. MFaLP for short, is a 6,006 fan capacity ballpark (including standing room) in University Park, Pennsylvania which also hosts all Penn State Nittany Lion baseball games. The Spikes are managed by former minor-leaguer Dave Turgeon, who most recently served as an assistant coach on the Virginia Tech Hokies staff. Some notable Spikes that have ascended the ranks all the way to "The Show" are Brendan Ryan and Jason Motte, who are both alumni from the Cardinal affiliate days, and most recently Daniel Moskos and Tony Watson who both made their Major League debuts this season for the Swinging Buccos of Pittsburgh; Additionally, Zach Duke made a brief appearance on a rehab assignment while with the Pirates in 2007. The cap, shown above, is the official road cap of the club which I found at Lids HERE. It features a navy crown and brim, with a male deer or buck front and center staring with eyes of determination. Also, the alternate and home fitted caps, along with other on-field wear can be found at the Spikes official team store HERE. The Spikes are a team of little history in Pennsylvania, but great potential of success. Due to the continually prized draft picks the Pirates seem to be continually racking up, the club is bound for glory in the near future.  

A Franchise Screwed from The Start

Tonight, in honor of reaching the 10,000 view plateau, I chose a cap that, despite its quirky, cheesy quality, happens to be a favorite of mine. The Lansing Lugnuts are a Single A franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the Midwest League. The Lugnuts, who have been known as such since 1996, have been affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays since the 2005 season. In the past, the ball club has been part of the Chicago Cubs organization from '99-'04 and the Kansas City Royals organization from '96-'98. The team, which calls Lansing, Michigan home, plays their games at Cooley Law School Stadium. The park, which was originally known as Oldsmobile Park in recognition of Michigan's automotive prowess, seats a resounding 13,527 when the lawn seating is filled to capacity. This park not only serves as the home to the Lugnuts, but also the Michigan State Spartans of the NCAA. These two teams have competed annually since 2007 in a game which is known as "The Crosstown Showdown": a game which pits Professional vs. Amateur in a competition of talent. In the 5 previous games, which were meant to mostly involve the collegiate community and give collegiate athletes to play on a professional level, has been won by the Spartans twice in five games. The event impressively drew 100 fans short of 13,000 in 2009. The Lugnuts, who have had a somewhat unsuccessful past, have only won 2 league titles in '97 and '03, and only three division titles in '96, '99, and '08. The Lugnuts have had a few former players who have made it to "The Show"; Some of these players are: Carlos Beltran, Felix Pie, Mark Prior, Travis Snider, and Carlos Zambrano. Despite their lack of titles, the development of players who can hack it at the next level certainly seems to be one of their strong suits. This cap, which I found HERE at Lids.com, features a black crown, black brim, and a cartoon version of a Lugnut (no need for explanation here). To me, it's a clean cap which embodies the playful nature of Minor League Baseball. Maybe the franchise can provide some proverbial torque to the competition, and make a run at the top. The Lansing Lugnuts are currently in first place with a record of 27-18, so keep it up guys. Maybe you can even beat a NCAA team this year...if you know what's good for you.   

10,000 views!

Thanks to the viewer-ship of all our readers, I am pleased to announce the accomplishment of the 10,000 view plateau! Thats right, 10,000 everyone! I'm extremely appreciative of the following this blog as accumulated, which gives me faith that my writing and studies of professional sports are appreciated by all. Only 80 some posts into this venture, we have reached a great milestone in the progression of this project. Keep reading, and telling your friends! You can be sure there will be more fitteds examined, and teams explored. I appreciate feedback, so if theres anything you'd like to see changed, or anything you would like to stay let me know. You can follow the official facebook page with additional info and pictures HERE. Be on the lookout for another post later on today, and remember your input and loyalty is key. Thanks again, now let's go for 20,000!

98 years of "touring" sounds like a lot of miles

Welcome everyone, to this Wednesday edition of The Fitted Diaries. This cool little guy you see on the cap before you, represents the Asheville Tourists of the South Atlantic League. the SAL is a host league of members of the single A level of Minor League Baseball. The Tourists, who have been in existence since 1915, have recently endured a re-branding process. The changes include, but are not limited to: color way, logos, jerseys, and mascots. The mascot, named Ted E. Tourist, has been re-designed to look like THIS, the jerseys like THIS, and the caps including the one above like THIS. All in all, I think the changes were for the better, as the old set up was beginning to become slightly overlooked and deemed bland among baseball fans. One thing that cannot be erased, as old logos and mascots change, is the incredible history the club claims. As the title of todays post infers, the team has been around for nearly 100 seasons. The Tourists, who have been an affiliate of the Colorado Rockies since the 1994 season, and have also claimed the Rangers, Orioles, Reds, White Sox, Astros, Pirates, Phillies, Dodgers, Cardinals, and the Red Sox as parent organizations previously. If that doesn't serve as a role call of success, I don't know what does. The club has called McCormick Field home since way back in 1924. Yes everyone, that's the Coolidge administration. The old ballpark, which underwent renovations in 1959 and 1991, is a cozy 4,000 seat facility. A little know fact about the park, is that it was the sight of a scene from the 1988 movie Bull Durham. The ballpark is home of what may be the most unintentionally sarcastic scoreboards in all of baseball. The road area reads Visitors...The Home portion reads Tourists... Genius! One things for sure, with the prestigious history this club has endured, it will keep the fans coming for years to come as one of North Carolinas largest "Tourist" attractions shall we say. The cap shown, which is the home cap of the team, features a navy blue brim and crown, with a caricature of the man on the moon as assumed by most with glasses and a Tourists cap on his head. Not that the team needed it, but this re-branding has certainly given the club new life and with any luck another 98 years of baseball in Asheville.    

Many tedious hours of detail

Yes folks, it's real...and in Sharpie. The one of a kind fitted is the adaptation of the Lakewood BlueClaws alternate fitted. The freehand design was painstakingly handcrafted by personal friend and artist Niloy Shah. Niloy and I met as roomates two years ago, and immediately struck common ground in both of our passions for fitted New Era caps. I noticed in his collection there were designs drawn on them, much simpler than the one on the BlueClaws cap shown, but similar in structure. Once I had uncovered the artist to be himself, I knew I had to have one. After some begging, and compensation through a few dinners, My hat had begun to be designed. 18 hours later, we have the cap shown above. Within the inlay of the design, we see many unique detail assets unique to my requests and personality. On the front, we have a 24 which is my favorite number, and the number of Robinson Cano my favorite Yankee player. There is also a bowling pin on the cap wearers left on the front panel, signifying one of my passion which is bowling. On the left side of the cap, there is a bowling ball with "AMF" tagged on it. On the back of the cap, which I may say is my favorite section of the fitted, displays the Fleur-de-lis. This is significant due to my adoption from the state of Louisiana years ago. Also, my name in Arabic is written out on the lower right side, due to my fathers origins from which I get my last name. Finally on the cap wearers right side, we conclude our tour of customization. If you look close enough, you can see the artists tag, as he left his initials "NRS" small in the middle. Most importantly, my home state has been given a shout out as "JERSEY" has been included in the inlay of the intricate design scheme. The cap was designed with three fine tip Sharpies, using the colors red, blue, and black. You could stare at this cap for hours, and see something new every time. Wearable are has never seemed so fun, as you are sure to get questions and looks of interest every time you take to the streets with this cap on your head. The plain cap, which served as Niloy Shah's canvas, can be purchased at the official Lakewood BlueClaws team store HERE. Hope you enjoyed this one, it really is a treasure to me as a cap collector. 

Swashbuckling SHU

Good afternoon everyone, we've got a college cap featured today on the blog. As you may or may not have recognized, the logo featured on the cranial gem above is that of the Seton Hall University Pirates. Seton Hall began using the logo set, along with THIS ONE, in 1998. As you can see, it features a shadowing silhouette technique, which I feel gives the Pirate some appreciated character. Seton Hall athletics fields fifteen Division 1 level teams, that participate in the Big East Conference alongside the giants of the league such as Syracuse and Villanova. Some of the more prevalent programs are the Men's Basketball and Baseball clubs. The basketball team, which currently plays in the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, originated in 1903. Millions of free throws and a hundred plus seasons later, the team has 9 NCAA tournament appearances, 4 sweet sixteen seasons, 2 elite 8 bids, and 1 run all the way to the final four in 1989. Although they have never been able to capture the always elusive NCAA Championship, they can claim a NIT tournament victory in 1953. The basketball team has retired 8 player numbers, some of the more notable of which are #24 Tony Dehere, and #44 Nick Werkman. Now to turn the page to the baseball team. The Swingin' Pirates have fielded a few above average, and notable baseball players in their baseball programs history. Some of which are former 1995 American League MVP Mo Vaughn, lifetime Houston Astro and 3,000 hit club member Craig Biggio, 1995 American League Silver Slugger Award recipient John Valentin, and current Philadelphia Phillie Jason Grilli. Whereas they don't get as much notoriety as the club deserves, they clearly know what they're getting when they offer scholarships. The Seton Hall Pirates cap seen above has a black crown and brim, with the popular Pirate face logo on the front in Hall blue and white. On the rear of the fitted, is the SHU letter mark logo, used sparingly on school merchandise seen HERE. I received this fitted from one of my friends, who happens to work at the school bookstore on campus. Being a St. John's University student, I've seen the Seton Hall Pirates compete on multiple fields in multiple venues. Lastly, shout out to my boy Matt Steier, who received his finance degree at the Stillman School of Business this May. In closing, being a New Jersey Native, I give you the Pirates fight song:  Onward Setonia, We are bound for victory. Hazard Zet Forward, We will honor that decree. Onward Setonia, Stand up proud and stand up tall. FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! For the Blue and White, and the glory of Seton Hall.    

A "Bould" Addition to the Can-Am League

Before you take the time to read todays post, take the time to wish your Mom a happy Mothers Day, and let her know you appreciate all she does for you. Now that that's out of the way, lets talk about the not so familiar cap above. The hat you see, is what will be the home cap of the Rockland Boulders. I'm sure you may be scratching your head, while you question yourself "Who the heck are they?" The Boulders will be participating in their first season, in professional baseball as a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (The Can-Am League). The Can-Am League, which is in its eighth season of play, welcomes three teams to their operations this summer. In addition to the Boulders, the Newark Bears, and the New York Federals will play in the league as well. The Rockland Boulders, who will be managed by former big league pitcher Dave LaPoint, will play in Pomona, New York at Ramapo Ballpark; a currently being constructed venue, which will hold just over 4,000 fans. As someone, who was born and raised in Northern New Jersey, this is most certainly a welcomed franchise, which will provide affordable entertainment for the whole family. Play for the Boulders begins on May 26th, with the initial home-stand beginning on June 16th, as stated on the teams official website which can be seen HERE . The teams home cap, shown above, features a blue crown and brim, with a capital B front and center. Additionally there is a baseball flying outwards. The cap can be found in the team store, which can be reached on the Boulders site linked above. Will the Boulders get off to a "Rocky" start, or will they experience some smooth sailing? Only time will tell, as play begins in less than three weeks. Now Play Ball!

It's not just a drinking day for ignorant Americans

Hola, and let me be the first to say Happy Cinco de Mayo! I know it's been a while since I've posted last, but bear with me I am a student trying to get a degree. Today, in honor of the holiday that most of us Americans perceive as Mexico's day of Independence, let me shed a little light on its true history and where it occurred. In 1861, the French Army invaded the town of Puebla, Mexico in hopes of conquering territory and controlling the city. An overwhelmed and undermanned Mexican resistance fought diligently, and finally overcame the 8,000 French troops with only a mere 4,000 men. The Mexican Army fended off the illustrious French opposition, which ended up being the last European army invasion in North American history to this day. Now that The Battle of Puebla and the holiday are put in perspective, lets talk about the towns historic baseball team. Los Pericos de Puebla are the baseball team that has played in the city of Puebla, Mexico since 1942. The club, which participates in La Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, has won 4 league championships, the last of which came in 1986. The team has had several on and off stints of activity due to lack of funding and support. The last absence of play occurred from 1995-2000. Upon the recent revival, the club has had relative success in the last decade, culminating this past season when they fell just short of a league title. Thats the story of the Parrots, maybe one day I can visit and enjoy the culture of the city. The cap worn by the team can be seen HERE , as sported by a player last season. The cap features a yellow brim, a forest green crown, and a green and yellow parrot centered in front. So today, when you are sipping on a Corona or a margarita and possibly watching baseball, take a second to reflect on the truly incredible feat the men of Puebla accomplished 149 years ago today. Adios y ahora nosotros bebemos!

An expansion of futility

1969 must have been an interesting year. The New York Jets win their first and only Super Bowl, Apollo 11 put the first man on the moon, and Major League Baseball expanded with 4 new teams. These teams were the San Diego Padres, The Seattle Pilots, The Kansas City Royals, and of course the Montreal Expos. Out of those 4 teams, two have moved cities, one has never won a World Series, and shockingly one has never even played in the World Series. Sound like a fun time to be a general manager? I suppose if you're a fan of the old chopping block. We all know the the Montreal Expos moved to Washington D.C. and became the Nationals a few years back, and that they have signed multiple top rated draft picks, but lets take a minute to see where they've been and what got them where they are. After Montreal lost the Montreal Royals, a minor league affiliate of the Dodgers where Jackie Robinson once played, there was a demand for baseball in Quebec. Naturally, after holding a version of the worlds fair in 1967 dubbed Expo67, the concept of hosting a big league team in Montreal arose, and soon came approval. Shortly enough, a make shift 28,000 seat stadium in Jarry Park was reformatted to MLB standards, and a home was born. After a brief 7 seasons, the club moved into Olympic Stadium, a converted stadium from the '76 Summer Olympics. Now with a permanent home and a substantial following, the club was ready for success. Not so fast. Over the course of the following 29 seasons, the club would manage to capture ONLY 1 division title. Throughout the years, the Expos had such greats on their rosters as Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Larry Walker, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Andres Galarraga, and most recently Vlad Guerrero. Whereas this seems incredibly impressive, the team just couldn't manage to get it all together at the same time. It was one shortcoming after another, and a last place finish to boot. To some, a disappointing past, a reason to forget, but to me it is a bittersweet transition. Clearly it was an organization that was willing to fight for success, which signed talented players in order to put themselves in a decent position, but just couldn't manage to get to the finish line in first. With a new home, fan base, and draft picks which have built hype, maybe the the moment where they turn the corner is just a few years away. Perhaps the days of the Cardinals, Phillies, Dodgers, and Giants vying for National League titles are numbered. We will soon find out. The cap above, which served as the home fitted of Les Expos de Montreal most recently, has a royal blue brim and crown with the unique Expos primary logo front and center. The M which is centered overall stands for Montreal, the E on the left in white stands for Expos, and the B stands for Baseball. Classic Logo, with a troubled past. Maybe the new Nationals W will prove to be better luck, only time will tell.

Are we there yet?

Welcome back everybody, and happy hump day! The weeks almost over, and we've got one of the most aesthetically pleasing caps of all time today. This cap, which the Seattle Mariners wore in the early to mid 90's served as the crowns to many of the royal family in Kingdome history. Greats such as Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez, Tino Martinez, and Randy Johnson sported this cap in some of the more talent filled rosters in Seattle baseball history. With all those terrific players, can you believe they never once captured the elusive American League Title?; possibly one of the most unbelievable shortcomings in MLB history. After the original incarnation of baseball in the Pacific Northwest with the expansion of the Seattle Pilots in 1969, not many thought America's pastime would return to the region after the relocated one short season later to Milwaukee. Surely enough, King County was awarded yet another crack at it in 1977. Despite a slow start on the track to success, having to wait for their first winning season until year 15th in 1991, the city stuck with the team with hopes of glory one day; they're still waiting. Now in the clubs 36th season, they still have no AL Title, and needless to say no World Series Championship. Along with the Expos/Nationals franchise, they are the only other team to never see the promise land of World Series Baseball. Through the trials and tribulations, here's what they have done: three AL West titles in 1995, 1997, 2001, an AL Wild Card berth in 2000, and won a MLB record 116 games in 2001. 116 games people, thats  70 games over .500 which is truly remarkable. But how do you not win a World Series, let alone miss it all together? In that truth lies the title of the post, "Are we there yet?". The answer: clearly not, because in recent seasons the team has struggled as a whole, missing the post season each of the last 9 seasons. Can they go for a lucky 10? I hope not for their sake; great fans, beautiful newer stadium in Safeco Field, and a developing rotation in the form of Felix Hernandez and Michael Pineda. Seattle already has one of the higher, if not the highest suicide rates in the country, and another consecutive failed season wouldn't exactly be helping the cause. The cap above, which features a teal brim, navy blue crown, and the beautiful Mariners logo is available at the lids website here if you are interested. Keep an eye on the Seattle Mariners though, maybe they can make a true run at it this year. On second thought probably not, but at least King Felix is worth watching. Enjoy the rainy weather, and the lack of an NBA team, because the baseball won't be much to write home about for yet another season. Until tomorrow, adios!

Full steam ahead for these Captains

Good afternoon fitted fans, feast your eyes on one of my favorite logos in all of minor league baseball; that is up until this season. The cap shown above is the previous home cap of the Lake County Captains of the Midwest League of Minor League Baseball. The captains sail the high waters of the Eastern Division along with such previously featured teams here on TFD as the Fort Wayne TinCaps. The captains are the A ball affiliate of the neighboring Cleveland Indians, and have been since way back when the team was known as the Columbus RedStixx from 1992-2002. If you aren't aware, in A ball, titles are awarded by division for first and second half divisions of the season. Since the franchises creation and humble beginnings in the early 90's, the club has attained 7 first half division titles, 4 second half division titles, and even a league title in last years 2010 campaign. Despite the constant flow of talent on its roster, being that it is a minor league club, they always seem to play into contention, which can only mean great management. In the clubs first year in Lake County, the team managed to make it to the league finals. Although falling short, the franchice set a season attendance record by drawing 458,533 fans despite the cozy confines of their ballpark. That season, the Captains played to a 97-43 record including playoff games. To this day, the leaders of the ship play at Classic Park, a 7,273 seat facility which has seen some of the more incredible seasons in minor league history. Some of todays more noted and accomplished players, that once donned a Captains hat are: Fausto Carmona, Jhonny Peralta, Victor Martinez, and outfielder Ben Francisco. The cap shown, which is still on sale on lids website, features a navy blue crown and brim, with a slightly cartoonistic captain with a bat on his shoulder. Let's hope that with the new logo designs for this season that the magic isn't lost, and the club can continue to turnout successful baseball for years to come. Their season begins tonight a 7p.m. vs the Dayton Dragons; will we see a ship begin to sink, or the powerful engine churn forward into the dog days of summer? The journey begins now, hope they're ready. 

Another Gimmick, Just Around The Curve...

I don't know if you guys have caught wind of this little concept yet, but a minor league baseball team in Pennsylvania is taking the first step into onfield cap innovation this season. That's right, as the illustration above shows, the Altoona Curve, of Altoona, Pennsylvania are sporting reversible home caps this season, which features a rally cap for those late game desperation moments. This past Tuesday, April 5th, the team posted a Press Release displaying the cap shown above completing a 100% team image overhaul. The Altoona Curve are the Double A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and have been ever since their inception into minor league baseball in 1999. They play in the Western Division of the Eastern League, and have found moderate success over the past 12 seasons winning division titles in 2004 and 2010, and capturing their first league title in 2010 as well. The Curve play at Blair County Ballpark, a 7,210 seat facility in its 13th season, which is repeatedly ranked among the top as far as popularity goes in minor league parks. It's most notable features are its beautiful architectural design, the roller coaster from the amusement park next door located behind the right field wall, and also the Allegheny Mountain range view off in the distance. As you can imagine, some of the teams most famous alumni now in the major leagues, are subsequently Pirates of present or past. To name a few of the more successful players: Jose Bautista, Ian Snell, Jack Wilson, Neil Walker, Andrew McCutchen, and Ryan Doumit. Going back to the cap for a moment, to my knowledge this is the first ever attempted reversible cap, with intentions of "Rally-Cap" possibilities. The intended outside of the cap features the new team colors and logo, with a red brim and crown. The "Rally-Cap" side features orange embroidery throughout, and eyes on the front as if to imitate the teams mascot "Al Tuna". Ahh...minor league baseball: so quirky and odd at times, yet undeniably fun. I ordered mine last week as soon as I found out about it, and I suggest you do the same if you want to be a part of fitted history, because I guarantee once people around the country start getting word of this they will fly off the shelves. The cap can be found here . Hope you enjoyed this one, I know I did.

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'...

Everyone ready for their weekends? I know I am, and in honor of the stress I intend on relieving tonight, lets blow off a little more steam with a red hot fitted. The cap you see above is the home cap of the Visalia Rawhide. The Rawhide, who are the single A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, play in the North Division of the California League. They are currently in their third season as the Rawhide, after the recent change in name from the Oaks, which they had been since 1995. The club gets their new name from one of the biggest income producers in Tulare County, Holstein Bulls. Holstein bulls are a large contributer to the success of the dairy community, and as a result Visalia is one of the largest providers of milk in the county. The "hide" play their home games at Recreation Ballpark; a 1,888 seat facility, which opened its doors in 1946. This is definitely one of the lower capacity parks I have ever heard of, being that it houses less fans than college parks I've been to. The teams mascot is named tipper, after the fun loving past time of "cow-tipping" which was put on display in the classic Chris Farley film Tommy Boy. If "Tipper" believes in being due, he should be extremely optimistic; the Rawhide franchise hasn't won anything since 1978 when they won a league title. Keep your head up Tipper, your team only plays in front of remotely no one, and never wins, but it's only a matter of time!...or something. The sweet cap featured above features a black brim, black crown, and has an encircled V as if to imitate a branding iron. Cool cap, which features a cultural icon in reflection of the culture of the area. The cap is available here: http://www.lids.com/MiLB/Visalia-Rawhide/20214319 Pick it up if you like it, if not at least you learned something new today. Until tomorrow, peace out cub scouts.