Over the past few months some rumors have surfaced concerning possible uniform changes for Our Washington Nationals in 2009. Additions and Subtractions were mentioned this past August during Our Conversation With Stan Kasten, although nothing was confirmed. Yesterday, I was able to follow up on this matter and received an update from a Majestic Representative. As you may know, Majestic is The Official Uniform Supplier of Major League Baseball.
There will be Five Separate Uniform Tops for 2009.
Two of which will reportedly remain the same as previous seasons.
The Blue Curly "W" Batting Practice Jersey is back for a third season--along with the BP Curly "W" Batting Practice Cap.
The Home White "Nationals" with Gold Trim and Red Curly "W" Cap is back for a 5th Season.
The Red "DC" Alternate Jersey is Retired, so will it's matching "DC" Red Cap.
In it's place will be a Red Curly "W" Alternate Jersey.
Now the big change, something I did not expect, but my source tells me is true. The Gray "Washington" Away Jersey from Years 2005 to 2008 is Retired.
In it's place will be a Gray "Washington" Script Away Jersey. A capitalized Curly "W" with "ashington" in lower case script. This design is similar to The Washington "Senators" of the Mid to Late 1960's and Early 70's. The script will also contain a swooshing line extending from "N" in the last word of "Washington" and back under the entire City Name. Interesting note--The Gold Trim is reportedly GONE from this particular Script "Washington" Jersey Front. But, no confirmation on whether the Jersey Back Numbers will have Gold Trim.
Here is a picture of an Old Senators Jersey as Reference. That's Former Washington Senator Fred Valentine with his actual Authentic Senators Jersey from his playing days in the late 60's in DC. This picture taken at a 2007 Kids Clinic at RFK Stadium.
Finally, for special occasions, a Blue "DC" Jersey with Patriotic Red/White & Blue Stars & Stripes (all contained within THE "DC" Logo) will also be worn in 2009. What is not clear to me or my contact--is what Cap Washington will wear with this Special "DC" Jersey.
Washington wore those special Patriotic Red/White & Blue Stars & Stripes Caps last season. But I don't think those Curly "W" Caps would go with a "DC" Jersey.
Sorry, I don't have any pictures on the new items, yet.
Hopefully, Our Washington Nationals will have a Fan Get Together to Show Off & Promote The 2009 Uniforms this winter--Just like MLB did when they owned Our Franchise in 2005 & 2006. In November of 2005, Modells at Springfield Mall was the place for Charlie Slowes, Gary Majewski and Jose Guillen to unveil the Red "DC" Alternate Jersey and Blue "DC" Batting Practice Jersey (Now Also Retired). A STANDING ROOM ONLY HUGE TURNOUT--I might remind you--was in attendance. It was a BIG EVENT. The excitement in the crowd was FABULOUS. 
Just like the January 2006 Get Together with Charlie, Dave Jageler, Guillen, Ryan Zimmerman, Brian Schneider, Bryan Watson and Tony Beasley at Champps Restaurant in Pentagon City. That seems like EONS Ago. But I remember both of these events fondly. Fans were really, really excited and WANTED TO BE THERE. So did Our Players. And it's worth stating again, Guillen and Schneider were terrific at posting up for Public Team Events, seemingly every single one of them. I miss both them as Washington Players for that alone.
Anyway, if I find out more info on the uniforms and caps, I will pass it along. I did ask about the Blue "Nationals" Away Cool Base Jacket and whether that might change with the Away Uniform. The Majestic Rep did not know of any differences at this time.
Hope that information is helpful.
PS--As I have stated before, I love The Curly "W" Logo, but I also have a heart for The "DC" Logo. When Our Washington Nationals played their Inaugural Season, do you remember the Frenzy over the "DC" Batting Practice Hat? That cap and the "DC" Patch with Washington Nationals surrounding it (both worn in 2005) are still favorites of mine. Personally, I hope Our Washington Nationals DO NOT completely faze out "DC". Those two letters should always be an important part of Our History.
Washington Uniform Drawings at top of post--from Wikipedia
All Other Photos Nats320 (All Rights Reserved)
19 comments:
I was hoping they'd do a script "Washington" away jersey. Washington is too long to the block typeface.
Good update. Thanks. But... ions? Really?
Thanks for the update. I think it is a mistake to lose the DC cap and uniform. I would rather they had ditched the entire home uniform, other than the hat, because it still looks like it was put together in a sterile lab.
Why mess with what has become a classic? Have sales of the old jersey styles slumped?
If the team is committed to red and blue as their colors, it would be nice if they got a bit of blue into the home uiforms and a bit more red into the away uniforms. Now it is all red at home (except for the BP jersey and cap) and all blue on the away jersey (except for the bit of red trim around the letters, which gets lost in the shuffle really with all the blue and grey). With all red at home and all blue away, the color scheme is too disjoint. So hopefully the script Washington on the away jersey will be in solid, bright red. But I doubt it will. Also, a blue cap with a red bill would work well on the road, but I guess they won't be doing that either.
I think it would be a mistake to phase out "DC" for one reason. Although I personally think this is stupid, many baseball fans reportedly refuse to wear a curly W cap because they associate the 23rd letter of the alphabet with George Walker Bush. Fans like these would prefer to wear a blue D.C. cap to signify their political allegiance. (For some reason, the blue D.C. cap with the red bill was only worn during batting practice, and the Nats store was NEVER able to keep them in stock.)
But even putting politics aside, the Nats are deeply underestimating what the initials "D.C." means to the residents of this city if they are planning to phase it out. "Washington" tends to be used to represent the entire metropolitan area or the political establishment downtown. "D.C." represents the city itself and those people whose ties to the District go deeper than loyalty to whoever is in power at the moment.
I'll be interested in seeing what the new road jersey looks like, but I paid over $200 for my current personalized road jersey with "ROOSEVELT" and "26", and I do not plan on buying a replaement anytime soon.
I've been waiting for years for the red alt jersey to go curly W. Would make a good Christmas present for my son, if they're out by then.
One thing I don't understand: what's the logic in going script lettering for the away jerserys, but keeping the block letters for the home unis? Would make more sense to be consistent, i.e., script home and away.
As for the "DC" patches on the sleeves, Tony Tavares made a big deal out of promising to Mayor Williams that these would stay on the Nats jerseys forever. This was at the logo unveiling event at Union Station.
As for the "DC" patches on the sleeves, Tony Tavares made a big deal out of promising to Mayor Williams that these would stay on the Nats jerseys forever. This was at the logo unveiling event at Union Station.
I hope we keep those patches, but Tony Tavares is no longer club president and Anthony Williams is no longer mayor of Washington.
One thing I don't understand: what's the logic in going script lettering for the away jerserys, but keeping the block letters for the home unis? Would make more sense to be consistent, i.e., script home and away.
For that very reason, I wish they kept the road uniform unchanged. I'll bet a big reason why the home uniform script was not changed is hanging above the scoreboard. Besides, the Nats would not be the first team that has diferent fonts on the home and away jerseys. The Red Sox used to have a block font for "Boston" that was different from "Red Sox."
Tinkering with the uniform might improve sales a little. 10-20 more wins in '09 will improve sales a LOT.
I hate uniform changes. In some ways, to root for a team is to root for a uniform. Players change. Stadiums change. The only constant, potentially, is the uniform.
So I'm at least very glad they're not changing the home uniform. Doing that would be a big mistake.
Changing uniforms may seem attractive as a way to boost profits marginally in the short-term. But to truly build fan loyalty in the long-term, better to stay consistent.
Just consider the rabid loyalties of the Yankee, Cub and Red Sox fans. I can't prove that uniform uniformity plays a big role, but if you owned any of these teams, would you change their uniforms? Really?
Switching to script on the road jersey is fantastic news. It looks ridiculous to have a cursive hat but a block font. Here's to hoping a new home jersey isn't far behind.
I hate the "DC" logo, so I'm glad that's gone too. But keeping any version of the all-red alternate is disappointing.
All things considered, that's fantastic news.
At this point, comparing the changing of a Yankees, Cubs or Sox uniform is quite a bit different than changing a Nationals uniform...
The Cubs have had many uniform changes through their long history. The Red Sox & Tigers have the most consistent unis, though they have done some tweaks. The NYY changes have been subtle since the 1950's, but they are the only team who never went to the poly pullover look of the 70's & early 80's.
I think the script names & DC are the best Nats combos.
Thanks for sharing that information. Sounds like the new road uniforms will be very attractive! I'm also wondering what they will do with the blue "Washington" in block lettering therma base jacket that just came out for the 08 season. I bought one in the spring. Alas, I fear it may be obsolete.
I hate the "DC" logo, so I'm glad that's gone too. But keeping any version of the all-red alternate is disappointing.
I think you will find that most major league teams wear some sort of alternate jersey on Sundays. (The Yankees may be the only team that doesn't.) The Nats are hardly unique in this. Although I prefer the "curly W" to the "DC", I don't want the Nats to get rid of it and I think the "DC" is better suited to the Sunday reds than the "curly W."
I hope they don't do this. The Nationals have the best home and away jerseys. Lets make these jerseys a tradition like The Yankee jerseys (never change them). Script jerseys with swoosh line have been done to death!
I am bumped about changing the Road jersey. I think they should have left them the same or changed both. I agree with a previous post. Lets not be that team that changes our uniform every 5-10 years. I would have been happy with the home/road as is for the rest of my lifetime.
I am not a fan of alternate jerseys, but since every team except the Yankees has one I guess the red DC was ok.
I am not a fan now of having not one but two alternate jerseys. I think the Nats/MLB/Majestic are trying to make more money and that just ticks me off.
3 jerseys tops and that is not counting the BP/Spring Training Jersey.
Thanks for the info, great work.
I LOVE the choice of script Washington. But I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the "DC" uniform gear. It is the only stuff I buy!
While the curly W is fine, the "DC" is truly unique to us district residents. You can find that curly "W" on other products or company names.
Am I making this up or did anyone else notice that it seemed DC residents preferred the DC gear, while suburban MD and VA residents preferred the curly "W" gear. I may have been seeing that because I wanted to, but that has always been my take on it.
Long live the interlocking "DC"!!!
Post a Comment