# Baseball cap > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Baseball_cap > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Baseball_cap.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_cap > Source revision: 1353683098 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Type of soft, billed hat}} {{Use American English|date=October 2017}} [[File:Basecap New York Yankees.jpg|thumb|A [New York Yankees](/source/New_York_Yankees) baseball cap]] A '''baseball cap''' is a type of soft [hat](/source/cap) with a rounded crown and a stiff bill{{Cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bill|title=Definition of Bill by Merriam Webster|access-date=2019-12-02|website=Merriam Webster|series=bill noun (1) definition 4}} projecting in front.{{cite web |last1=Clair |first1=Michael |title=The history of the baseball cap: The long, strange history of the baseball cap |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/baseball-cap-history-and-timeline |website=MLB.com |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=24 June 2023 |date=9 May 2023}} The front of the hat typically displays a design or a [logo](/source/logo) (historically, usually only a sports team, namely a [baseball](/source/baseball) team, or names of relevant companies, when used as a commercial marketing technique). The hat may be "fitted" to the wearer's head or the back may have [elastic](/source/Stretch_fabric), a [plastic](/source/plastic) prong-in-a-hole (multiple holes with one prong that can be inserted), [Velcro](/source/Hook_and_loop_fastener), a [zipper](/source/zipper), or a [tri-glide slide](/source/tri-glide_slide) so that it can be quickly adjusted to fit different wearers' heads. The baseball hat is a part of the traditional [baseball uniform](/source/baseball_uniform) worn by players, with the brim pointing forward to shield the eyes from the sun. Since the 1980s, varieties of the hat have become prevalent in the [United States](/source/United_States) and many other nations, both for utilitarian purposes (protecting the eyes from the sun) and as a fashion accessory. == History == [[File:1863 Harry Wright.png|thumb|upright|Baseball player [Harry Wright](/source/Harry_Wright) wearing a cap, circa 1863]] In 1860, the [Brooklyn Excelsiors](/source/Brooklyn_Excelsiors) wore the precursor to the modern rounded-top baseball cap, which featured a long peak and a button on top, and by 1900, the "Brooklyn-style" cap had become popular.{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2006-07-25-cap_x.htm|title=Baseball cap has endured generations as the all-American hat|access-date=2014-04-26}} The merino cap topped with a star-like pattern was made by the New York sporting goods company [Peck & Snyder](/source/Andrew_Peck_(businessman)). In the late 1880s, a [pillbox](/source/Pillbox_hat) version of the cap became popular and would later morph into the modern six-paneled round cap; five teams revived the pillbox form in 1976 in celebration of the US Bicentennial. Team monograms first appeared in 1894 when the Boston Baseball Club (the [Boston Braves](/source/Boston_Braves)) — now the [Atlanta Braves](/source/Atlanta_Braves) — became the first team to wear letterforms when they added a monogram-style device to their caps, followed by three more teams in the next season. The [Detroit Tigers](/source/Detroit_Tigers) of 1901 were the first major league team to have a mascot — a red tiger on a dark background — on their ballcap. It was replaced by the letter "D" in 1903, and their iconic [blackletter](/source/blackletter) letterform appeared a year later. During the 1940s, latex rubber became the stiffening material inside the hat, and the modern baseball cap was born. The peak, also known in certain areas as the ''bill'' or ''brim'', was designed to protect a player's eyes from the sun. Typically, the peak was much shorter in the earlier days of the baseball hat. Also, the hat has become more structured, versus the overall "floppy" cap of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The baseball cap was and still is an important means by which to identify a team. Often, the logo, [mascot](/source/mascot), team's, city's, or country's initials were placed on the cap. Usually, the cap was also fashioned in the official colors of a particular team. Since 1993, the [New Era Cap Company](/source/New_Era_Cap_Company) of Buffalo, N.Y. has been the exclusive baseball cap supplier for Major League Baseball. The basic shape, with a curved peak, is similar to some 19th-century sunbonnet styles.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3660333.stm BBC – Happy 59th, baseball caps] 18 December 2008 == Design == thumb|A simple baseball cap Fitted baseball hats — those without an adjuster — are normally sewn in six sections, and may be topped with a matching fabric-covered [button](/source/button_(clothing)) (also called a squatchee) on the crown. Metal grommets or fabric eyelets are often sewn or attached near the top of each of the six fabric sections to provide ventilation. In some cases, the rear sections of the crown are made of net-like mesh material for extra ventilation. The peak is typically stiffened by a sewn-in piece of [paperboard](/source/paperboard) or stiff plastic. === Variations === Baseball hats are made from many materials and come in various styles for different purposes. Major and minor league baseball players wear classic-style hats made of [wool](/source/wool) (or more recently, [polyester](/source/polyester)) with their team's simple logo and colors; the logo is usually [embroidered](/source/Embroidery) into the fabric. More recently, some brands are using uncommon materials for snapback hats, such as wood brims.{{Cite web|url=https://www.capcollectors.com/feature/want-wooden-brim-strapback-weve-got-covered/|title=Want a wooden brim strap back? We've got you covered|last=Dabrowiecki|first=Jamie|date=2016-11-07|access-date=2018-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205001046/https://www.capcollectors.com/feature/want-wooden-brim-strapback-weve-got-covered/|archive-date=2018-02-05|url-status=dead}} Formerly, baseball hats only came in standard hat sizes. Since the early 1970s, they have also been available in a one-size-fits-all form, with an adjustment strap in the back. The style, commonly called snapback, has become increasingly popular as a fashion accessory,{{cite web|url=http://www.mensfashionmagazine.com/mens-fashion-trend-snapback-caps|title=Mens Fashion Trend: Snapback Caps|access-date=2014-04-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427233748/http://www.mensfashionmagazine.com/mens-fashion-trend-snapback-caps|archive-date=2014-04-27|url-status=dead}} as have team caps, popularized especially by rap and hip-hop musicians. Advances in textiles have led to the "stretch-fit" hat, which uses Lycra or rubber to allow a hat to have a fitted style while still being "adjustable" within sizes. The front may be soft or stiffened with [buckram](/source/buckram) to display a logo more clearly.{{Cite web|url=https://threadlogic.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/whats-the-difference-between-a-constructed-and-an-unconstructed-cap/|title=What's the difference between a constructed and an unconstructed cap?|last=Taxdahl|first=Jeff|date=2012-12-20|access-date=2017-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107101605/https://threadlogic.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/whats-the-difference-between-a-constructed-and-an-unconstructed-cap/|archive-date=2017-01-07|url-status=dead}} Another version of the baseball hat is a plastic mesh hat with a foam front imprinted with a company logo. This style is sometimes called a [trucker hat](/source/trucker_hat) or a "gimme hat" because it is given away for free as a promotional item. There are 4 major types of baseball hats: {{anchor|Snapback (hat)}} # Snapback hat – (hat with a snap closure in the rear) with flat brim, high profile, adjustable. # Adjustable hat – (hat with a velcro closure or buckled strap in the rear) unstructured, low profile, curved brim, adjustable. # Stretchable hat – curved or flat brim, structured cap, high profile, adjustable by the use of elastic materials. # Fitted hat – curved or flat brim, structured cap, high profile, unadjustable. {{Multiple image|perrow =|total_width = 600 | align = center | caption_align = center | header_align = center | header = Baseball cap styles and variations | image1 = Pohled zezadu (snapback čepice).jpg | width1 = | caption1 = Snapback baseball cap | image2 = Truckerhat.jpg | width2 = | caption2 = [Trucker cap](/source/Trucker_cap) | image3 = SF Giants Baseball Hat 4 2019-05-06 (cropped).jpg | width3 = | caption3 = Stretchable baseball cap with the [San Francisco Giants](/source/San_Francisco_Giants) logo | image4 = Montreal Expos hat (32297579965).jpg | width4 = | caption4 = Fitted baseball cap with the [Montreal Expos](/source/Montreal_Expos) logo }} == Athletic use == {{Expand section|date=October 2020}} In the sport of [baseball](/source/baseball), the cap is an important part of the uniform, which, in addition to its protective function, identifies a team. Often, the logo, [mascot](/source/mascot), team's, city's, or country's initials (often in the form of a [monogram](/source/monogram)) are placed on the cap. In 2014, the [MLB](/source/MLB) began allowing [pitcher](/source/pitcher)s to wear a special reinforced hat to protect their heads from line drives.{{cite web|url=http://m.nydailynews.com/1.1594040|title=MLB approves protective cap for pitchers in time for 2014 season|website=[New York Daily News](/source/New_York_Daily_News)|access-date=2014-04-26}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In some sports, baseball caps are also used on the field. In [softball](/source/softball) baseball caps are mandatory for men but optional for women.{{Cite web |title=2022-2025, OFFICIAL RULES OF SOFTBALL, FAST PITCH |url=https://static.wbsc.org/assets/cms/documents/b5480455-60e2-bfc3-1e2e-3566c2765cc5.pdf}} In [limited overs cricket](/source/limited_overs_cricket) teams have opted to wear baseball caps, rather than more traditional [cricket cap](/source/cricket_cap)s. In golf and tennis, baseball caps are used as an alternative to more traditional headgear.{{Cite web |title=The ubiquitous baseball cap: Identity, style, and comfort in late modern times |url=https://www.professional.wwkelly.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WWK_2018_J-Consumer-Culture_18-2.pdf}} Athletes in other sports wear hats with their team's logo and colors as "sideline" hats; both types are also sold as authentic team merchandise in retail stores. Other hats may simply have a maker's logo, such as [Reebok](/source/Reebok), [Nike](/source/Nike%2C_Inc.), or [Carhartt](/source/Carhartt); these hats are often made of brushed [cotton](/source/cotton). In many forms of [motorsport](/source/motorsport), a baseball cap with the logo of the series' [tire](/source/tire) supplier will be given to the top 3 finishing drivers to wear during the [podium](/source/podium) ceremony. File:Pasquantino2.jpg|Baseball players wearing caps; the player in red wears a [batting helmet](/source/batting_helmet) File:Southgate CC v Stanmore CC at Walker Cricket Ground, Southgate, London 09.jpg|Cricket: [wicket-keeper](/source/wicket-keeper) with baseball cap File:Oliver Crawford (tennis player).png|Tennis player with baseball cap File:Oliver Wilson golfer 2019.jpg|Golfer with baseball cap File:Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix (12)(cropped).JPG|[Pirelli](/source/Pirelli) Podium Caps worn by drivers at the [2011 Hungarian Grand Prix](/source/2011_Hungarian_Grand_Prix) == Professional use == === Military === {{See also|Patrol cap}} thumb|Baseball caps worn by naval officers from the US, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines Although the patrol cap is common in the [United States Armed Forces](/source/United_States_Armed_Forces), some units use baseball caps as part of their uniforms, usually with [combat uniform](/source/combat_uniform)s. They sometimes have a command logo on the front to denote command affiliation. Alternatively, the cap may have the wearer's rank on the front if the wearer is an officer. Baseball caps of a particular color are worn to denote a specific function of a person or a particular job. For example, in the [United States](/source/United_States) [submarine](/source/submarine) force, red baseball caps are worn by drill monitors who facilitate and critique members of the boat's crew during drills. In the [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army), [parachute rigger](/source/parachute_rigger)s wear red baseball caps, and parachute instructors wear black baseball caps as part of their uniform. In various squadrons of the [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force)'s [civilian auxiliary](/source/Civil_Air_Patrol), squadron-distinctive baseball caps have been issued as headgear (or "cover") for the [Battle Dress Uniform](/source/Battle_Dress_Uniform), typically displaying squadron colors, squadron number, and/or squadron patch. Although the BDUs have their own cover, a [patrol cap](/source/patrol_cap) in [M81 Woodland](/source/M81_Woodland) pattern, some squadrons have opted for more distinctive covers. === Police === {{See also|Uniform#Police}} There has been a marked trend in recent years among police forces worldwide to replace [peaked cap](/source/peaked_cap)s and other traditional headdresses with inexpensive, comfortable baseball caps. The baseball cap is already commonly used by [private security companies](/source/private_security_companies) as a low-cost, practical piece of uniform headgear. Particularly heavily armed police units around the world, including [SWAT](/source/SWAT) in the United States and the [Metropolitan Police](/source/Metropolitan_Police) [Specialist Firearms Command](/source/Specialist_Firearms_Command) in the UK, often wear baseball caps to shield their eyes from the sun, where a full helmet would be excessive. ==== Armenia ==== In [Armenia](/source/Armenia), local service police officers have worn baseball caps as part of their uniform (previously [peaked caps](/source/Peaked_cap)) since the April 2003 decree. ==== Finland ==== The [Finnish Police](/source/Police_of_Finland) uses a baseball cap, which has mostly replaced the traditional [side cap](/source/side_cap). It is marked with the police emblem and "Police" in Finnish and Swedish.{{Cn|date=March 2023}} ==== Serbia ==== Since its adoption in 2013, the [Serbian Police](/source/Police_of_Serbia) wear a baseball cap as part of their service uniform. ==== Slovenia ==== In [Slovenia](/source/Slovenia), police officers on motorcycles wear baseball caps as part of their uniform when they are not wearing their helmets. ==== Spain ==== * The [Civil Guard](/source/Civil_Guard_(Spain)) switched from Teresiana caps (a Spanish military cap similar to a [Kepi](/source/Kepi)) to baseball caps during 2011 to 2012 (The historic [Tricorne](/source/Tricorne) has been retained only for Galas and Representation wear). * The [National Police](/source/National_Police_Corps_(Spain)) uses a baseball cap, which has mostly replaced the peaked caps with effect from 2009 (except for Galas and Representation). * The [Local Police](/source/Municipal_police_(Spain)) uses a baseball cap, which has mostly replaced the peaked caps in 2007-2008 (except for Galas). * In [Basque Country](/source/Basque_Country_(autonomous_community)), the [Ertzaintza](/source/Ertzaintza) uses a baseball cap, which has mostly replaced the [Beret](/source/Beret)s in 2010 (except for Galas and Representation purposes). * In [Navarre](/source/Navarre), The [Chartered Police of Navarre](/source/Polic%C3%ADa_Foral) uses a baseball cap, which has mostly replaced the Berets in 2012 (except for Galas and Representation). * In [Catalonia](/source/Catalonia), The [Mossos d'Esquadra](/source/Mossos_d'Esquadra) uses a baseball cap, which has replaced the Peaked caps in 2023, after 40 years in use. ==== United Kingdom ==== In the United Kingdom, the baseball cap has the additional advantage of being unisex, suitable for both male and female officers. Throughout 2017, the Northamptonshire, Cheshire, and Lancashire police forces adopted specially strengthened baseball caps known as "[Bump Cap](/source/Bump_Cap)s", to replace the helmets and bowler hats previously worn.{{cite web |last=Harley |first=Nicola |title=Police swap helmets for caps to attract more transgender officers |publisher=The Telegraph |location=United Kingdom |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/10/police-swap-helmets-caps-attract-transgender-officers/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/10/police-swap-helmets-caps-attract-transgender-officers/ |archive-date=2022-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |date=10 May 2017}}{{cbignore}} However, the Northamptonshire force announced in November 2018 that their "Bump Caps" had proven scruffy and unpopular, and would be withdrawn from use.''Northamptonshire Chronicle & Echo'', 15 November 2018{{page needed|date=April 2025}} File:WMP museum - Police baseball cap 01.jpg|A typical British police baseball cap on display at the [West Midlands Police Museum](/source/West_Midlands_Police_Museum) in [Sparkhill](/source/Sparkhill) Police Station, [Birmingham](/source/Birmingham), [England](/source/England) File:Cyfrif_Etholiad_2017_Election_count,_Llandudno_01_(cropped1).jpg|Baseball caps of [North Wales Police](/source/North_Wales_Police) displaying the word POLICE in English and Welsh File:PSNI_Cap_front.jpg|A dark green cap of the [Police Service of Northern Ireland](/source/Police_Service_of_Northern_Ireland) ==== United States ==== In many United States police forces, the baseball cap is worn as a more practical alternative to the traditional [peaked cap](/source/peaked_cap) or [campaign hat](/source/campaign_hat), the latter of which is generally used by [Sheriff's](/source/Sheriffs_in_the_United_States) offices and [state police](/source/State_police_(United_States)) forces. Baseball caps are more common on the [West Coast](/source/West_Coast_of_the_United_States), whereas in eastern states, the traditional peaked cap is more prominent. A notable exception is the [San Francisco Police Department](/source/San_Francisco_Police_Department), where peaked caps are still worn regularly.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-11 |title=Never 51 Classic Baseball Cap |url=https://freenorthclothing.ca/blogs/news/never-51-why-canada-stands-strong-independent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250322052133/https://freenorthclothing.ca/blogs/news/never-51-why-canada-stands-strong-independent |archive-date=2025-03-22 |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Free North - Never 51 |language=en}} == See also == {{Portal|Baseball|Fashion}} * [Baseball clothing and equipment](/source/Baseball_clothing_and_equipment) * [Baseball uniform](/source/Baseball_uniform) * [Beanie (seamed cap)](/source/Beanie_(seamed_cap)) * [Cricket cap](/source/Cricket_cap), a similar cap in a similar sport * [Flat cap](/source/Flat_cap) * [Kepi](/source/Kepi) * [List of hat styles](/source/List_of_hat_styles) * [List of headgear](/source/List_of_headgear) * [Trucker hat](/source/Trucker_hat) == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == {{Commons category|Baseball caps}} * [https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/baseball-cap-history-and-timeline Baseball cap history and timeline] from [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) * [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3660333.stm "Happy 50th Baseball caps" – BBC News] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20071106095435/http://shop.mlb.com/sm-sports-cap-buyers-guide--bg-222844.html Types of caps and related terminology] {{Baseball}} {{Hats}} {{Authority control}} Category:American fashion C Category:Canadian fashion Category:Caps Category:Fashion accessories Category:Hip-hop fashion Category:History of Western fashion Category:Sportswear --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Baseball cap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_cap) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_cap?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.