Pillbox Caps

In the 1976 MLB season, six teams in the National League wore pillbox style baseball caps.

Most baseball fans would know that Pittsburgh was one of them, as they were the only team to make the pillbox style their every day on-field cap.

Pittsburgh would  win a World Series Title in 1979 and the pillbox would become a trademark and worn until 1987. 

The other participants: Phillies, Cardinals, Reds, Mets, and Expos, would wear the pillbox style only occasionally.

Why didn't any American League teams wear them?  Why pillbox caps in 1976? Was it to commemorate the bicentennial?  Was this the first cap worn by professional baseball players?

     Pillbox style caps reached the height of their popularity when the National League was formed in 1876 and grew into the 1880's and 90's. 

     According to James Lilliefors, author of Ballcap Nation, the "Chicago style" pillbox cap is based upon a military style cap and consists of a flat top, short bill, and horizontal or vertical stripes.

     Air holes did not appear on pillbox caps , but did appear on other ball caps of this era. 

Who were the teams of the 1876 National League?

Chicago White Stockings

Philadelphia Athletics

Boston Red Stockings

Hartford Dark Blues

Mutual of New York

St. Louis Brown Stockings

Cincinnati Red Stockings

Louisville Grays

I found this picture on the Baseball Hall of Fame's webpage.  The have a very interesting section titled Dressed to the Nines, which chronicles the uniforms of every major league team.

It's an advertisement for ball caps that appeared in Spalding's base ball guide for 1888.  Caps #1 and #5 are pillbox style caps. 

Prices were 12 to 15 cents for cheap flannel or 2.00 for high quality.

I learned a lot while doing the research for this article.. 

I had  assumed that all MLB teams wore pillbox caps in 1976 and the reason was to celebrate the bicentennial of our nation. 

Wrong on both accounts! 

Only six members of the National League participated and I have concluded  pillbox style caps were being worn to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National League. 

One more incorrect assumption on my part, pillbox caps were not the first caps worn when teams began to wear uniforms.  Check this out......

1849 Brooklyn Knickerbocker Baseball Club

Credited with being the first team/club to wear uniforms.

Unknown if these caps were American or Chinese poly   :)