Baseball Caps (in moderation)?

[AlterEgo]

I'm so glad someone started this thread topic, as I was going to myself but feared crucifixion.

OK, I played baseball for many years, so I wore the required cap while covering first base. Anybody got a problem with that?

I was and am still a huge St. Lous Cardinals fan, so, though I rarely get to go to games anymore, I have Redbirds caps going all the way back to when I was a kid in the 1960s. The current official "winter" version is felt, comes in specific sizes, and is identical to the ones the pros wear. It's particulary appropriate with a flannel shirt having some red in it on an especially windy and cool weekend day. It is a really well made lid--and wasn't cheap.

For exercise, I power-walk (walk with hand-weights at a jogging speed) daily in running gear. Wearing a brimmed hat with such work-out clothes looks stupid, so I wear a nice ball cap--either wool or cotton or synthetic mesh depending on the weather--that is color-coordinated with the rest of the gear. I occasionally bike, instead, in the same get-up.

Now, the real shocker: I, lover of fedoras, panamas, berets, and ivies, from time to time actually wear a ball cap for style! Egad!!! At the very moment, no less, I'm wearing Levi jeans, a rugby shirt, docksiders, and a navy corduroy cap with a brown leather bill. I have another one just like it, only the corduroy is off-white, that I wear with similarly-colored painter's pants. I also have a bright red Tobasco cap I wear casually on scalding summer days with shorts and a red web belt and a red bandana around my sweaty neck. I normally shun anything promoting a company, but I love Tobasco sauce and don't mind its bold white letters emblazoned across the front.

These are quality six-panel caps whose crown fits close to the skull, with taped seams throughout, multiple rows of stitching on the pre-curved bill, and brass buckles to adjust for fit.

Nevertheless, I know some here will forevermore regard me as a complete nincompoop.

If you wear headphone style hearing protection while shooting you won't be wearing a fedora. A ball cap is the thing there. QUOTE]

An avid shooter, I, too, have had to wear a ball-type cap when I would much prefer a wide-brimmed hat both for sun/sprinkles protection and better glare reduction, as well as style.

For maximum hearing protection, I wear inside-the-ear foam plugs AND the headphone-style at the same time, so doing away with the headphones is not at option for me. Surely someone makes a behind-the-head headphone style--like "180s" ear muffs--that would enable us to wear a brimmed hat while safely blowing stuff to smithereens. Does anyone know the manufacturer/supplier of such a piece of gear?

 

[Michaelshane]

If you wear headphone style hearing protection while shooting you won't be wearing a fedora. A ball cap is the thing there. Having been a flight crew member in the 60's a ball cap feels more natural with my G-1 and even my A-2. Again, it's from wearing headphones. I'm not wearing an expensive fedora while fishing either. Who wants to ruin one by getting it all fishy or blown into the water?


I was a flight crew member in the 60s also.USS New Orleans.I still have my hearing protectors that I wore then,With a wide brimmed hat the part that goes over the head goes to the back of my neck.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

^^^

Back of the head:

These work as earphones ....Not the ear protectors you are speaking of. So a fedora can be worn and tunes be played...

 

[JimWagner]

If behind the ear protectors work for you, then great. They don't for me, however. Not enough clearance over my ears for the hat to sit securely with the protectors on. Also, protectors designed for over the head would be sideways when worn with the headband behind. Beside, I spent a fair amount of money for the active electronics protectors I have and can't see replacing them just so I could wear a fedora.

But mostly, I don't mind wearing a ball cap and don't make a fetish out of only wearing fedora or western style hats.

Around this part of the country you're more likely to draw comments wearing a fedora or western hat than a baseball cap anyway. This ain't NYC or LA.

For those who can't see themselves in ball caps, fine. I don't think you are in any danger of having one forced on you. At least I haven't been surrounded by baseball cap wearing hat police demanding that I remove my fedora and put on a ball cap.

 

[theinterchange]

Only if they have a college, fertilizer company, tractor, motorcycle, truck, jeep, parts mfg, or pro sports team on them...

Mine are fishing/hunting related. One's a B.A.S.S cap I bought while competing in a fishing tournament in 2001, and the other is a recent acquisition camo.

I have zero problem with folks wearing ball caps, who am I to tell someone what to wear? [huh] I don't want them doing that to me! Though, I'd be lying if I said I like the look of those flat billed hip-hop caps. :eusa_doh:

There are jobs that require caps, and other situations that call for them. The guys who've mentioned shooting, and I agree, it's just NOT worth ruining your ears to be a fedoa nazi!

Also, someone said what's more Americana boyhood than a ball cap. Good point!

Randy

 

[Tango Yankee]

I have a lot of baseball caps. A bunch of them are squadron caps that were worn with fatigues or BDUs. Many are souvenirs, some I just liked. For the most part they were boxed up when I retired in 2005 but I have a few out that I still wear from time to time. My Lion King baseball cap that says "Hakuna Matata" is a favorite that's been with me around the world. It's starting to show some wear and tear but I like it.

These days I rarely wear one, but I do tend to do so when I'm planning on doing some work that I know will raise a sweat. I've managed to get sweatstains on fedoras just from walking around inside a store with my hat on for too long, and I've had a couple of sweatbands go south on my after getting soaked in sweat, so I try not to risk my fedoras that way if I can help it. Besides, a baseball cap is just another type of headwear--something different to wear when the mood strikes.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Stan]

Hi,

I have dozens of fedoras, felt, straw, western hats, etc. But, I have *hundreds* of ballcaps.

I was a semi-professional race driver until a few years ago, so the old ballcap was required headwear quite often: One is being paid to wear one!

In fact, my entire reason for finding this site in the first place was because I was wearing a ballcap at a racetrack. My last hand-me-down fedora from my father was lost after blowing out of the race trailer and into a pan full of drain oil.

I had hung the hat on the hook with the A2 leather jacket in the trailer and put on the fire suit and required ballcap. Well, a typical racing event is 10+ hours, so it was quite a while before I found my last fedora missing. One of the other guys found it as he was dumping the drain oil as part of packing up, and so brought me a completely oil-soaked blob that once was a 1950's Dobbs.....

Anyway, I don't wear ballcaps as much as I used to, but there are still times when I do.

I won't even get into that a sizable part of our business is selling ballcaps....

later!

Stan

 

[Sam Craig]

Baseball, Indian Wars officer kepi, Civil War artillery cap, Harris Tweed driving cap, lambskin "little apple," they all have their place.

What's wrong with that?

The only problem is if you give in to the phobia of not being able to make a choice before you leave the house

I have caps that I enjoy wearing just as much as any fedora

Granted, few of them are "ballcaps" but some are.

I really like my little apple and old tweed caps ... newsboys ... and have since college days when I wore them to class all the time with suede jackets or old suitcoats

It's all good

 

[Belegnole]

I believe that ever tool has it's place. Once upon a time I would wear ball caps, but never liked the advertising aspect that most of them have. Once I found fedoras I have for the most part never looked back. However I do think that there are some occasions where a ball cap is still a better tool for the job. Say working on my car where it may get covered in grime. Or, for say playing ball or some other event where a fedora just doesn't work as well. I have 5 or six laying around somewhere and haven't worn one in at least six months. They have their place, but for me it's at the back of the closet.

 

[Dean]

Interesting perspective for a Limey such as me - do I detect a general retisence (or even guilt?) for the Seppo's here (sorry, that is slightly offensive Ozzy slang for an American, but like most things from down under it's meant to be taken in humour!) to admit to baseball cap ownership or usage?.....

If we Brit's (or possibly any other nationality?) had to pick just one item of clothing that symbolised America, I'm sure it would be the baseball cap, probably closely followed by the cowboy hat.

Interesting that this simple and refined piece of headwear is now worn all over the world and has even been adopted by Government bodies - some of our coppers even wear them now! (Thank god it wasn't a beret....).

It was baseball caps that first started me wearing hats when I was a wee lad in the Seventies - my uncle is Canadian and I proudly wore a truckers cap. To this day, I have a Maple Leafs hat that I wear daily - it is pretty unusual to see anyone over the age of about 20 wearing a cap over here.

DEAN.

 

[RLM]

I sometimes wear a bb cap when doing yardwork. Sometimes I wear a boonie, just depends on how long I'll be outside. The boonie offers more sun protection. I also will throw on a bb cap when running out to the corner Jiffy Rip when my hair is too messed up to be seen in public. I usually end up buying a cap or two as souveniers when we're on vacation, but managed to control the urge this last year on our trip across the US. I've got 5 or 6 bb caps now and only wear 2 of them. I don't need any more. I cleaned out the top shelf of the closet a couple of years ago and sent about 20 - 30 bb caps I'd collected since I was a kid to a charity. I only wear the low domed cloth caps that more or less conform to your head. The ones with the tall front panel stiffener just look wrong somehow.

 

[Chinaski]

Interesting perspective for a Limey such as me - do I detect a general retisence (or even guilt?) for the Seppo's here (sorry, that is slightly offensive Ozzy slang for an American, but like most things from down under it's meant to be taken in humour!) to admit to baseball cap ownership or usage?.....

If we Brit's (or possibly any other nationality?) had to pick just one item of clothing that symbolised America, I'm sure it would be the baseball cap, probably closely followed by the cowboy hat.

DEAN.

If you're going to say Seppo, shouldn't you say you're a pom instead of a Limey?

I made a few trips to Britain, but it's been about ten years since I was last there. You could pretty accurately pick out Americans wearing their shorts, white socks and, of course, ball caps. So I guess it is a fairly recognizable symbol! And like anything that becomes over-the-top in popularity, maybe this is why we are distancing ourselves from ball caps - it's not the cap, it's what it symbolizes. Me, I NEVER wear ball caps lol

 

[johnnycanuck]

May as well add my two cents worth.
I have a few base ball caps. This last week I have been wearing my team Canada ball cap. GO CANADA! To support my country in the Olympics. During the sports season I wear my teams ball caps to show my support. I also run in the summer time and, as some have already said, I look stupid running while wearing a Tilley so I wear a ball cap. There is also the wife factor. Sometimes she wants me to look "normal". It doesn't happen to often so I don't mind, as long as we are not going to be out in the sun for a long period of time.
That's my story

Johnny

 

[frussell]

Shooting only

I've only found two caps in my life that didn't look idiotic on my huge head. One of them is a bigger size camo cap from e4Hats, that specializes in the "cranially endowed." I use it for shooting for the reasons described earlier in this thread. I can't seem to find "in the ear" protection that works well for me, so I use earphone-type protectors when shooting, which I do pretty often. Much as I'd love to wear one of my brimmed hats out there, they don't fit over the ear protectors. I find that most regularly sized caps make me look like Goober. I'd love to find one in a bigger brim size to support my Texas Longhorns, but until then, I just wear them to shoot, and have to use sunscreen to protect the back of my neck. I could care less what other people wear. I work in a gang-infested area, so most of the caps I see are the aforementioned, flat-billed "wannabe gangsta" style, which makes me giggle, as growing up where I did, you would have gotten teased unmercifully or beaten up for not having your cap's brim curled "correctly." Flat billed caps for us as kids were pretty dorky. Funny how things change. Frank

 

[JimWagner]

....flat-billed "wannabe gangsta" style, which makes me giggle, as growing up where I did, you would have gotten teased unmercifully or beaten up for not having your cap's brim curled "correctly." Flat billed caps for us as kids were pretty dorky. Funny how things change. Frank

:arated:

Still looks dorky to me.

 

[Artie]

I've got one that I wear to work sometimes and that's more because of the sentimentality of it. It was given to me on a mission trip by a pastor friend, but otherwise never.

 

[gtdean48]

... as growing up where I did, you would have gotten teased unmercifully or beaten up for not having your cap's brim curled "correctly." Flat billed caps for us as kids were pretty dorky. Funny how things change.

In my youth, breaking in your cap bill was comparable to breaking in a new ball glove. Special care was needed to get it just so....

 

[AlterEgo]

Judging from old photos and films, it appears that yesteryear's baseball cap was a newsboy, ivy, or longshoreman--headwear for physical labor or outdoor play like stickball or just an Everyman cap.

Even though baseball as a sport has steadily declined in popularity, the baseball cap has become enormously popular and largely displaced the older forms of caps which did a fine job of keeping the head warm, dry, and whose brims protected the eyes from sun and glare.

Why this has happened, I really cannot explain. A good topic for a anthropology thesis or dissertation?

 

[theinterchange]

And like anything that becomes over-the-top in popularity, maybe this is why we are distancing ourselves from ball caps - it's not the cap, it's what it symbolizes. Me, I NEVER wear ball caps lol

This perfectly sums up my thoughts on ball caps. I don't like going the mainstream route much, heck I won't listen to Elvis for this reason.

To me, ball caps in the present tense symbolize an all to casual attitude that permeates most everything in America. [I'm only speaking for my country here, as it's the one I know best. ] The attitude that gives you odd looks when wearing a blazer, even with jeans, that wears pajamas everywhere, or even worse, sweatsuits. In essence, to me ball caps SCREAM conformity and or sheepwalking.

But, like I said before, I do own a few that I wear, just not out and about past fishing and such.

Randy

 

[steppenwolph]

I wear the ball cap emblazoned with my employer's logo everyday to work. It offers valuable protection for my noggin. I work as a structural repair technician on large aircraft and my caps are now decorated with sealant, primer, grease, and other such crap. I wouldn't want that stuff on my head, or on a fedora that I couldn't just toss in the washing machine once in a while. I used to wear a ball cap quite frequently outside of work, but a growing discontent with the too casual look led me to consider finding something different, and finding this site. I still wear the ball cap outside of work, though. I mean, I'm not wearing a fedora to play catch with my son in the backyard.