Honor Oakland Legacy With A Throwback Alternate Uni

The A’s 1969 throwbacks were a hit on July 27 last year with fans calling for them to be a regular uniform Photo: Michael Macor

Nothing gets me looking forward to a special promotion more than a game when the teams don throwback uniforms.

While the Athletics had “Throwback Thursday” promotions for the 2014 season where fans received select buttons from years past and honored the World Championship teams of 1974 and 1989 on two separate weekends, the organization failed to grasp the throwback or turn-back-the-clock concept without any dates where the A’s and opponents wore throwback themed uniforms.

Not surprisingly in seasons past, the turn-back-the-clock dates went over big with fans – and looked great on TV – when the A’s wore the 1969 throwbacks on July 27, 2013, the 1985 uniforms on July 17, 2011, and the 1973 gold unis on June 26, 2010. The team has also sported the 1968 uniform in 2007 and 1992 and in 2002 wore the 1972 jerseys along with the rest of the AL West for a throwback week. (The team has also honored the Oakland Oaks and Philadelphia Athletics on special days in previous seasons)

The A’s turned back the clock to the 70s in a game vs the Pittsburgh Pirates in June 2010. The old pants weren’t a regular part of the uniform at that time, quickly abandoned after a few wearings. USA Today

Last season the Cubs wore a series of 10 throwback uniforms from every decade to celebrate Wrigley Field’s 100th anniversary. The Padres for years have had a real Throwback Thursday where the team on Thursday home dates brings out the brown and gold combination it wore for years.

Other teams have gone so far to make a throwback as a regular alternate for its home games.

In 2012 the Chicago White Sox for their Sunday home games brought back their 1972 uniforms donning the red pinstripe uniforms that franchise greats like Dick Allen and Bill Melton wore and the 1983 uniform for Sundays for 2013 and 2014.

In 2013 The Pittsburgh Pirates announced they would be sporting a Sunday uniform they wore in 1970 and during their 1971 World Series run. they’ve continued it as a Sunday uni into the 2014 season and will be doing the same for 2015.

Many other teams have an alternate uniform to commemorate past eras also.

The Brewers have long had their pinstripes and ‘Mb’ cap from the 80s for Friday night games. The St. Louis Cardinals regular Saturday jersey is similar to a uniform that Stan Musial wore with the Cards in the 1950s. The Cleveland Indians have adapted an alternate home crème uniform with block with a red cap and a block “C” logo familiar to their 1950s pennant winning teams.

When the Seattle Mariners wore their old teal home jerseys that were originally used from 1994 to 1996 during a promotion in 2010, the response was so positive that the teal jerseys were brought back as a regular alternate jersey that they now wear on Fridays.

Across the bay, the Giants are using their 1989 road jersey and an away Sunday alternate and their new orange Friday alternate replicates the uniform worn in the 70s and 80s.

Excluding its alternates, the current stellar Oakland A’s uniform has remained untouched since it was introduced in 1987 – and as it should, it’s one of the best looking uniforms in MLB.

I admit the A’s have encompassed some of the 70s style in their current green and gold alternate jerseys, but Oakland A’s possess a ton of possible throwback options given their unique colors and unique designs historically. They have the ability like many teams in MLB to utilize a throwback as a standard uniform option.

My recommendation (that and $2 will get you coffee at your local Starbucks) is that the A’s adapt the vest style throwback that they had in years 1968-1971, including the Kelly green color that was switched in 1982, as an alternate worn on one of the weekends for home games.