I am an old fashioned traditionalist when it comes to
baseball. It still bothers me some to acknowledge the four finger walk. It
hurts to see designated hitters in the lineup. There is more but artificial
turf and moveable rooves that is progress, I guess.
But seeing player wearing
jewelry that would make Joan Rivers cry and open shirts that look like
the 70’s disco era, that is not baseball.
When fielders get together with the pitcher, they look like
an active Al Quaeda cell. Well trimmed beards, OK. But the scraggly beards (as
Kershaw’s is) does not make the player a winner. There is an old saying that if
you do not shave every day, you are a bum. Then there is the Chasidic look.
Justin Turner, not being Jewish ( I
think) has that look down very well. There are other players that have beards
that are not even a little trim.
In no way am I a Yankees fan. BUT, they do look
professional. Clean shaven faces, shirts buttoned up and the drug dealer
jewelry is at home. They say that a uniform is a uniform not a background for
bangles and beards.
I saw a St. Louis player with his shirt opened to his waist
with no undershirt to absorb sweat. He also had a terrible beard.
Grandal has such a heavy chain around his neck he has trouble
negotiating a swing. Sixteen ounces of jewelry and a 32 ounce bat – that is a
load to carry to the plate. Bellinger
has two necklaces, one black and the other gold.
Baseball is not clean cut – anymore. Tatoos up and down arms
and necks. I know they say they have some significance but we as spectators have no idea what the
significance is. I know that it is personal but I am not ready for my grandsons
(one already has them) to have ink ornamentation over his body that he will
regret later on in life. Let’s face it, trends come and go but the tats stay.
Religious symbols hanging from the players neck are nice
when they are in the locker room or out to dinner. I am not impressed with the
size of the cross, how much gold it is, from m experience the size of the
symbol and the number of diamonds in it does not indicate the character of the
wearer. It may be the opposite. Gang members sport large religious symbols - they don't appear to get in the way of their behavior or his character. The
larger symbol is to show how dedicated he is to his faith but maybe his trying
to say something that he feels inadequate in his faith and twenty ounces of gold will endear him to
his god. A swing and miss won’t endear him to anyone, fan, players, managers or
gods.
In the seventies MLB teams wore softball uniforms with the
exception of a few teams such as the Yankees and the Dodgers. I hated the
uniforms, as I said I am a traditionalist. I like stirrups not long pants. Some
players are getting back to that and I enjoy seeing it. Since the softball
uniform shirts had no buttons, they couldn’t be opened to the waist like in Saturday
Night Fever.
The open shirt does not make Justin Turner a solid hitter
(he is a favorite of mine – but not in a sartorial sense). The crazy beard does
not make Turner a better third baseman, but he does look like a Chasidic Rabbi
with a good arm. He is outdone by Charlie Blackmon in the beard department.
It is refreshing to a see ball players looking professional.
Clean faces, clean arms and their uniforms worn as they were designed. When I
visited the baseball Hall of Fame, I was struck by how the players dressed and
comported themselves. The photos were inspirational. From their photos I had no idea what their religious
affiliation was nor did I want to know. That was their business. My business
was their wins and losses and batting averages.
The old wool uniforms got so heavy and hot hen the player
perspired they weighed an addition few pounds, yet their shirts stayed buttoned
until they reached the club house.
One last gripe. There are a few players that wear their cap
cockeyed. That drives me nuts because I am disoriented when I see the player. I
saw a pitcher not long ago with his hat to one side and he got clobbered. So, it
is a fashion statement that is not fashionable. That includes flat bills on the
cap. The reason for the curved bill is to reduce sunlight coming into the
player’s eyes from the sides.
I have vented. I know I will change no players dress habits
but they need to know I am watching.
That is my take, you decide.
