Cool Uniform Props: Powder blue MLB throwbacks

Most Major League Baseball teams trot out throwback uniforms a couple times each season. Recent years have seen the Phillies, Blue Jays and Brewers all reach back to a time when powder blue was prevalent — the 1980s. And joining them recently were, as pictured here, the Cardinals and Rangers.

Throwbacks are cool and all, but I think the time is upon us for some team (hopefully the Phillies) to commit full time to a powder blue uniform. In the case of the Phillies, I'd keep the home white w/ red pin stripes, as well as the the cream day game-only uniforms, and sub in the powder blues for the gray road uniforms. Everyone wears gray on the road now, and it's boring. Someone, preferably the Phillies, needs to lead the way into the powder blue yonder.

And before you say it, I know the Royals are wearing light blue jerseys on Sundays (I think) this season, but they're just jerseys and button-down jerseys at that. I'm talking about shirts and pants, with the jerseys being 80's-style pullovers. Who needs buttons?

The orange monster

Even if this photo features Nick Swisher of the considerably disliked New York Yankees, it's still a pretty cool photo with a color scheme appreciated here at Orange Whip.

Photo by Noah K. Murray of The Star Ledger/US Presswire.

Trippin' fastballs

I've watched a lot of baseball games in my life, but never heard this story, which is pretty awesome. Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No by James Blagden, presented by No Mas. Via Ebert (even if he thought it was a Phillie and not a Pirate).

No Mas, it should be noted, has some pretty sweet T-shirts, including this series on original/non-corporate stadium names.

The votes are Inge

The deadline for Major League Baseball's Final Vote — in which the fans fill out the AL and NL All-Star teams by picking one player from five for each league — is 4 p.m. today.

As steadfast Phillies fans, the Orange Whip editorial board naturally advocates the election of Shane Victorino in the National League, and has voted several times thusly. But we'd also like to endorse the Detroit Tigers' Brandon Inge for the American League. Why? Because Inge has had a large part in the success of this blog writer's fantasy baseball team — the Bulletproof Tigers — over the first half of the season (that catcher eligibility has been clutch). And we take care of our own 'round these parts.

That being said, I have no idea why the Phillies organization itself is advocating the Inge/Victorino ticket. Anyone?

UPDATE: Victorino and Inge were the top vote-getters. Mission accomplished.

Harry Kalas, R.I.P.

The games will go on, but will never sound as good without Harry the K announcing. It's hard to imagine a summer without Kalas as the voice of the Phillies, but then it was hard to imagine games without his longtime color man Richie Ashburn as well. He will be missed.

There is a fairly extensive write-up on his career here, as well as some vids and interviews, including the one below.

Phillies FTW!

Philadelphia Phillies. World Series champions. Get some.

Blanton is hero

Six innings and a home run? That's how Babe Ruth did it, and that's how Joe Blanton does it.

World Series baby

Double-fisting appropriate. Phillies, World Series, hell yes.

Curse word hero

Ha ha.

Beat the Mets

I saw Eric LFD at Jeremy's on Sunday and got to see this tat in person. That's a lot of Phillies love/Mets hate goin' on. Amazin.

Also, thanks for the Twisted Tea dude.

Munsoned

I read a funny story about the late Thurman Munson and posted about it over at Will We Ever Win?

In looking around for a Munson photo to use, I came across this 1971 Topps baseball card featuring a really nice, simple design. All the cards that year were black, and used muted colors for the name, team and position — here green, yellow and red. I like the use of all uppercase letters for the team, and lowercase letters for the name.

Munson's card was different than most in that it featured a horizontal layout with an action shot, whereas most of the others were vertical with a headshot or some other staged shot. Munson's also has a 1970 All-Star Rookie trophy for extra points.

When I used to collect sports cards the horizontals always stuck out amidst the sea of verticals as extra cool, and the same is true here.

Play ball 2008

I wrote up a Phillies season preview over at Will We Ever Win? Uncle Charley might not like it. But based on some of his recent comments, he knows what I'm talking about.