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Frequently Asked Questions about the Uniform Database

Why do the “mannequins” look like paper cutouts?
The images from 1900-1994 are digital scans of original artwork cutouts made by baseball historian Marc Okkonen. Other than to make an alteration or correction to the uniform represented, only very minor “touchs up” have been made to these images.

Were these images originally part of a book?
The images from 1900 to 1993 were originally part of Marc Okkonen’s book titled Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century, published by Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. Some of these images, however, have been updated, altered, and/or corrected since the last edition of that book. The images from 1994 were made by Marc Okkonen, but were created after the final edition of his book. All images from 1995 to date were made by Major League Baseball Properties.

Are these images exact representations of the actual uniforms worn?
The images are the result of decades of research, but they are not infallible. Every attempt has been made to faithfully represent the uniforms worn, but mistakes are inevitable. Updates, alterations, and corrections will continue to be made as more information comes to light.

How accurate are the colors?
Color shades are matched as best as can be determined. However, at times, most especially in the decades up to World War II, uniform colors are determined by educated guesses. Furthermore, colors as displayed by computer monitors vary from screen to screen. Such variations cannot be accounted for.

Why do some of the images have more than one home or road uniform?
For the years from 1900 to 1994, some of the images show more than just a single home and road uniform. These additional uniforms are either alternate uniforms worn during that season, or reflect a change in the uniform made during that season. At times, clubs wore “mix-and-match” uniforms. For those seasons, a representative number of mix-and-match stylings are shown.

Are all the alternate uniforms represented in the database?
The primary uniform worn by a club is shown for every major league season. However, not every uniform worn during a given year is necessarily shown in the database. Alternate uniforms are often not shown. This is especially the case from the 1980s to date, as the proliferation of alternate uniforms makes it impractical to attempt to catalogue each style. Also, special one-time-use or infrequently used uniforms are generally not shown.

Why are some armbands and special patches not shown?
Some of the images do not show the armbands or special patches worn that season, while others do show this information. Please refer to the exhibit section on armbands and patches for more information about these parts of the uniform.

 


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