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Cardinals unveil new jerseys for 2013

Back in 2005, I received an email from the Cardinals with three photos attached: a regular home jersey, a 1932 jersey and a road gray jersey featuring "St. Louis" across the chest. There was no explanation or context; the sender simply wanted my gut reaction. But, it was obvious the team was considering a change to its birds-on-bat logo, and because I'd worked with the team's Hall of Fame Museum staff on a few research projects, I was trusted to be part of its focus group.

Using the city name on jerseys is not unprecedented. Many teams do it. In fact, the Cardinals had "St. Louis" on road jerseys from 1930-32 and even their home jerseys in 1931-32.

I wasn't exactly enamored with the photo I saw with "St. Louis" on the front, mostly because I felt the letters didn't fit together well, creating too much trapped space within the logo. I even went so far as to submit alternate treatments, including one that raised and condensed the letters. I was thanked for my opinion and that was that.

Years went by. Nothing changed.

Then Thursday, I received a call informing me the team was holding a press conference at 10 a.m. Friday and was asked if I'd be interested in attending. "Interested" was an understatement, because as everyone now knows, the team is introducing an alternate jersey for 2013 with "St. Louis" on the chest. It's the first major change to the Cardinals uniform set since 1998.

The team is making minor changes to the regular home and road uniforms, as well. Unless they're placed side by side, it might be difficult for most people to notice a difference. But, in 2013:

  • The birds will be larger and slightly higher on the chest;
  • The birds' eyes are more defined, with pupils instead of dots;
  • The bat has new elements that make it appear more three dimensional; and
  • The numbers on the front are a half-inch smaller, though honestly, that's almost impossible to tell. The major advantage of the smaller font is that double-digit numbers won't extend right beyond the edge of the logo.

It's interesting that the changes to the logo make it consistent with the logo Majestic has used on retail jerseys -- as well as the team's pregame shirts and jackets -- for several years. I assumed Majestic had pushed this as a way to streamline production. However, I was assured it was the team who championed details like the birds' eyes and the rounded bat end, first because it was consistent with the team's printed graphics, and second because Majestic now has the ability to provide higher-quality embroidery that's capable of rendering such details.

At the press conference, team President Bill DeWitt III also noted the team will go back to wearing red caps and belts on the road. I'm a huge fan of that decision because I've thought for years that the red really pops against the gray when you see the team in spring training. DeWitt did leave open the possibility of navy caps being used again as a road alternate. For example, the team could wear navy caps when playing in Cincinnati, just to create contrast between the teams.

There will be a new batting practice cap in 2013. Details on that will be revealed later.

The big news, though, is the alternate uniform the team will wear for Saturday home games. Generally, I don't have a high opinion of third jerseys, especially those featuring solid colors. But, Philadelphia and Cleveland have incorporated alternate jerseys that are especially appealing because they have a vintage feel, and the Cardinals clearly took note when designing their third shirt.

Like the Phillies' and Indians' jerseys, the new Cardinals jersey is an off-white, cream color that hints at the hue of old flannel. Red piping runs around the collar and down the placket, similar to the team's jerseys in the '30s, '40s and early '50s (it also runs down the pant legs). And the city name clearly is a nod to the early '30s. Though it wasn't discussed at the press conference, I was told players' names will be embroidered in the tails of the jerseys, a standard practice with flannel jerseys through 1970. Love that subtle touch.

The new jersey isn't completely retro, though; players names will still appear on the back, and uniform numbers will still be on the front. Personally, I think the shirt would look better without a front number. Not only does it clash with the vintage feel of the jersey, but the tail of the "L" interferes with the placement of the numbers. That obviously isn't a problem with "Cardinals" because none of the letters extend below the baseline.

Overall, though, I really like the new design. Yes, the letters still present spacing challenges; that can't be avoided when a lower-case "t," a period and an upper-case, script "L" are involved. That said, the red piping and slightly larger bat help fill in the space. It also helps that the birds are larger and the material is cream instead of gray, which just seemed particularly stark. It's still jarring to see "St. Louis" instead of "Cardinals," but in the context of the whole jersey, it's a welcomed addition to the team set.

The new alternate jersey already is available at the team's souvenir shop at Busch. I know cynics will suggest this is just a money grab, that teams make changes and add new styles just to inflate sales. I don't think that's the case here. Obviously, the Cardinals will sell more jerseys; this certainly will boost the bottom line to some degree. But, most fans don't realize that licensed apparel sales are consolidated with all other teams and are split among Major League franchises. So, for example, a $90 profit on a jersey means $3 for each team. The Seattle Mariners benefit just as much as the Redbirds.

I'm confident the new alternate uniform simply was designed as another vehicle the team can use to connect fans with yesteryear. The Cardinals franchise and its leaders, including DeWitt, have a strong sense of history and feel they have an obligation to emphasize the team's proud past.

In terms of this new alternate jersey, I'd say, "mission accomplished." It's vintage. It's modern. And it's much more attractive than the typical third jersey.

Now, if only they'd wear real stirrups with it.