What is a fan to do?!

[Tampahound]

Baseball cap or Fan Fedora?

By Fan Fedora I mean a fedora with my team's colors. My team happens to be the Tampa Bay Rays, so the colors are a dark navy blue and white. While a panama hat with blue band is an option, what I would much prefer is a navy blue felt fedora with a white band! That would look much sharper than a baseball cap.

So...as a school teacher (low income) do I:

1) buy a beater on eBay and attempt a dye job on the felt, and install a new ribbon myself, or
2) seek out the lowest end (is there a low end?) custom hat?

What is a fan to do?[huh]

 

["Skeet" McD]

Baseball cap or Fan Fedora?

By Fan Fedora I mean a fedora with my team's colors....What is a fan to do?[huh]

Well, you could do what THEY did (believe me, I'd like to do this too...): they used to sell team hatbands. I've been searching the web for either an original Red Sox one, or to see if someone with the right machinery has gotten clever enough. You could buy such things--and/or cheap, souvenir straw hats with them already applied--at least until the mid 60s, and perhaps later.

There was a famous one here in Boston in the 1912 season, utilizing a catch phrase of the day: "OH YOU RED SOX!" with white sanserif letters on a red ribbon....the VERY rich Isabella Stuart Gardiner--who was noted for going her own way and not caring much what the rest of the upper crust thought--almost started a riot when she wore one fo these hatbands to the Boston Symphony during the pennant race that year...

If we can't have one of these...I'd be inclined to go with a ribbon in the team colors....but, hey: you're the one who's going to be wearing it: suit yourself!

Should be interesting between our respective teams this year: good luck! I'll be looking for you and your hat in the stands....

"Skeet"

 

[Tampahound]

Yes both teams look strong this year.

And while I'm at it...let me say about our division...ANYONE but the Yankees :eusa_clap , so if my Rays don't win it may your Sox blow everyone else away! (I grew up about 80 miles southwest of Boston and they were my AL team until 1998 when the Devilrays played their first game. My brother is a Yankees fan.)

Hmmmm...maybe I can get the conductor of the Tampa Bay Symphony to honor our team and that Boston fan at their next concert!

 

[carldelo]

Sorry about this, really

You asked for it, and I can't resist:

Buy one for yourself, or go whole hog, buy 'em by the gross and sell to drunk fans to recoup your investment:

http://www.villagehatshop.com/fez_blue-white.html
http://www.villagehatshop.com/mastercarton_fez_blue-white.html

Hey only $3 per hat if you buy a gross!

Seriously though, you can get a Navy Fedora from Hornetshats for a good price, and they will install a white ribbon for you, if they have the material. I recently bought a Marlborough and it's a nice lid.

 

[Goose.]

You asked for it, and I can't resist:...te.html[/url]

Hey only $3 per hat if you buy a gross!
...

What a hoot!
A Navy Fedora would indeed be nice.
Red Sox is my favorite team as well. Told myself as a kid that my first pro game to see would be at Fenway. And it was...fortunate to live on the rugged side of Beacon Hill from '84-'85. Great city. Anyway, can't recall who they were playing...my seat was ticketed as "obstructed" view...smack in front of a beam. Only at Fenway :eusa_clap

 

[Tampahound]

LOL carldelo...not sure it is my style...

What do you think?! lol lol lol

 

[Tomasso]

I would do a straw with a blue/white striped ribbon. Baseball=Summer=Straw.[huh]


You could source the grosgrain and fashion a ribbon yourself.

 

[Goose.]

LOL carldelo...not sure it is my style...
...
What do you think?! lol lol lol

Tampahound...
That was clever
The lid is fine. That tassle would probably get annoying flipping around though and size does matter...

 

[St.Ignatz]

Looks like a decent hat to put a Ray's logo on. Crushable and durable but it looks like they run small. Too bad for me it's not available in red. The Stetson Saxon in Midnight Blue appears almost black when it stands alone so I would avoid that shade.



http://www.villagehatshop.com/bailey_case_fedora.html#hat_product_reviews

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I love my snap brims but if I went to see the Braves play somewhere, I'd wear my Atlanta ball cap that I've had for twenty years.

 

[Tampahound]

LOL I don't see me ever wearing a fez...not to judge or anything, not my style!lol

But I would love to hear any suggestions about where I should check to see if I can have this type of custom hat made. Not being a standard hat color I suspect I will by doing a dye job. Has anyone here done anything like this? Please offer suggestions and advice!

 

[Belegnole]

ok, ok I know it's not felt and has a short brim....
another

 

[Corky]

OK, you want a blue and white fedora?

OK, you want a blue and white fedora?

I agree that a dark blue felt fedora with a white ribbon would be nice, but consider this as an alternative:

1.) Get a Camp Draft or Open Road in Silver Belly (which is a shade of off-white) and...

2.) Get a dark blue ribbon in a shade that matches your team's colors (probably in a throwback width, maybe 3/4" or more)...

3.) Lose the OR/Camp Draft's ribbon and replace it with your new wider, more colorful one...

4.) Put it on your head and wear it to the game.

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

I think a Panama with a team color ribbon and a team logo pin would be perfect. That's what I plan to wear to M's games this year.

 

["Skeet" McD]

Period Documentation for Team Color Hatbands....

Fellow loungers,
Took a Google around for "1920s baseball fan" looking to point someone to some period documentation HERE:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=40373

and found....THIS:
http://gallery.me.com/finiancircle#100014/baseball-poster-1910

Tad early for our main period of interest--and SMUPhil's desired decade--but great nonetheless, and certainly a good selection of pattern choices....

Enjoy!
"Skeet"

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Does this help????[huh]

 

[Pduck]

What about wearing a regular fedora or Panama hat to a baseball game, without worrying about the team colors? Does anyone here do that? I know in my community, everyone would be wearing baseball caps of one kind or another, but I'd think you'd get better sun protection in a brimmed hat.

 

[carldelo]

What about wearing a regular fedora or Panama hat to a baseball game, without worrying about the team colors? Does anyone here do that? I know in my community, everyone would be wearing baseball caps of one kind or another, but I'd think you'd get better sun protection in a brimmed hat.

I don't own a ball cap, so when I go to games it is usually a polypro straw - much cooler than the Milan. If it is was a cool night game I would certainly wear a felt fedora.