Tip of the cap to the Boston Red Sox

The offseason will be a good chance to make some headway on our trip around Major League Baseball’s headwear. The Boston Red Sox and their classic look are the next stop.

The Red Sox’s classic red B with a white outline has become an iconic logo. The simplicity of the navy blue hat with the Boston B  has been embraced by the nation as the symbol of the anti-Yankee fan. However, the Red Sox have a pair of alternate hats in rotation that are a refreshing change from the everyday classic.

The common alternate worn by the Red Sox is another navy blue cap, but the front logo is changed. Rather than the B, the logo is a pair of old-fashioned red socks with white heels and toes. The other minor change this alternate implements from the original is a red squatchee compared to the original navy blue. The squatchee stands out against the navy blue crown and makes the rest of the hat an even crisper navy.

Boston’s batting practice and Spring Training hat is more of a radical change from the original than the alternate. The crown of the hat is red with a navy blue B, which has a thicker white outline to make the logo bolder. The bill and squatchee maintain the traditional navy blue against the red crown. I’ve said before how I feel about two-tone hats, and this hat isn’t much different. The red crown contrasting with the navy blue bill is a sharp look and a fresh change from the everyday solid navy blue.

So which hat is the best look? Contrary to my previous leanings, I prefer the alternate hat with the pair of socks. The solid navy blue with the red socks is a crisp look. There’s something about the solid red logo against the navy crown that pops more than the traditional B. The red squatchee also gives more of a contrast against the crown and makes the logo on the front pop.

Of course, this isn’t to say the Boston two-tone hat doesn’t look great. Red Sox red is a sharp color and the batting practice hat looks great, but sometimes you need a change from the traditional logo.

Feature photo by Brigham Berthold