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Matthew Drake’s Cooperstown Collection (Vol. II), Part I (American League)

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Good Sunday morning everyone. I hope you guys all had a nice Saturday.

If you’ve been reading the weekends since the pandemic, then the name Matthew Drake should be very familiar to you. Matthew first began sharing his uniform concepts with me (and hence, with all of us) beginning in early 2020, just as all the leagues were shutting down and we were starved for uni news. Back then he had done an entire MLB set, including a segment he called the “Cooperstown Collection,” which he noted were “a faux-back for each team that includes elements from their past identities.” Since then, he’s reimagined MLB’s City Connects, as well as redesigning the NFL and the NBA. Most recently, he created the MLB Multiverse, which was an entire giant set of “What if’s” where teams moved or relocated and got new jerseys based upon the new home.

You can follow Matthew @MJD7Design on the Twitter/X. In addition, some of the designs are will be available as real-life jerseys with the help of Pro Line Mockups, so they can follow along on Twitter @MJD7Design and @ProLineMockups to stay updated.

Here’s Matthew:

• • • • •

Cooperstown Collection, Vol. II, Part I
by Matthew Drake

AL EAST

Baltimore Orioles

This jersey is inspired by the design the St. Louis Browns, who eventually relocated to Baltimore, wore for the duration of World War II.

_________

Boston Red Sox

This was a tough one, since the Sox didn’t really have many unique uniforms before their current classic set. So, I combined the large letters of the 1902 & 1908 jerseys, the socks patch of the early 1930’s, and the collar striping of the 70’s.

__________

New York Yankees

If there’d ever be a good reason for the Yanks to not wear their iconic home pinstripes, it’d be to honor the New York Black Yankees, specifically by wearing a design inspired by what they wore in 1935. I decided to pair it with the classic Yankees script.

__________

Tampa Bay Rays

This design is inspired by two Tampa Minor League teams: the main design is inspired by the “Tampa Smokers” who existed from 1919-1954, and the patch is inspired by the Tampa Tarpons that existed from 1957-1988. Fellow designer and Rays fan Michael Taylor provided me with the font.

__________

Toronto Blue Jays

This jersey is inspired by the Toronto Maple Leafs: not the hockey team, but the Minor League team that existed from 1896-1967. The script was given to me by user @Discrim on the sportslogos.net boards.

==========

AL CENTRAL

Chicago White Sox

There were so many different options to go with for the Sox, but I eventually settled on a jersey inspired by the first throwback in MLB, worn in 1990, throwing back to 1917. It was also inspired by the “Field of Dreams” uniform the team wore in 2021.

__________

Cleveland Guardians

This jersey is based off of a design the team wore from 1933-1935.

__________

Detroit Tigers

This jersey is based off of the experiment that only lasted one season, in which the Tigers replaced the familiar Old-English ‘D’ with a tiger head in 1927.

__________

Kansas City Royals

The Royals have had pretty much the same uniforms for much of their history, so I once again went with some inspiration from the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues, but this time with powder blue & royal.

__________

Minnesota Twins

This design is inspired by the Washington Senators’ (the iteration that eventually moved to Minnesota) “3-D” design that they wore from 1956-1958.

==========

AL WEST

Houston Astros

I went with the racing stripe pattern used throughout the 80’s and early 90’s, and paired it with a script that uses the shooting star as its tail, inspired by user @SFGiants58’s design on the sportslogos.net boards.

__________

Los Angeles Angels

This design is inspired by the Pacific Coast League Los Angeles Angels’ “UCLA Stripe” jersey they wore in the 50’s, with a periwinkle base color inspired by the ’90s Disneyland era.

__________

Oakland Athletics

I went with a design inspired by jerseys the Philadelphia A’s wore throughout the 1920’s with the elephant on the front.

__________

Seattle Mariners

This jersey is based on the design the Seattle Pilots wore for their one year of existence in 1969.

__________

Texas Rangers

Since I kept a red jersey in the main set for the Rangers, this was the perfect opportunity to add powder blue back into the mix, like they wore from 1976-1982.

• • • • •

Thanks Matt! Welcome back and looking forward to seeing the Cooperstown Collection for the NL.

Readers? What say you?

 

 
  
 

Guess the Game from the Scoreboard

Guess The Game…

…From The Scoreboard

Today’s scoreboard comes from Jeff Truly.

The premise of the game (GTGFTS) is simple: I’ll post a scoreboard and you guys simply identify the game depicted. In the past, I don’t know if I’ve ever completely stumped you (some are easier than others).

Here’s the Scoreboard. In the comments below, try to identify the game (date and location, as well as final score). If anything noteworthy occurred during the game, please add that in (and if you were AT the game, well bonus points for you!):

Please continue sending these in! You’re welcome to send me any scoreboard photos (with answers please), and I’ll keep running them.

 

 

Guess the Game from the Uniform


Based on the suggestion of long-time reader/contributor Jimmy Corcoran, we’ve introduced a new “game” on Uni Watch, which is similar to the popular “Guess the Game from the Scoreboard” (GTGFTS), only this one asked readers to identify the game based on the uniforms worn by teams.

Like GTGFTS, readers will be asked to guess the date, location and final score of the game from the clues provided in the photo. Sometimes the game should be somewhat easy to ascertain, while in other instances, it might be quite difficult. There will usually be a visual clue (something odd or unique to one or both of the uniforms) that will make a positive identification of one and only one game possible. Other times, there may be something significant about the game in question, like the last time a particular uniform was ever worn (one of Jimmy’s original suggestions). It’s up to YOU to figure out the game and date.

Today’s GTGFTU comes from Kelly Rutherford-Menskin.

Good luck and please post your guess/answer in the comments below.

 

 

And finally...

…that’s gonna do it for the early article. Big thanks — as always — to Matt Drake for sharing yet another set of cool concepts!

Everyone have a good Sunday and I’ll catch you back here next weekend.

Peace,

PH

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Comments (42)

    I like this concept series. It’s funny how much the Rays and Jays look alike, rhyming names aside.
    I would take any of these over any CC uniform.

    Thank you, MJ! Funny enough, I noticed that too. It was a bit difficult coming up with ideas for the Rays, since they are such a new team.

    Thanks, Gary! The White Sox had by far the most options to go with, since their uniform history has been so eclectic. I’m pretty happy with the jersey I settled on, though.

    GTGFTS
    11 Dec 1983
    Seattle 17, NY Giants 12
    Looking at the team stats, this should have been a blowout for the Giants:
    Total Yards NYG 440 Sea 183
    Passing NYG 342 SEA 127
    Rushing NYG 98 SEA 56
    First Downs NYG 24 SEA 12
    But, 2 interceptions and 3 fumbles make all of that moot.

    GTGFTU
    5 Sep 2009
    Baltimore Orioles/Elite Giants 5 Texas Rangers 4 in a crisp 2:36 game.
    Cesar Izturis pictured.
    18,028 in attendance

    Really good stuff! A good idea for a uniform program for MLB. These are all 100% better than any MLB City Connect unis.

    Thank you, Wade! The City Connect program has actually really grown on me, personally, but I’m still really proud with how this series turned out.

    Nice artwork, Matthew!
    Love the nods to the O’s and Twins’ franchise origins!
    The Rays treatment sends Phillies vibes my way, and the M’s is a touch too homage-y for me.
    Powder blue works really well for the Royals and Texases – but not so successful for the (California)Angels.

    Thank you, Chris! The O’s and Twins designs both came about because it was difficult to find inspiration in any other designs during their time in Baltimore and Minnesota, respectively, but I think it worked out for the best.

    As for the Rays giving off Phillies vibes, I definitely understand that, and noticed it a bit, myself.

    I respect your opinion of not being a fan of the M’s or Angels – funny enough, those are two of my favorite designs, though.

    The modern Twins logo with the “cheap” 3D effect makes for a perfect fauxback.

    The Twins are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 1924 World Series win this year, so it might be a fitting time to bring it out!

    I don’t get the love for the Seattle Pilots. The uniforms were memorable, but not much else. They came for one year and left. There’s so much more minor league/negro league history in Seattle (Giants, Drydockers, Steelheads, Indians, Rainiers, etc.) that could be chosen from.

    That’s a fair opinion. I personally love that Pilots jersey, so I wanted to include it. I was not previously aware of the teams you mentioned other than the Steelheads and Rainiers, so I’ll have to look more into that!

    I did see a lot about a modern Maple Leafs team in my research, so that makes sense. If this were real life, hopefully the team would allow the Jays to take that inspiration.

    That Rays jersey looks better than anything that franchise has ever worn.

    Thanks, Scott! I personally really like the 70’s “fauxback” look they wore a few times, myself.

    love all those renderings.
    we are so much smarter than the people making the real things.
    why is that? we has no money in the game?

    Thanks! Although I actually really like most of the City Connect designs released so far, I think part of it might be due to a more design-by-committee approach, by necessity, where I have the fortune of being able to stick to my singular vision and taste.

    Hate the Orioles fauxback. The Browns, St.Louis nor Cleveland have ever been part of the heritage celebrated in Baltimore or its surroundings. A game against the Cardinals was played in the orange & brown at the behest of MLB. The Orioles as a baseball team goes back 140 years in the AL, NL, Eastern League and International League. Try channeling some of that history.

    I respect your opinion, Paul. My first volume of the Cooperstown Collection took inspiration from the 1901 Baltimore Orioles, who eventually became the Yankees. This time around, I didn’t love any of the ideas I had that took inspiration from earlier Orioles sets, so I went back a bit further in the club’s history before they moved to Baltimore.

    Nice batch of renderings.

    That Astros font is lovely. Rangers feel natural in light blue and in the pullover-era stuff.

    I’ve never been a fan of cream uniforms, but the Tigers jersey makes me wonder if orange pinstripes could be used to create a cream-like effect, like how red pinstripes on white tend to look pink.

    I think a solid placket could be a signature look for someone.

    That Rays shoulder patch made me look up St. Petersburg, and boy is it a doosey:

    link

    The retro-swoosh somehow looks a lot better on these than the plain swoosh.

    Thanks!

    The Astros’ script is one of my favorite aspects of the series. The Rangers turned out pleasantly surprising for me, as well, as I didn’t have many other ideas for them.

    I think orange pinstripes would definitely create a cream-like effect as you suggested. For the Tigers I used both orange pinstripes and a cream base, which I think added to the throwback effect.

    I agree that someone might be able to pull off a solid placket, especially since it’s a bit smaller on the new Nike template.

    The Rays’ sleeve patch actually wasn’t inspired by the St. Petersburg flag, but I definitely see the resemblance. Funny enough, I’m actually a fan of the flag!

    The retro swoosh is another one of my favorite aspects of the series.

    I love these concepts, all of them. MLB, please take notice the next time you want to come up with a CC uniform. My favorites are the Jays, Rays and Astros.

    I really like that front number font for the Tigers. I’m sure people would say it’s hard to read, but on the back, bolden it up and make the numbers bigger (eliminate NOBs if they were being considered) and it would look great.

    Thanks, Mark! I went back and forth on whether I wanted to include that number font, since it is a bit busy, but I think it could work as long as there are no outlines.

    Can we live in a world where concept jerseys don’t have Nike branding? Hope he’s getting paid.

    I’ll admit, I’ve always been a bit of a Nike fan, although I’m not quite as much of a “homer” as I used to be. I don’t really have as much of a problem as others might with the Swoosh being on the jersey. At the end of the day, as much as I love MLB and its tradition, the teams themselves at the end of the day are corporations, as well, no different from Nike.

Comments are closed.