Lost in the early baseball season rush, I’ve forgotten to share something very important with you: my summer 2015 cap choice.
Frankly, I’m a little surprised I haven’t received angry emails demanding I reveal my pick.
Allow me to rectify.
I found myself in a bit of a quandary this year. Last year’s cap is still in decent shape. And there was a lot of good luck contained inside of it. If you don’t fuck with good luck in any sport, it’s baseball. Maybe I should just go with the ’14 hat a little longer.
I do love to buy a new hat, though. It seemed wrong to deprive myself of one of the simple pleasures of spring.
Which led to my other quandary: last year I wore a regular, replica Royals hat, an adjustable version of what the team wears on the field. I had not done that since at least high school, and likely middle school. And then the Royals not only break their 29-year playoff drought, but they get to game seven of the World Series. If I’m replacing the hat I wore during that run, should I still stick with the standard, royal blue, KC cap? You know, messing with a streak and all.
That seemed boring to me. If I’m buying a new cap, it needs to be different. After all, my spring tradition isn’t to buy a new version of the same hat I wore the year before, and the year before, and the year before… That’s something Yankees fans do.
So I ran off to the Rally House and began paging through their offerings. I am a bit picky in what I throw onto my head. First, I don’t do silly. Second, because my hat size changes by between 1/8 and 1/4 inch between haircuts, I can’t do fitted caps without trying them on in person. And while I don’t mind wearing something that is evocative of Kansas City in general but perhaps not the Royals specifically,[1] given their recent success, I would like the hat to be quickly identifiable as a Royals hat.[2]
After hours of careful consideration, I had five finalists. I poured over the details of each cap, making sure I was familiar with the brand, and thus fit. Was I sure I could wear that color for the next year? Did the back have the adjustment device that I get the best results from?
In the end, one winner was clear. I placed an order and it arrived, conveniently, on Opening Day. And it appears I ordered it just in time, because it is no longer available on the Rally House’s website. I like that is not the traditional royal blue, but still close enough to the Royals’ main color. I dig the old school KC. And yet the back is stamped with “Royals,” so it is clear that I’m supporting Kansas City’s current team.
Thus, I present my cap for the summer of 2015, and beyond.
All ya’ll can rest easier now.
- In the past I’ve worn a couple Kansas City Monarchs hats, a KC A’s hat, and a couple “fashion” Royals hats. One of those was a pretty cool, deep gray color with the KC logo in blue. That was a great hat. Then I wore it one day while kayaking with a friend in late July and ruined in by pouring gallons of sweat into it. ↩
- I have a pretty fly 1960 Kansas City Athletics hat that I wear on occasion (It’s fitted, and I can only wear it late in my hair cut cycle). I love the way it looks, but since the Royals are good now, I don’t want people asking me “What team is that?” which happens pretty much every time I wear that cap. ↩
I don’t know how you sleep at night with these kind of major life decisions looming. Seriously like the hat though. Better keep your eye on it when the Belfords hit Indy!
Finally, someone recognizes and appreciates my plight! Thanks, Stace!