Those awful black sleeves/hats from 99-06

[Tom Servo]

http://reds.enquirer.com/img/photos/1999/09/090599boone_500x427.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/0821/grantland_a_dunn-kearns01jr_576.jpg
http://reds.enquirer.com/img/photos/1999/04/042299graves_550x459.jpg
http://cincinnati.com/reds/2002final/photos/boone_argues_zoom.jpg



I know it was a bone of contention for many fans that was finally resolved in 2007, but who was responsible for this, anyway? Anytime I look through Reds pictures from the past they stick out like an incredibly sore thumb.

[757690]

John Allen read a study that said that adding black to a uniform would increase merchandise sales. He kinda went overboard with it.

[RedFanAlways1966]

All about $$$$ IMO. Black is/was popular and sells more merchandise than red. I am guilty of it too. My REDS hat today? All black with a red "C".

[traderumor]

It did help them play well, though. ;) That reason must have been revisited. Sure is a lot of red unis out there these days.

[Danny Serafini]

I preferred the red hats, but the black sleeves worked fine for me. I like the vest/t-shirt look.

[LoganBuck]

I loved the hat that Graves is wearing in that picture. I had one, and lost it while on vacation years ago. I left it at a batting cage. Woops

[George Anderson]

I think these uniforms were the worst.

Everytime I see them I want to order a banana split sundae.

http://reds.enquirer.com/1998/baseball98/img/stynescov_150x328.jpg

[cumberlandreds]

I liked this one better than the black ones. But neither were very good. I'm sure the black ones were a marketing thing. During that time a lot of teams went with black. I remember the Royals going with black and thinking how hideous they looked.
The best uniforms the Reds had were the ones in the 70's. A nice traditional uniform.



I think these uniforms were the worst.

Everytime I see them I want to order a banana split sundae.

http://reds.enquirer.com/1998/baseball98/img/stynescov_150x328.jpg

[savafan]

I loved the "black years" since most of my wardrobe is black

[VR]

Those uniforms made even Jimmy Anderson look bad.

[cumberlandreds]

Except for 1999 black was very appropriate for those years. They were very dark.

[redsfan30]

I think these uniforms were the worst.

Everytime I see them I want to order a banana split sundae.

http://reds.enquirer.com/1998/baseball98/img/stynescov_150x328.jpg

Maybe it's because these are the uniforms they wore when I first became a fan but these are my favorites.

[RollyInRaleigh]

HATED the black sleeves. Just an awful look.

[Chip R]

Maybe it's because these are the uniforms they wore when I first became a fan but these are my favorites.

I could have lived without the white hat but I loved the rest of that uniform.

[Always Red]

I think these uniforms were the worst.

Everytime I see them I want to order a banana split sundae.

http://reds.enquirer.com/1998/baseball98/img/stynescov_150x328.jpg

put a regular red hat on him and that's a great uniform.

[Johnny Footstool]

I hated the white pinstriped hats from the mid-90's, but I thought the black hat/black sleeves combo for the gray road unis looked good.

Black hat/black sleeves under the home whites was a pretty bad idea.

Mixing the red had with the black sleeves looked atrocious.

I absolutely loved the sleeveless jerseys. They had a lot of character, and added some much-needed color that is missing from the plain-jane white unis the team is wearing now.

[Johnny Footstool]

put a regular red hat on him and that's a great uniform.

I agree completely.

You could even lose the pinstripes and still have a great uniform.

[Hoosier Red]

I agree completely.

You could even lose the pinstripes and still have a great uniform.

I agree with both assertions.

I'm a big fan of the vest with colored sleeves and the black sleeves under grey jersey looked fine to me though I never really got behind a black cap.

I've been missing a Reds hat so I went to The Cincy Shop and picked up two old style hats. One from the 50's which is navy with the Red C, and one from the 60's which is grey with the Red C. IMO, the road uniforms from the 60's were the best look in team history.

[Tom Servo]

Yeah I'm not crazy about the ice cream look of the 90's, but it's still better than the black look IMO.

http://reds.enquirer.com/img/photos/1997/09/092097mckeonmenke_450x372.jpg

[Jharb74]

Marty has said that he likes the red pinstripe look. Jamie Ramsey has said he couldn't stand that look.

I for one would like to see some of that navy blue from their 50's unis incorporated in a little. Maybe replace the black bill of the away cap with the navy.

[RichRed]

Yeah I'm not crazy about the ice cream look of the 90's, but it's still better than the black look IMO.

http://reds.enquirer.com/img/photos/1997/09/092097mckeonmenke_450x372.jpg

I could never look at them the same after a friend of mine told me his 5-year-old son had pajamas just like them.

[RollyInRaleigh]

I would like to see navy blue replace the black if they must use a third color.

[Wonderful Monds]

The vest and black sleeves look was pretty bad when that was around, but they changed it by the time they were in GABP, and I think the vest and red sleeves was a good uniform. Lot of red in it, necessary for a team with their name.

As for the navy, I was into that idea before every team in baseball started switching to a combination of red and blue as their colors the last handful of years. Now, I could do without.

[Always Red]

As for the navy, I was into that idea before every team in baseball started switching to a combination of red and blue as their colors the last handful of years. Now, I could do without.

But the Reds beat you to that idea about 70+ years ago:

http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/images/nl_1939_cincinnati.gif

They wore this throwback a year or two ago, but I can't find a pic of it right now. I remember Leake pitched that night, and it looked great. In fact, I think it might have been against the Tigers, and they were "throwing back" to the 1940 season when they played each other in the Series.

[Tom Servo]

But the Reds beat you to that idea about 70+ years ago:

http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/images/nl_1939_cincinnati.gif

They wore this throwback a year or two ago, but I can't find a pic of it right now. I remember Leake pitched that night, and it looked great. In fact, I think it might have been against the Tigers, and they were "throwing back" to the 1940 season when they played each other in the Series.
http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Mike+Leake+St+Louis+Cardinals+v+Cincinnati+WLC-HRUVnJ9l.jpg

[Always Red]

^ thanks Tom. It would have looked even better with blue sleeves, and the socks Leake has taken to wearing since then!

[corkedbat]

Love those. Wish they had kept the sleeveless look.

[fearofpopvol1]

Hated those unis too. My friends who root for other teams used to poke fun of those uniforms regularly when the Reds wore them. Thank goodness they are gone.

[Spitball]

I didn't mind the black sleeve era, but the 1964-1965 look was my favorite:

http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/detail_page.asp?fileName=nl_1964_cincinnati.gif&Entryid=1031

[WVRedsFan]

I preferred the red hats, but the black sleeves worked fine for me. I like the vest/t-shirt look.

:thumbup:

[WVRedsFan]

I could have lived without the white hat but I loved the rest of that uniform.I agree. The vests gave us more red and these are the Cincinnati Reds. Also, they didn't have that weird font that the Reds are using now. The hats-- not so much. An all red hat with that uniform would be nice. Sleevless uniforms were a Reds tradition for so long. Today's unis are simply white, white, and more white. Talk about ice cream salesmen!

[WVRedsFan]

I didn't mind the black sleeve era, but the 1964-1965 look was my favorite:

http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/detail_page.asp?fileName=nl_1964_cincinnati.gif&Entryid=1031

Me, too Add a wishbone C and that's the look I want.

[Matt700wlw]

Bob Boone: "Ump, please, they're called points, I know what I'm talking about!!"

Ump: "Bob, you're wrong."

[George Foster]

We are the Cincinnati Reds. Reds is short for Redlegs. It should be a team rule that they show red socks like Bray and Leake wear them. Everyone. That is who we are...the redlegs. The pants down past the ankles is a awful look. Just my opinion.

If am not mistaken, "Prime Time" was the first to sport the look in the 90's. I have this jersey...this look is bad to the bone....love it.

[George Foster]

This is my boy. Everyone on the team has to show this much sock. Team rule.

There is a reason his number is #22...first pick 2022 amateur draft...:thumbup:

[LoganBuck]

I hate the high socks. I think it is an arrogant look at me thing.

[Matt700wlw]

Remember stirrups?

[Yachtzee]

I hate the high socks. I think it is an arrogant look at me thing.

I've always hated the low-riding pajama pant thing most players wear today. Most throwback uniforms look like garbage when worn today because players insist on wearing them baggy with pant legs all the way to the shoe tops. I associate it with Barry Bonds and steroids.

[Yachtzee]

I hated the black look. I have a Barry Larkin jersey my wife bought me as a present. Unfortunately, it's the home white vest with pinstripes with a black undershirt, one of my least favorites styles. I don't think the Reds should ever go with black again and would like it if they did away with black accents/drop shadows altogether. They should also never go with red pinstripes again, because on TV from a distance the white and red blend together and makes it look like they're wearing pink.

[powersackers]

I don't like our current grey uniforms.

[Tony Cloninger]

I've always hated the low-riding pajama pant thing most players wear today. Most throwback uniforms look like garbage when worn today because players insist on wearing them baggy with pant legs all the way to the shoe tops. I associate it with Barry Bonds and steroids.

I blame George Hendrick and his skinny ankles....for this look.....that morphed into the pajama look.

[Tony Cloninger]

I hate the high socks. I think it is an arrogant look at me thing.

The pj look is way worse. That's a look at me thing too..... Just beacuse everyone is doing it does not mean it is a good look, no one wants to go against it though beacuse of what you just said. It reminds me of that clown Manny Ramirez....the ultimate Village Idiot and like someone also said...Bonds.

[RollyInRaleigh]

This is my boy. Everyone on the team has to show this much sock. Team rule.

There is a reason his number is #22...first pick 2022 amateur draft...:thumbup:

Love it! Go to Baseball Express, online, and buy him a pair of stirrups! That would make it perfect! How old is he?

[Roy Tucker]

In the late 90's, black was the new black. Everyone was doing it. The Marlins' aqua and black was pretty jarring, but the Rockies purple and black went well.

Black for the Reds was kinda cool for a couple years. But like anything trendy, it wore thin fast. I've always liked a solid red cap with a white wishbone C, the sleevless vest with pinstripes, and a belt. A ballplayer has to wear a belt.

And I've never been a fan of the long pants that about touch the ground. Looks like they just rolled out of bed. Give me the high socking and stirrups.

But like baby ducks, I think we're imprinted with the uniform of when we first became a Reds fan and from there on out, that is how its supposed to be. Everyone has a different flavor.

[Blitz Dorsey]

We've never been very good in the uniform department. We wore pullover softballesqe unis for the longest time (including the BRM era and the '90 WS championship team).

I like our uniforms now, but they're by no means one of the best in MLB or anything. They're solid though.

[LoganBuck]

But like baby ducks, I think we're imprinted with the uniform of when we first became a Reds fan and from there on out, that is how its supposed to be. Everyone has a different flavor.

Agree, except no one longs for the return of the Vneck

I don't get why people call them pajama bottoms. Pants are supposed to be to your ankle. No where else do your socks touch your knees. I think it looks goofy when I see guys with the high socks. To each there own.

[marcshoe]

I didn't mind the black at first, but they grew old fast. I did have a red cap with a black C and black bill that I wore for a while, but my current hat is the one they're wearing now, and I have to admit that it's my favorite. And yeah, I grew up in the seventies.

I did like the look that incorporated the navy, though, and don't mind a little black every once in a while. I don't like the day uniforms with the all-red jerseys, though, and I don't like the special patriotic caps that everyone wears, mostly because the stars are so indistinct. The only problem I have with the current uniforms is that they look generic.

[DGullett35]

I had a batting prctice cap from around '99 I think. It was all black with the Red "C". I actually liked that hat. I have the current hat they wear for BP and I like the one from '99 better. I do like the uni's that they have now. They seem to work well.

[Roy Tucker]

I've got a plastic crate I keep my Reds caps in. I think I've got them back to the BRM days. They get pretty gross (sweat-stained and dirty) after a while so they get taken out of rotation. But I can't bear to throw them away.

[Tony Cloninger]

I've got a plastic crate I keep my Reds caps in. I think I've got them back to the BRM days. They get pretty gross (sweat-stained and dirty) after a while so they get taken out of rotation. But I can't bear to throw them away.

What is the difference on those than the ones they make now? Is the wishbone C stitched different? (I noticed the late 60's one was really big on the cap and wider)

[Unassisted]

I hated the vests, both the pinstripe and the solid color version. Didn't realize how much I hated them until they were replaced with something much better.

I live in South Texas. Wearing black in the summer makes you get hotter. My black shirts do not come off of their hangers for about 6 months of the year. Thus, I have trouble understanding why any team that plays some of its games outdoors in the middle of hot summer days would want any significant areas of black in its uniforms.

[Homer Bailey]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q5BOWY6BH9E/TwIETQ4B1-I/AAAAAAAAANM/tL3u7xTbeaE/s1600/larkin.jpg

Love these

[Tom Servo]

I don't like the day uniforms with the all-red jerseys, though
Really? I love them.

http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Brandon+Phillips+Jay+Bruce+Houston+Astros+gC5MCdOU KRrl.jpg

[reds44]

Really? I love them.

http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Brandon+Phillips+Jay+Bruce+Houston+Astros+gC5MCdOU KRrl.jpg
By far my favorite of our three jerseys.

[marcshoe]

When I see them, I keep waiting for the players to change into their regular season uniforms. They just don't say "baseball" to me.