Hats

When I left Oregon for Atlanta, most of my things were packed away, not to be seen until I settled somewhere (18 months later, it turned out, topic for another day). I could take whatever fit in my trusty 2013 Subaru Legacy. I was in the driver’s seat, and Zeke and his things took most of the passenger seat. Even with most of my sports equipment in storage, space was at a premium. There were a few things I truly needed, and I had space to bring a few touches of home, things that would help make wherever I was feel comfortable. One of those familiar touches was my collection of hats, which has only grown since those nomadic Atlanta days. 

I think about my hats often – it’s a fun choice to start each workday and many weekends – but I didn’t think to write about them until February, so I’ll start with the hat that inspired this post.

Newark Eagles

This is the first hat I can recall buying and not immediately wearing. I picked them because of a hometown(ish) connection, Newark being the closest Negro Leagues team to where I grew up. But I realized I didn’t know much about them. I didn’t want someone to ask me about my hat and have nothing to talk about, so I did a little research before wearing it around. On a good day, I can rattle off the whole list of baseball Hall of Famers who played for them if someone asks me about the hat. But I wore this hat every day for the entirety of Black History Month hoping to start a conversation about Effa Manley or Larry Doby.

If you had asked me about Effa Manley, I would have told you about a shrewd businesswoman who improved conditions for her players and negotiated with the power brokers in Major League Baseball to try to get her team and her players recognized for their worth. Bring up Larry Doby, and I’d talk about being the Second Man, breaking the color barrier in the American League weeks after Jackie Robinson integrated the National League.

Sadly, no one remarked on my hat during this little effort, but the hat is still in the rotation. I hope to share some history out loud, but written will do just fine for now. The rest of these descriptions and musings won’t be nearly as long, but this sure will be a long post.

Baseball hats

A whole lot of these are baseball hats. I mean, I guess they’re all baseball hats in style, but they’re hats representing baseball teams. You know what I mean.

I generally prefer to get the hat in person, at a game. There are some exceptions, but I enjoy being able to use the hat as little reminder of that day.

New York Yankees

I haven’t retained that much of my sports fandom, and perhaps that’s also another post. One that has stuck around despite mellowing a bit is the Yankees. Opening day was this week, so it was an easy choice to wear to work. It is unquestionably the most broken-in of the hats on display, probably from high school. I’m glad it still fits!

Copa de la Diversión

This has been a Minor League Baseball promotion for a few years, and I’ve been hooked since the beginning. From the MLB site: "’Copa de la Diversión’ or ‘Fun Cup’ is a season-long event series specifically designed to embrace the culture and values that resonate most with Minor League Baseball teams' local U.S. Hispanic communities.”

Soñadores de Hillsboro

This was my first Copa hat, and I was just taken by it without knowing the backstory. I moved out to Portland for EIS in August 2018, knowing just a handful of people. I don’t remember if this was my first Hillsboro Hops game, but it’s certainly not the first time I’ve gone to a baseball game by myself. It was a great day of going on a hike to start the day and ending at the ballpark. The hat's design is captivating, integrating baseball stitching, and the colors were unlike any hat I had owned before.

Xolos de Gwinnett

And then I started getting a few more. The Gwinnett Stripers were the hometown (minor league) team for the years we lived in Atlanta. My parents came to visit us for a game where my dad got one; my brother also collects hats, so we got one for him as a gift, too.

Zorros de Somerset

Not only is this one adorable, but it also has a fun story:

At the beginning, it was simply a flash of orange out of the corner of an eye as early evening shadows covered the parking lot. “Did you see it?!”, staff members would ask each other every few weeks as the season rolled on. Finally, it made its presence known in grand fashion. As we prepped for the press conference to formally announce the new Somerset Patriots/New York Yankees affiliation, arguably the most significant day in franchise history, the elusive fox scurried across the outfield grass for all to see. And in that very moment, our Copa identity was established. This zorro (fox in Spanish) was announcing its new role as the clever and brave protector of the Patriots/Yankees partnership. Here come Los Zorros de Somerset!

Besides that, I used to work here! The summer after my senior year of high school, a few of us got jobs with the team. I mostly cooked cheesesteaks – ask me about the time I burned off all my arm hair – and a few other friends were in concessions or the grounds crew. The work was fun, and we got to snack and watch baseball along the way. When the team wasn’t playing at home, we’d take trips around the region to other minor league games. And about 15 years later, when I was matching to my EIS position, I bonded with a future Oregon supervisor who had also grown up going to Somerset Patriots games. I look forward to going back someday and adding this gem to my collection.

Cangrejos Fantasmas de Chesapeake

The Bowie Baysox are the closest minor league team (Well, kinda. Perhaps this is the summer I get a Bethesda Big Train hat.), and our first trip there was for an Effectively Wild fan meetup. My wife even won the in-group raffle and walked away with a DL Hall bobblehead. Admittedly, this hat is not the one I bought that day. I left that hat at ATL after thinking it was attached to my backpack. It’s too good a hat and memory not to have replaced it.

Abejas de la Ciudad del Lago de Sal

For four conferences in a row, I was able to go to a baseball game alongside attending one of my favorite conferences. It moves locations every year, but the stars (well, schedules) aligned to make this happen. Two years were with friends, and two were on my own; they've all been fun. This one happened to be Star Wars night, combining mouse droids and lightsabers with a great view of the mountains. It’s not a new identity, just a Spanish translation of their name, but it’s still a sharp hat. I remember talking to an A’s fan while in line outside the stadium, hoping that John Fisher would sell the team and keep them in Oakland. Even if that didn’t happen, the hat is a nice reminder of being able to connect with strangers.

Non-Copa MiLB

I have a few non-Copa Minor League Baseball hats, too!

Exploding Whales

I still haven’t been to Exploding Whale Memorial Park nor have I seen any Eugene Emeralds games, but I’ve certainly told this story more than a few times. Also, I once found a whale vertebra looking for shark teeth with a friend. Whatever hat I wear to work is over my shoulder in the background, and this pairs excellently with the vertebra.

This was a gift from my wife, who definitely had to endure the exploding whale story more than once.

Lexington Legends

It’s nice when your family keys into you liking something and keeps an eye out. This was a gift from my parents, and their reasoning was simply that they thought I would like it. I sure do! I don’t do Movember anymore, and I got this hat after graduating vet school, but it reminds me of those wacky photo shoots.

Hudson Valley Renegades: Bark in the Park

My wife and I got married in the Hudson Valley. We tried to make it to one of the perfect alternate identity games, but the timing didn’t line up. Still, my brother and his family and my parents aren’t that far from the Renegades. They went on Bark in the Park day and got me this gift. Pup!

Trenton Thunder

Two Effectively Wild mentions! Every year, EW has a non-denominational but still alliterative Secret Santa exchange. It’s great to interact with someone else who listens to the podcast. Over the years, I’ve gotten two Thunder hats, a Bernie Williams shirt, a Somerset Patriots shirt, a Soñadores sticker, and a koozie. I’ve learned about some fun Seattle Mariners alternate designs, the Madison Mallards, and other pockets of baseball randomness.

Portland Pickles: Pride variant

The Portland Pickles are a good time. The games were always entertaining, and I once coached the Unipiper ahead of throwing out a first pitch. I’m glad to have a Pride variant of anything on my roster, and it’s a nice reminder of more time in Oregon.

Virginia Cavaliers

Like the Yankees, this is a fandom that has changed but is far from gone. I’ve reflected on my connections to the school and my time there, both here and with close friends. It’ll always be in the rotation, even if it blends in more here than most other places I’ve lived.

Note: The Pep Band hat is up in the closet. I still break it out from time to time, but it is in rough shape.

Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs

Gosh I love the show Shoresy. I was introduced to it before I watched Letterkenny. I enjoyed Letterkenny quite a lot, but Shoresy resonates with me in a way that few shows have. It has a ton of heart, and it speaks to a lot of what I enjoy from playing team sports (or just being part of a team). I hope you watch it.

This was a gift from my wife, who has listened to most of the show while I've been doing PT stretches in another room.

Team Four Star: Dodge

Do I love Dragon Ball Z: Abridged as much as Shoresy? I’m not sure how to compare them. Team Four Star has taken something many of us enjoyed and made fun of it in such a caring way. Watching it reminds me of flipping over to Toonami on weekday afternoons, of talking about episodes or movies with the guys in the neighborhood. This hat is a running joke in the show and looks just similar enough to the logo it references to slip by most people. One stranger has acknowledged this hat, and it was an awesome interaction.

This and a TFS shirt were gifts from my wife and parents.

Bypass Open

In a way, we’re going back to sports to close it out, but that’s not why this hat is important to me. Many people in my family play tennis. I grew up playing, including going to tennis summer camp for a few years with family and friends. My grandfather used tennis to help him get back in shape after undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery. He turned around and founded a tennis tournament to help raise money for the American Heart Association. There isn’t much evidence of the tournament left on the internet, but I have this from a 2004 Franklin and Marshall newsletter.

On March 12, Herman Slotoroff of Somers, N.Y., was selected as the Daily Point of Light by the Washington, D.C.-based Points of Light Foundation. He was recognized for his dedication to running a tennis tournament called the By-Pass-Open for the past 10 years. Through his efforts, more than $200,000 has been contributed to the American Heart Association for heart research. After being told by doctors that exercise and a good diet were essential for him to recover from a heart bypass operation, Herman started the tournament that has promoted exercise and a healthy diet for hundreds of recovering heart patients. As part of his recognition as a Daily Point of Light, he received a letter from Pres. George W. Bush.

Grandpa died in January 2020, and I’m glad to have objects like this hat to spark my memories of him.

*****

Here's what I see every morning, the menu I select from to add a little flair, fun, and meaning to my day.