Friday Flashback: How the Reds became preseason pioneers

All MLB teams have new spring training caps this season. But while most teams are using familiar logos on their Grapefruit and Cactus League lids, the Reds are throwing it back -- way back:

The "C" on those caps is based on the logo worn by the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, who are generally acknowledged to be the first professional baseball team.

It's no surprise that Cincy is taking a somewhat different approach to their spring training caps. The Reds have a long history of experimentation and innovation regarding their spring training uniforms, and especially regarding their headwear. With pitchers and catchers reporting this week, let's take a look back at how the Big Red Machine has had some unique looks for February and March:

1954: The Reds announce during spring training that all batters will wear protective plastic inserts under their caps.

1956: The Reds experiment with drilling holes in their batting helmets to provide better ventilation.

1958: The Reds, ever cognizant of the warm Florida weather, introduce an "air-conditioned" cap. The mesh lid, which is translucent, fails to catch on and is quickly abandoned.

1959: The Reds experiment with a batting helmet that includes a primitive earflap. (The modern earflap that eventually becomes standardized on MLB helmets will not be introduced until 1964.)

1978: The Reds become the Big Green Machine for a day, as they take the field wearing green- and shamrock-accented uniforms for a St. Patrick's Day game against the Yankees. The surprise move, which takes place with no advance promotion, ignites a new spring training tradition over the ensuing years, as teams throughout MLB begin wearing green uniforms on March 17.

1983: The Reds -- perhaps in another move to beat the heat -- use white caps and batting helmets during spring training. Unlike the St. Paddy's Day attire, this gimmick fails to catch on.

No other MLB team has done as much spring training uniform tinkering as the Reds. But one team has come close: the Dodgers. Dating back to when the franchise was in Brooklyn, the Dodgers tried out several uni-related innovations. For example:

Late 1940s: The Dodgers' coaching staff wears satin uniforms during spring training. The full team occasionally wears the satins for night games during the 1940s, but during spring training they're strictly for coaches.

1960: Minor leaguers in the Dodgers' spring training camp wear red letters, instead of numbers, on the fronts of their jerseys. The letters indicate which minor league affiliate the player is assigned to.

1961: The Dodgers have the managers of all of their minor league teams wear pinstriped uniforms during spring training (but big league skipper Walter Alston gets to keep his standard nonstriped uni).

Mid-1960s: In another effort to make the coaches and instructors stand out more during spring training, the Dodgers have them wear red caps and stirrups.

Are there any Reds or Dodgers spring training uniform quirks that we missed? Are there any other MLB teams with a rich history of spring training uni eccentricities? If so, you know what to do.

(Special thanks to Bruce Menard's research assistance.)

Paul Lukas is excited for the start of baseball season. If you like this column, you'll probably like his Uni Watch Blog, plus you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook and sign up for his mailing list so you'll always know when a new column has been posted. Want to learn about his Uni Watch Membership Program, check out his Uni Watch merchandise, or just ask him a question? Contact him here.