Baseball cap facts for kids

A Texas A&M Aggies baseball cap

A baseball cap is a soft hat with a rounded top and a stiff part sticking out in front. This front part is called a "bill" or "brim."

Often, the front of the cap shows a cool design or a logo. This could be a sports team, especially a baseball team, or the name of a company. Companies sometimes use caps to advertise their products.

Baseball caps can fit your head in different ways. Some are "fitted," meaning they are made to a specific size. Others have ways to adjust them, like elastic, a plastic snap, Velcro, a zipper, or a slide. This lets different people wear the same cap comfortably.

The baseball cap is a key part of the traditional baseball uniform. Players wear it with the brim forward to help block the sun from their eyes. Since the 1980s, these hats have become very popular. People wear them in the United States and many other countries. They are used for sun protection and also as a cool fashion accessory.

How Baseball Caps Started

Harry Wright wearing a baseball cap, around 1863.

The first version of today's rounded baseball cap appeared in 1860. The Brooklyn Excelsiors baseball team wore it. This early cap had a long peak and a button on top. By 1900, this "Brooklyn style" cap was quite popular.

In the 1940s, a material called latex rubber was used inside the hat. This made the front part stiff. That's when the modern baseball cap we know today was really born.

The peak, or "bill," was made to keep the sun out of a player's eyes. In the early days, this peak was much shorter. Over time, the hat also became more structured. It was less "floppy" than the caps from the 1800s and early 1900s.

Baseball caps were, and still are, important for identifying a team. Often, the team's logo, mascot, or first letter was put on the cap. The cap was also usually made in the team's official colors.

Different Kinds of Baseball Caps

There are four main types of baseball caps you might see:

• Snapback hat: This cap has a flat brim and a tall shape. It has a snap closure at the back, so you can adjust the size.
• Adjustable hat: This cap is softer and has a lower shape. It usually has a curved brim and a Velcro closure at the back for adjusting.
• Fitted hat: This cap has a curved or flat brim and a structured shape. It comes in a fixed size and cannot be adjusted.
• "Flexfit" hat: This cap also has a curved or flat brim and a structured shape. It adjusts using elastic materials, making it stretchy and comfortable.

Baseball cap styles and variations

Snapback baseball cap

Trucker cap

Flexfit-style baseball cap

Fitted baseball cap

Baseball Caps in Sports

Since the 2014 season, MLB pitchers can wear a special reinforced cap. This cap helps protect their heads from fast-flying baseballs.

Athletes in other sports also wear caps with their team's logo and colors. These are often called "sideline" caps. You can buy both types of caps as official team merchandise in stores.

Other caps might just have a maker's logo, like Reebok, Nike, or Carhartt. These hats are often made from soft cotton.

Golfers often prefer a sports visor. This type of headwear doesn't cover the top of the head. It still keeps the sun out of their eyes. While women traditionally wore visors, full caps are now popular among some young people.

Baseball Caps for Work

Military Use

Baseball caps worn by naval officers from the US, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines

Some armed forces use baseball caps as part of their uniforms. This includes the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard.

They are mostly worn with work uniforms. The baseball cap usually has a special logo on the front. This logo shows which command or unit the person belongs to.

Police Use

In recent years, many police forces around the world have started using baseball caps. They often replace traditional hats because caps are cheaper and more comfortable. Private security companies also commonly use baseball caps as a practical part of their uniform.

A police baseball cap on display at the West Midlands Police Museum in Birmingham, England.

In Britain, baseball caps are good because both male and female officers can wear them. In Slovenia, police officers on motorcycles wear baseball caps when they take off their helmets. Turkish police also switched from traditional hats to baseball caps in the 1990s.

In many United States police forces, the baseball cap is a more practical choice. It's often used instead of the traditional peaked cap or campaign hat. These traditional hats are usually worn by Sheriff's departments and state police forces.

Many armed police units worldwide, like SWAT teams in the United States, wear baseball caps. They help shield their eyes from the sun when a full helmet isn't needed.

Images for kids

• 

  A simple baseball cap

See also

In Spanish: Gorra de béisbol para niños