I know that the term “pink hat” has evolved away from strictly
meaning someone who wears a hat that it pink. I know there a deeper meaning
that implies a dedication, or attention span. But, I’m looking at the creation
of the term.
Why is a “pink” hat the opposite of a “blue” hat? Why do the
pink hats represent the clueless, and the blue hats the diehards?
(I’m going to ignore the most “obvious” answer to that. That
girls wear pink, and know nothing about sports. It takes about 2 seconds to
realize there’s nothing to that impression whatsoever. We’re done with that.)
So, what was it about the people wearing pink hats that
helped coin the term?
Was it their less than official nature? On the field the Red
Sox wear blue hats. (They don’t wear those hideous white ones anymore, do
they?) So, if you’re a true fan, you wear blue hats just like them. But, not
all blue hats are just like them. I see plenty of blue hats around the park
that aren’t the official version. (Or the alternate hanging sox version that is
my personal choice.) Some of them have numbers on them. Or, writing on them.
Maybe they’re Fenway Park hats. Or just have a design that isn’t solely a B. Maybe
there are stripes or checks. Take a look at the souvenir store. There’s a whole
wall of blue hats that aren’t the official versions. Are those somehow better
than a pink hat with a B on the front? What about black hats? Do they show
dedication? Green Fenway Park hats? Patchwork hats?
Is it the impression that people who wear a pink hat are
more interested in the fashion than the team? That they want to wear a pink
hat, but also want people to think they like the team. So, they hide the B on a
hat they were wearing anyway? But, wouldn’t that also apply to anyone wearing a
different hat? What about the blue hats with sparkly B’s? Are those OK? Those
are pretty fashionable…to some people. If you wear that, does that make you a
fan? Wouldn’t that same theory apply to other articles of clothing too? If you
wear a t-shirt with a Red Sox logo on the chest, is that OK? Or, a pair of
shorts with the hanging sox on them. The players don’t wear those. So, isn’t
that a fashion statement more than team support? Why can’t it be both?
What’s wrong with the idea that wearing anything displaying
your team’s logo is ok? After all, I don’t think every member of the Red Sox
has the logo tattooed on their leg. But, a Sox tattoo would imply a pretty
strong dedication to the team. It’s definitely not official though. (What if
you tattooed a pink B on your shoulder?)
What caused wearing a pink hat to become a negative thing?
I am not a fan of pink hats. If your team doesn't wear pink, you shouldn't. I also don't like the sparkly logos, the argyle prints, the team hats in every color under the sun so that you can match your "outfit." If your team colors are black and orange, that's what you're wearing. For better or worse. Your team love is like a marriage. I think the pink is the worst of the hat offenses because it does imply a level of ignorance regarding the sport. If you're a female wearing a pink Mets hat, the odds are heavily in favor of you being a David Wright fan, but not for his level of performance on the field.
ReplyDeleteI do think the exception to the rule are the hats that promote the military service. Having said that, I'll admit to owning an all black hat even though my team wears navy blue and I have a St. Patrick's Day version of my hat. Yes, I wear them both, but I feel super cheesy every time I do that (unless, of course, it's St. Patrick's Day).
-Serena
Traveling Baseball Babes
My wife, who I will love with all my heart forever, wears a pink hat to games. She left in the top of the seventh inning to go shopping at the nearby art supply store. Before she left she took pics with her phone (sorry, forgot to get S36) and surfed the web. That is the type of thing the casual fan does. Often times that person is wearing a pink hat but not always. I was also sitting in front of a group of friends (not my friends), a few of which babbled endlessly about everything except baseball for most of the game, obviously not paying attention at all. To me, that was annoying but I understand that is their right but as somewhat of a baseball purist (I won't even do fantasy baseball) I hope and expect more serious fans at Fenway. Red Sox fans are known for their intelligence of the game so it's a shame to others applaud the team catching a fly ball when it was really a well executed sacrifice fly.
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