Every time I watch my son work on his baseball practice, I can still hear the notes of “Take Me Out to The Ball Game.” Baseball caps are the number one type of cap worn not only in the US but in other countries as well. Caps come in many different styles and colors. You can look almost anywhere and find a cap with your favorite team’s logo on it. Caps can also promote a specific company, program, or brand. Even football teams wear baseball-style caps throughout their victory in a playoff game or the almighty Super Bowl.
But I bet you didn’t know they’re good for more than just looks, right? The truth is, these popular caps have relevance to training and exercises. Seriously, go through any baseball training session and every head on the field has a cap on.
Have you ever wondered why baseball players wear caps? Obviously, the cap tells you which team the player is on and shows the loyalty of the fans in the stands. But this is not the main duty of the cap. Caps have the primary duty of keeping the sun out of your eyes when you’re trying to catch that pop fly. They can also prevent sweat from getting on your forehead and running down to your eyes.
Technology has caught up with baseball caps these days. Caps are now designed to keep your head cool using evaporative cooling technology. This is especially important on those lazy and foggy summer days during baseball games and baseball drills. Evaporative cooling technology helps keep you cool in the sun for better focus and less stress. A player with his head in the game is as good as gold. A moment of distraction is all it takes to miss a ground ball or pop fly.
This cooling effect is also important when wearing batting helmets. Batting helmets are worn when a player is at bat and anytime they are on base. This is for safety reasons and stems from an injury suffered by Tony Conigliaro many years ago before helmets were required in MLB. He was struck in the head by a thrown ball and seriously injured. During baseball training, the baseball cap is worn under the helmet for a couple of reasons. One is to keep the player fresh and focused. The other reason is to keep the helmet firmly on the head.
In addition to their value as part of the uniform, caps are used by many companies as a marketing tool. Free caps are awarded on sales calls as a way to promote the company name and/or brand. There are shops that will actually design a custom cap for you out of just about anything you want. Whether you wear one during drills or simply to shield your eyes while watching from the stands, baseball caps are a great way to show your team loyalty or advertise your company.