Turn Back the Clock is the name associated with the promotion by Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises when they wear throwback uniforms. Often, the uniforms signify a special event in the team or regions history. The promotion was originated in 1990 by the Chicago White Sox. Since then, multiple other teams have made it a yearly tradition.
In 1990, the Chicago White Sox set up a "Turn Back the Clock" game against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 11. [1] The White Sox dressed in 1917 uniforms, while the Brewers wore their normal uniforms. [1] The promotion was aimed at celebrating Comiskey Park's final season. [1] To set the early baseball atmosphere, ballpark ushers wore dated dress and some had megaphones to announce lineups. [1] Also, ticket prices for general admission were $.50 and all other tickets were half price. [2] The 1917 season was selected because it was the last time (at the time of the promotion) that the White Sox won a World Series. [2] The promotion was considered successful. [1]
The Philadelphia Phillies were the second team to hold a TBTC game, June 16,1991 against the Cincinnati Reds. Both teams wore throwback uniforms from the 1957 season. The Baltimore Orioles were the third team to use the marketing strategy after the Chicago White Sox. [3] In that game, against the Minnesota Twins, the Orioles wore attire from the 1966 season and bleacher ticket prices were reduced to $.75. [4] After that, the Chicago Cubs mimicked the promotion in 1992 wearing throwback uniforms. [5] Likewise, the Milwaukee Brewers used the promotion in 1993 by wearing uniforms from the 1920s Milwaukee Brewers. [6] Multiple other teams built off the concept over the seasons (including the wearing of Negro league uniforms).
A faux-back Turn Back the Clock game was featured on June 30, 2012, featuring the Tampa Bay Rays and the Detroit Tigers wearing uniforms from the 1979 season. The Rays, who did not exist as a franchise in 1979 (they were enfranchised in 1998), wore specially-designed throwback uniforms for the game, using popular design cues of the time such as two-tone caps, colored pants and pullover tops.
In 1998, the Seattle Mariners marketing team developed a concept off the "Turn Back the Clock" promotion. In the "Turn Ahead the Clock", the team's uniforms would be transformed into a "futuristic" style. The Mariners promotion was successful, and in 1999 it was sold by Major League Baseball to Century 21 Real Estate, who made it into a league-wide marketing campaign. The league-wide promotion proved unsuccessful despite the success seen by the Mariners.
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The club plays its home games at Guaranteed Rate Field, which is located on Chicago's South Side. They are one of two MLB teams based in Chicago, alongside the National League (NL)’s Chicago Cubs.
A third jersey, alternative jersey, third kit, third sweater or alternative uniform is a jersey or uniform that a sports team can wear instead of its home outfit or its away outfit during games, often when the colors of two competing teams' other uniforms are too similar to contrast easily.
Throwback uniforms, throwback jerseys, retro kits or heritage guernseys are sports uniforms styled to resemble the uniforms that a team wore in the past. One-time or limited-time retro uniforms are sometimes produced to be worn by teams in games, on special occasions such as anniversaries of significant events.
The Milwaukee Brewers' 1990 season involved the Brewers' finishing sixth in the American League East with a record of 74 wins and 88 losses.
The 1990 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 91st season. They finished with a record of 94–68, good enough for second place in the American League West, 9 games behind of the first place Oakland Athletics, as the White Sox played their final season at the aging Comiskey Park before moving to the new Comiskey Park the next season.
The 1990 Major League Baseball season saw the Cincinnati Reds upset the heavily favored Oakland Athletics in the World Series, for their first title since 1976.
The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on April 5, 2009; the regular season was extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins for the American League Central title. The postseason began the next day with the Division Series. The World Series began on October 28, and ended on November 4, with the New York Yankees defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. This was the second time the season was completed in November. The only other occasion was the 2001 World Series, because of the delaying of the end of that season due to the September 11 attacks as November baseball would be guaranteed when Game 4 was played on Sunday, November 1. Had the 2009 World Series gone the full seven games, Game 7 would've been played on November 5, the latest date ever scheduled for a World Series game. It became the latest date for a World Series game in 2022. The American League champion had home field advantage for the World Series by virtue of winning the All-Star Game on July 14 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, 4–3. In addition, the annual Civil Rights Game became a regular season game, and was played June 20 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, when the host Cincinnati Reds lost to the Chicago White Sox in an interleague game, 10–8. Both teams wore replicas of their 1965 uniforms in the contest.
The uniforms worn by Major League Baseball teams have changed significantly since professional baseball was first played in the 19th century. Over time they have adapted from improvised, wool uniforms to mass-produced team brands made from polyester. The official supplier for Major League Baseball uniforms is Nike, who has held the contract since 2020.
Turn Ahead the Clock was a promotion in Major League Baseball (MLB). It was originated by the Seattle Mariners marketing team in the 1998 season. During the 1999 season, all but eight teams elected to wear the promotional uniforms that were in a "future" style. The uniforms were widely criticized and the promotion proved unsuccessful.
The 2011 Major League Baseball season began on Thursday, March 31, and ended on Wednesday, September 28. This marked the first time a season began on a Thursday since 1976, and the first time a regular season ended on a Wednesday since 1990. The 82nd edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 12 with the National League defeating the American League for the second straight year, by a score of 5–1. As had been the case since 2003, the league winning that game had home field advantage in the World Series. Accordingly, the World Series began on October 19, and ended on October 28, with the St. Louis Cardinals winning in seven games over the Texas Rangers.
The 2012 Major League Baseball season began on April 5 because during the MLB Spring Training it was the first of a two-game series between the Seattle Mariners and the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. On November 22, 2011, a new contract between Major League Baseball and its players union was ratified, and as a result, an expanded playoff format adding two clubs would be adopted no later than 2013 according to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The new format of the 2012 postseason to used the 1 game series of the Wild Card round of the format for the 2012 postseason only. The restriction against divisional rivals playing against each other in the Division Series round that had existed in previous years was eliminated, as the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees squared off in one of the best-of-five LDS in the American League. On April 4, 2012, it was the last day of the MLB Spring Training and ended with the new Marlins Park, as the newly renamed Miami Marlins hosted the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. The regular season ended on Wednesday, October 3. The entire master schedule was released on September 14, 2011.
The 2013 Major League Baseball season started on March 31 with a Sunday night game between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros. Opening Day for most clubs was a day later on April 1. The regular season ended on September 30, extended one day for a one-game playoff between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Texas Rangers to decide the second American League Wild Card winner.
The 2014 Major League Baseball season began on March 22 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia, between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The North American part of the season started on March 30 and ended on September 28.
The 2015 Major League Baseball season began on April 5 with a Sunday night game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, and ended on November 1 with the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series. This was Rob Manfred's first season serving as Commissioner of Baseball.
The 2016 Major League Baseball season began on April 3, 2016, with a Sunday afternoon matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates, the two teams with the best regular-season records in 2015, at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The regular season ended on Sunday, October 2, 2016, and the postseason on Wednesday, November 2, 2016, with the Chicago Cubs coming back from a three games to one deficit to defeat the Cleveland Indians in the World Series and win their first championship since 1908.
The 2017 Major League Baseball season began on April 2 with three games, including the 2016 World Series champions Chicago Cubs facing off against the St. Louis Cardinals, the regular season ended in late September. The postseason began on October 3. The World Series began October 24 and Game 7 was played on November 1, in which the Houston Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games, to capture their first World Series championship in franchise history.
The 2018 Major League Baseball season began on March 29. The regular season ended on October 1, extended a day for tiebreaker games to decide the winners of the National League Central and National League West. The postseason began on October 2. The World Series began on October 23, and ended on October 28 with the Boston Red Sox defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games to win their ninth World Series championship.
The 2019 Major League Baseball season began on March 20, while the regular season ended on September 29. It was the 150th anniversary of professional baseball, dating back to the 1869 foundation of the Cincinnati Red Stockings. The postseason began on October 1. The World Series began October 22 and ended October 30 with the Washington Nationals defeating the Houston Astros in seven games to win their first World Series championship. The entire schedule was released on August 22, 2018.