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. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The White Sox are owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and play their home games at Guaranteed Rate Field, located on the city's South Side. They are one of two major league clubs in Chicago; the other is the Chicago Cubs of the National League (NL) Central division.
Comiskey Park was a baseball park in Chicago, Illinois, located in the Armour Square neighborhood on the near-southwest side of the city. The stadium served as the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from 1910 through 1990. Built by White Sox owner Charles Comiskey and designed by Zachary Taylor Davis, Comiskey Park hosted four World Series and more than 6,000 Major League Baseball games. Also, in one of the most famous boxing matches in history, the field was the site of the 1937 heavyweight title match in which Joe Louis defeated then champion James J. Braddock in eight rounds that launched Louis' unprecedented 11-plus year run as the heavyweight champion of the world.
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 event.
The Milwaukee Brewers' 1990 season involved the Brewers' finishing 6th 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 94-68, good enough for 2nd place in the American League West, 9 games behind of the 1st place Oakland Athletics, as the White Sox played their final season at 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.
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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.
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