Tigers fans and even the most general baseball fan familiar with odd quirks and nuances about teams know that Detroit offers some uniqueness to their wardrobe during the season.
The navy blue cap is the constant, but they sport two different kinds. At home, they don a cap where the old English D logo is white. On the road, that logo is orange on the cap. It's unorthodox, but it is rarely debated. It just is what it is. This also applies to the helmets.
Can you imagine the Tigers helmet getting a complete makeover? Like a full-on paint job? Well a pair of graphic designers — Angus O'Keefe and Cody Whitmire — along with the help of Uni Watch, created some nifty helmet concept designs for MLB teams. Among the notable selections were for the Tigers, and here is what they whipped up.
Photo Credit: Angus O'Keefe and Cody Whitmire Photo Credit: Angus O'Keefe and Cody WhitmireTalk about earning your stripes!
The style of design is commonly known as hydro-dipping, a style that “applies printed graphic patterns to three-dimensional surfaces.” Some sports fans may be familiar with this technique, as it is a style that has been commonly used in recent years across many sports, primarily for football helmets but also auto and motorcycle racing as well.
Only the Atlanta Braves currently use this hydro-dipping method for their helmets. Starting this season, the Braves have been wearing matte-finish helmets with a carbon fiber design on the shell of the helmet, done via hydro-dipping.
Baseball helmet wear has gradually evolved in recent years. In fact, 40 percent of the teams in Major League Baseball have opted for the matte-finish helmets as opposed to the traditional glossy finish. The Baltimore Orioles, whom the Tigers are presently facing at home this week, are one of the teams to instill the matte-style helmets new this season.
Also another trend is the use of three-dimensional logos on the helmet as opposed to flat decal stickers, if you will. Only six of the 30 MLB clubs have gone 3D with helmet decals. Detroit's AL Central division rival Chicago White Sox are one of a few teams that have gone in that direction this season.
O'Keefe is a bit of a design junkie. One of his more recent “experiments” was turning all 32 NFL uniforms into traditional soccer-style costumes, which you can see here.
