Rochester Red Wings Uniform History

The Rochester Red Wings have had a very rich and colorful uniform history. Their styles over the years have run the gamut from traditional and conservative to unique and forward-thinking. Their dress has in many ways echoed the styles of the eras; from traditional in the 1950’s to garish and colorful in the 1970’s.

This blog is dedicated to the research of the Rochester Red Wings visual history, including uniforms and logos, as gathered through photos, personal accounts, team photos, yearbooks, and various ephemera.

Enjoy!

Some additional background: Professional baseball has been a part of the Rochester landscape since 1877. Rochester joined the international league in 1885, and in 2011 marks its 123^rd season, not only the longest running franchise in the International League, but one of the longest running teams in all of professional sports.

The team came to be called the Red Wings in 1928 when their affiliation with the St. Louis Cardinals began. The name was intended to reference not only a link to their parent club, but also the region’s rich Native American history. While the history of the team has been covered in detail in wonderful books such as Silver Seasons by Scott Pitoniak and Jim Mandelaro, and On a Silver Diamond by Brian Bennett, the history of the Red Wings visual identity has never been catalogued. The purpose of this blog is to catalogue the team’s rich visual and graphical history, specifically in terms of the uniforms and logos that have been used.

This guide begins in 1928, the team’s first year as the Red Wings, and is separated into "styles" or eras. There have been dozens of incremental evolutionary changes over the years, but each of these eras represents a major shift in primary style, color, or otherwise noteworthy characteristic.

Like the team, the Wings’ uniforms have crossed generational boundaries and have helped the team form a powerful connection with the fans. After all, over the years a team’s roster turns over many times, but often the uniforms and visual identity of the team can have a lasting impact and drive a deep connection with the fans. Paul Lukas, noted Baseball uniform historian, ESPN.com columnist and president of www.UniWatchBlog.com argues that because of this fact, it is actually the uniforms that people root for, not the team.

The Rochester Red Wings have given their fans a lot to root for over the years.