The White Sox uniform has gone through dynamic changes since day one. They have had a wide variety of color combinations, lettering & logos. Covering them all would require more space than I have, but here are three of the more memorable uniform quirks in South Side baseball history.
The Sox… aren’t White!
In 1969-70, the White Sox made a stunning uniform change. They wore… blue socks. The LITERAL name of the team was false advertising. They wore dark blue socks with white stirrups over them (the stirrups had a few thin blue bands at the top). It was as a member of these White (blue) Sox that Bill Melton had the first 30-homer season in franchise history in 1970.
Pajama Party
These are some of the most memorable uniforms in White Sox history, as much for who wore them, as for who didn’t. In 1976, Bill Veeck’s White Sox debuted pullover V-neck uniforms – with faux-collars – which were worn untucked! That’s a lot to digest in of itself, but wait, there’s more! For three games in August, the White Sox wore these jersey tops… with shorts! The greatest fact on the shorts-wearing White Sox of 1976 is this: they were 8 for 8 in stolen base attempts while wearing those shorts. When the great Minnie Miñoso rapped out his final MLB hit at age 50 in 1976, he did so wearing these pajama-style uniform tops (but he did so in traditional baseball pants). These uniforms were in the news again in 2016 when Chris Sale cut a bunch of them up because he didn’t want to wear it in a game. They were fairly unpopular with fans & players alike (though I insist it’s the most comfortable jersey I’ve ever worn).
YOU make the uniform
How did the White Sox follow up that uniform? Simple, they had fans design them. In the 1981 game programs, there was an entry form for fans to design the next uniforms. The winner of the contest was 25-year old Dayton, Ohio native Richard Launius. Start with white (or gray) pullover, put a navy blue band (with red trim) across the chest with SOX in white. Numbers in red on the front of the right leg of the pants. In 1983, the second year of the uniforms, they “Won Ugly” all the way to the ALCS. The look was classic 1980s, and pair that up with a beloved team (Pudge, Baines, Kittle & Luzinski), and that uniform is still a fan favorite today.