There is only one Major League Baseball (MLB) team that wears purple as their primary uniform color: the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies have worn various shades of purple since their inception in 1993. Let’s take a closer look at why the Rockies wear purple and some key facts about this unique MLB franchise.
History of the Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies joined the National League as an expansion team in 1993 along with the Florida Marlins. The new team held a name-the-team contest that drew over 17,000 entries. “Rockies” was chosen as the winning name, selected by fans due to the proximity of the Rocky Mountains to Denver.
Purple was chosen as the primary uniform color through a fan vote. The color purple comes from Colorado’s official state flower, the Colorado columbine. It was a unique choice at the time since no other MLB team featured purple. The original Rockies uniforms featured black pinstriped jerseys and caps along with purple undershirts and accessories.
Here is a summary of the Colorado Rockies’ key uniform changes over the years:
| Year | New Uniform Style |
|---|---|
| 1993 | Original black and purple pinstriped jerseys |
| 1994 | Solid black alternate jersey introduced |
| 1997 | Pinstripes removed, added black sleeves |
| 2001 | Black trimmed vest jerseys introduced |
| 2007 | Current purple and white home jerseys debut |
| 2018 | New purple alternate jerseys introduced |
While the designs have been tweaked, purple has remained the Rockies’ staple uniform color for their nearly 30 seasons in MLB.
Why Purple for the Rockies?
In addition to paying homage to Colorado’s state flower, there were several advantages to the Rockies adopting purple as their primary color in 1993:
– It gave the expansion team an identity unique from other MLB franchises. No other team in 1993 had purple as their main uniform color.
– Purple was a popular trendy color in American sports uniforms in the early 1990s. Other examples included the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA and the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL.
– The color purple is associated with creativity and imagination. For a new franchise, purple conveyed a sense of originality.
– Darker unique colors like purple are easier to match accessories and merchandise with than lighter pastel shades. This benefitted the marketing and branding of the new Rockies.
– Purple evoked a sense of royalty and conveyed that the team would rule at their hitter-friendly home ballpark of Coors Field.
Here is a summary of key reasons why purple became the Colorado Rockies’ official team color:
| Reason |
|---|
| Tie to Colorado’s state flower |
| Gave a unique identity compared to other MLB teams |
| Purple was a popular sports uniform trend in the 1990s |
| Color purple conveys creativity and originality |
| Darker shade like purple easy to match with merchandise |
| Purple evokes a sense of royalty and dominance |
The Rockies have become synonymous with the color purple, using various shades in their uniforms and logo since 1993.
Colorado Rockies’ Purple Uniforms Over the Years
While purple has always been featured, the Colorado Rockies have gone through several different uniform styles incorporating the colorful hue:
Original 1993 Home Uniforms
The original Rockies home uniforms featured black jerseys with purple pinstripes. The caps were black with a purple brim. The “CR” logo on the jersey and cap was also purple. This gave a bold contrast of black and purple.
Solid Black Alternate Jersey
In 1994, the Rockies unveiled a solid black alternate jersey worn for some road games. This eliminated the purple pinstripes but kept purple lettering and accents.
Late 1990s Style
The Rockies changed their look in 1997 by removing the pinstripes and adding black sleeves on their purple jerseys. Their classic “CR” logo was switched to just a “C” in black and purple.
Black Vests
In the early 2000s, the Rockies introduced popular black jerseys with purple trim, worn as an alternate jersey especially during night games. These jerseys had a baseball vest-style cut instead of sleeves.
Current Home Uniforms
Since 2007, the Rockies have worn classic solid white home jerseys with alternate purple jerseys featuring the team name across the chest in white lettering with white piping. The purple alt jerseys have become one of their most popular styles for fans.
Here is a table summarizing the different shades of purple featured in notable Rockies uniforms over the franchise’s history:
| Uniform Style | Shade of Purple |
|---|---|
| 1993 original jerseys | Dark purple pinstripes |
| 1990s alternate jersey | Light purple lettering |
| Black vest jerseys | Medium purple trim |
| Current home alternates | Darker purple jerseys |
The various purple shades over the years have kept the color a staple of the Rockies’ look while allowing for creative differences.
Purple in the Colorado Rockies Logo
In addition to uniforms, purple has always been featured prominently in the Colorado Rockies logo. Here are some ways purple has been incorporated:
– The original 1993 “CR” logo placed the purple letters on a black background.
– From 1997 to 2006, the team switched to just a purple “C” logo in a black circle.
– Minor league affiliates of the Rockies feature purple in their logos, including the Albuquerque Isotopes and Hartford Yard Goats.
– The current primary logo introduced in 2007 features a purple and silver mountain with a baseball prominent at the center.
– A purple alternate logo of the letters “CR” inside a black baseball has been used on merchandise and uniforms.
– The Rockies 20th anniversary logo in 2012 featured a purple mountain silhouette with silver baseball seams.
As the table below illustrates, purple has been woven into every Colorado Rockies logo, either as a primary color or accent:
| Rockies Logo | Use of Color Purple |
|---|---|
| Original 1993 “CR” logo | Purple letters |
| 1990s “C” logo | Purple lettering |
| Current mountain logo | Purple mountain silhouette |
| “CR” baseball logo | Purple letters on black baseball |
| 20th anniversary logo | Purple mountain with silver seams |
The consistent incorporation of purple into every era of Rockies logos demonstrates how the color has become an integral part of the franchise’s identity.
Use of Purple for Colorado Rockies Merchandise
Another way purple has become synonymous with the Rockies brand is through merchandise featuring the color purple. Here are some examples:
– Replica Rockies jerseys and hats prominently use shades of purple regardless of the design. Their most popular selling jersey is the purple alternate.
– T-shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, and other apparel make use of purple or add it as an accent color. The 2022 Rockies promotional t-shirt was purple with their logo.
– Souvenirs like pennants, keychains, mugs, and flags incorporate purple into their color schemes. The Rockies’ 2022 pennant featured a purple background.
– Giveaways like cups, hats, and rally towels for fans at games frequently are purple-themed. A recent Coors Field giveaway was a purple rally towel with the Rockies logo.
– Even items not worn or displayed embrace purple, like purple seat cushions at Coors Field and purple lighting around the ballpark.
Here is a breakdown of how different Rockies merchandise and collectibles prominently feature the color purple:
| Merchandise Item | Use of Color Purple |
|---|---|
| Replica jerseys | Most popular jersey style is purple |
| Apparel | Purple incorporated into t-shirts, jackets, etc. |
| Souvenirs | Pennants, mugs, keychains feature purple |
| Giveaways | Cups, towels, hats often purple themed |
| Ballpark items | Purple seat cushions, lighting |
The wide range of Rockies merchandise using the color purple shows how it has defined the franchise far beyond just their uniforms.
Conclusion
Since 1993, purple has been an integral part of the Colorado Rockies’ team image and identity. The original choice of purple paid homage to Colorado’s state flower while giving the expansion team instant uniqueness in MLB. Variations of purple have been featured across decades of Rockies uniforms, logos, and merchandise. While other teams wear purple occasionally, the Rockies embrace it as a staple color representing the personality and culture of the franchise. For both the players and fans, purple will forever be synonymous with Rockies baseball.
