If you’re a new baseball fan who enjoys attending games at the stadium, or if you have ever taken a noob to the ballpark, then you have probably approached this question from one side or another:

“Why is that kid wearing his baseball cap inside out?”

And like every other equally bizarre but equally precious baseball oddity, you could just shrug, and say:

“Superstition.”

Or, you could give a real answer, and explore the highly disputed history of the Rally Cap.

A rally cap. Photo by Alex Carson, via Public Domain

A “rally cap” is more than a baseball cap that is worn inside out. It is a time-sensitive  phenomenon that occurs late in a game, when the team one is root-root-rooting for is losing. The cap is worn in solidarity to “rally” the team to come from behind and win the game.

The best time to break out a rally cap might be during the seventh inning stretch, and likewise anytime after that point is fair. However, putting on a rally cap any time before the bottom of the seventh, I would argue, is entirely uncalled for and premature… and means you have probably already had too much beer, because, well, you put your hat on inside out, you sad, drunk fool.

» Continue reading “Throwback Thursday: Inside-Out & Outside-In, The Tale Of The Rally Cap”