Indiana State Baseball Goes Retro with 1986 Uniforms

Image by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey

The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team celebrated the 40th anniversary of the team's World Series appearance this season. The current team honored these men with a pre-game celebration and donned the uniform tops for a weekend tilt against the University of Evansville.

Currently, the team wears a combination of blue and powder blue jerseys, but none are as memorable as the ones worn during the 1986 College World Series run in Omaha. The style was first worn during the 1978 season on home and away uniforms and was used at times through the 1993 season. The colors used over the years included white, royal blue, and powder blue. The team alternated its uniforms, at times wearing powder-blue pants with white tops and later royal-blue pants with white tops.

The jerseys worn for the occasion were pullover royal-blue tops featuring the iconic Indiana State image shaped like a pennant. A team photo was handed out to fans in the main plaza. The away uniforms were monochrome blue with a red TV number on the front of the jersey. To many in attendance, this was the look they grew up watching during the team’s success in the 1980s.

The distinctive design was introduced a couple of years after manager Bob Warn took over the ball club. His name now graces the ballpark. The jersey features an image of the state of Indiana with the word STATE in all capital letters to the right of it. The font features an Old West style not seen on any other athletic uniform of the era. Combined with the image, the lettering creates a pennant-shaped design accented by a thin outline that varies in color depending on the jersey.

The uniforms became tied to the ball club and other Warn teams. The Sycamores never finished below .500 from 1976 to 1994 and concluded his 21-year career at the university with a 1,070-741-9 record. This year’s team is tied for the conference lead with a 12-6 record in the Missouri Valley Conference and has posted an overall record of 28-23.

The look reached its pinnacle in 1986. That year, the Trees won the MVC championship and finished with a 48-21 record. They won the Mideast Regional in Ann Arbor, Michigan, knocking off Central Michigan in the final game. They then traveled to Omaha to face Florida State, losing the first game 5-3, before being eliminated by Oklahoma State, 4-0.

The team itself wore a version with silver pants and extra-large numbers on the back, but uniform styles during the 1980s also featured monochrome looks, as well as blue pants with white tops. They did not wear throwback hats featuring the interlocking ISU with a red arrow through the middle. Instead, the team wore its current caps.

There was plenty of merchandise available, but the most popular items were the T-shirts featuring a stylized design in shades of blue and gray. They cost $12 and sold well, with many in attendance grabbing a few to take home as souvenirs or to give to friends.

“They have been selling well, and we will bring them back for future games this year,” said a gentleman from Pacesetter Sports, where the shirts were produced. “We brought them out before this series, and people loved them.”

This isn’t a story about discovering who designed the jerseys or uncovering any deeper meaning behind them. At the time, the university was known for giving its basketball, baseball, and football teams distinctive visual identities. The baseball team embraced a wordmark that looked perfectly suited for a western or country bar, while also wearing jackets featuring the slithering “S” wrapped around the outline of Indiana, the same logo that appeared on the football helmets during the 1980s.

Emails to the ISU Information Department went unanswered, but this production may return in future seasons.

College and university baseball programs have brought back throwback looks to much applause from fans in the grandstand. What was once old is now new again.

Sometimes, certain looks never go out of style.

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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com