'Stick With The Pinstripes': Yankees Fans React To Uniform Change For MLB Players Weekend
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Die-hard Yankees fans are reacting to the news that the team will be breaking with tradition and playing without their signature uniform for the first time in club history.
For nearly 100 years, the Yankees have never steered away from their trademark look: White uniforms with pinstripes at home and grey for away, never sporting their names on the back.
"The Yankees, they always stood for pride, power and class," fan Fernando Colon told CBS2's Hazel Sanchez. "To this day they have to be clean shaven. Just the history Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle -- what other team has that?"
"The classic pinstripe uniforms," fan Mark Clifton said. "You've got the Yankee way of how things go. They've always been professional -- no facial hair."
But during Major League Baseball's Players Weekend at the end of the month, the Bronx Bombers will be wearing navy jerseys with their nicknames stitched on the back.
Aaron Judge will wear "All Rise" while CC Sabathia will wear "Dub." It's also the first time in history that the Yankees will switch from wearing buttoned jerseys to pull-over ones.
But some fans are a little turned off.
"You know who your players are. You don't need the name on the back," fan Steve Dumeng said.
"Stick with the way it's always been," said Colon. "Stick with the pinstripes with no name on the back and that's it. Clean cut. That's the Yankee way."
"I think it's cool for a weekend, maybe even a weekend per season but I think they should definitely go back to the no names on their jerseys," said Clifton.
Even Mets fans think it's odd.
"The Yankees are wearing that? For real?" Mets said Jim Roeder. "I can't believe the Yankees are doing that. George would've never let that happen."
For the record, the Yankees didn't have a choice, Sanchez reported. They are required as part of an agreement with the players union and Majestic Athletic, the MLB apparel licensee.
Steven Dumeng Jr. said, unlike his dad, he likes the idea.
"I would like to see their names on the back. The nicknames are even cooler," he told Sanchez.
It's a cool idea to a lot of young fans, which Yankees historian Marty Appel says may be the exact reason why the MLB is making the modern move.
"It's very un-Yankee-like," he said. "So many people are talking about it. It's like good conversation, people are engaged, people are paying attention. And I'm always respectful of baseball's need to appeal to young people."
"A lot of people might like it. The jersey sales might go up," another man said.
During the Players Weekend, players will also have the option to wear individually designed spikes, batting gloves and catchers masks.
