The Mud Hens will open the 2006 season with a new look, thanks to a new logo that was introduced during the offseason as well as new home and road uniforms that were unveiled yesterday.
The biggest change in the home uniform is the unique lettering that spells "Mud Hens" on the front of the jersey, as well as a yellow bird feather that helps complete the "E" in the word "Hens."
The road uniform features the new "Muddy" logo swinging a bat as part of the letter "T" of the word "Toledo."
Mud Hens general manager Joe Napoli said the impetus for the change was the introduction of the new logo this past winter.
"After last season we sat down with Craig Katz, our manager of souvenirs, and discussed the opportunity to create a unique font for the club," Napoli said. "Over the history of the club the fonts were generally not unique. We wanted to create a font and logo that was respectful of the 'classic' logo.
"We thought we had to pay respect to a nickname that has been around for over 100 years. But we've come up with a font that is unique to the Mud Hens."
The use of the word "Toledo" on the front of the road jersey is a departure from years past, in which that jersey instead said "Mud Hens." Traditionally baseball road jerseys feature the name of the hometown.
"I think it's the first time we've ever had the character on the chest of the jersey," Napoli said. "And because the 'Mud Hens' nickname is so popular, we always put 'Mud Hens' on the road jersey for the purpose of selling more jerseys."
The style of the home jersey is similar to last season's: For most games the team will wear white vest jerseys with navy pinstripes; underneath the vest the players will wear navy undershirts that have the new logo on the left sleeve and a patch to commemorate the 2006 Triple-A All-Star Game on the right sleeve.
The blue hat will feature the traditional "T" logo.
On Sundays and on special occasions the team will wear red undershirts under the home vest, with the red undershirts having the same logos as the blue ones. The alternate hat is a red cap with a navy visor and the new "Muddy" logo.
"For the lack of a better name, we've called it the 'Smart-Alec Muddy,'●" Napoli said of the new logo. "He has this cocky look about him, and actually that's what has made him attractive [to our fans]."
The away jersey is a gray vest with navy pinstripes; underneath the players will wear a navy undershirt with the logo on the left sleeve and the All-Star logo on the right. The road hat is blue with a navy visor and the new Muddy head. Katz said the team has had both the home and road jerseys in the team's souvenir store for about a week, and the response of fans to the new logos has been positive.
"People like that the home jersey has that feather on it, which has been unique," he said. "The road jersey has been a huge success because people have been proud to wear the 'Toledo' on their jersey. And the logo on the road jersey has been, by far, our most popular logo. That, along with the word 'Toledo,' has made that a big winner."
The team also has new batting practice uniforms, which consist of a navy mesh jersey with white piping and the logo of Muddy swinging the bat on the left breast.
- John Wagner
First Published April 6, 2006, 11:22 a.m.
