Eric Starling, Adam Sparks, Jacob Taylor
The Auburn Baseball team has new uniforms for 2023. We saw them for the first time a few weeks ago during an intrasquad scrimmage, but now have seen them in game action for over a month. That’s the perfect time to break down every single detail as we always do here on the Auburn Uniform Database.
What’s New
The Tigers have three new uniform colorways – navy, cream, and grey. Each features the script Auburn wordmark across the chest with a contrasting-colored number underneath. The back of the jersey includes a nameplate and number matching the script’s color on the front. The left sleeve houses an American flag patch while the SEC patch gets moved from its typical spot to the right sleeve.
The new navy jerseys look good with navy or white pants. (image via Adam Sparks, OA News)
Four new pairs of pants have been worn through the season thus far – white, cream, grey, and navy. Three of the pants are solid colors without any stripe whatsoever, while the navy britches have a single white stripe.
The all-navy look is paired with the white-AU logo cap, while the other combinations are worn with the orange-and-white AU logo hats.
The new set brings a couple of firsts for Auburn. It’s the first time in program history that the team has worn the US flag on the jerseys. Not since before World War I have the Tigers worn an all-navy combination. And, for the first time under Butch Thompson, all the new jerseys feature a player’s name on the back.
All of the new jerseys are on Under Armour’s latest template. Much like the softball uniforms, these jerseys don’t include buttons. For years now, the “placket” – the part of the garment that overlaps and buttons together – has been just for decorations. The majority of the buttons haven’t been functional as the placket is sewn shut, only allowing the top two buttons to be useful. Now, the buttons have been removed altogether.
Auburn also added the US flag to the pinstripe uniforms, which are being carried over from the last set.
We also see two new batting helmets this season. The Tigers have worn a single helmet since the 2018 season. One features an all white AU logo for the navy set and the other has an orange-and-white logo, matching the combination’s hat.
The details are the important feature here. The Tigers replaced the flat decals with new 3D logos for the AU on the front and the SEC logo and player number on the back. We’ve see the softball team wear similar logos in the past, but this is the first time for the baseball squad.
You can see all the differences between the new and previous uniform designs here:
Auburn’s new uniforms have a direct connection to the program’s rich aesthetic history.
All three uniforms are based on the original Hal Baird-era uniforms worn by legends Bo Jackson and Frank Thomas. Baird’s Tigers were the first to wear a script design, debuting in 1985 with white and grey colorways. An orange style was introduced around 1992.
The new threads naturally differ from the Baird-era uniforms in a few minor ways. The original numbers were rendered in a traditional block font as the current set uses Auburn’s usual Copperplate numerals. Auburn previously wore a block-A hat rather than the interlocking AU caps. The AU logo did appear on the left sleeve, which now dons the USA flag. The scripts also had a white outline that isn’t present on the new version.
The biggest change comes with the script itself. Baird’s teams wore a style that included a more rounded “A” that had a stem on the top. The current script, introduced with Auburn’s cream set in 2009, features a more stylized “A,” along with a few other tweaks of the remaining letters.
Around 1989, the Tigers wore a new jersey with a block-A on the script instead. It often was seen mixed in with the original style. The original rounded-A would be the dominant style again in 1991. A similarly designed “Tigers” script was worn in 1992. It hasn’t been discovered in any subsequent seasons, indicating it was probably scrapped after a few games.
The original script uniforms were retired after the 1994 season. Starting in 1995, the Tigers utilized the AU logo primarily, while two new scripts were worn. The navy tops included another capital “A” Auburn script, with the “A” looking more like the Atlanta Braves. The orange jerseys had a Minnesota Twins-style Tigers script.
The script wasn’t seen after 1998 until Auburn added their first cream-colored alternates in 2009. The creams were worn through the 2018 and hadn’t been seen since. Word is that the inventory of jerseys on hand didn’t have the correct number and sizes to outfit the entire time, while others were showing their age and wear.
The new cream uniforms are rather similar to the predecessor, though there are a few small tweaks. The originals had a navy stripe around the collar and sleeves with a stripe down the pants leg. While it’s difficult to tell without both side-by-side, the new creams look to be a shade or two lighter than the old set.
The navy-blue britches have been the big story so far, creating a unique look for the Tigers. Auburn hasn’t worn blue pants at all since 1936. The 1935 and 1936 teams wore blue tops and blue pants while adding an orange cap to the combination. The all-blue look has been divisive among fans, though it appears that many are starting to warm up to it.
Side-by-side look at the original Baird uniforms from 1988 and the modern cream style. (images via Auburn Glomerata & Adam Sparks, OA News)
What’s Missing
With just three new uniforms, there are naturally some missing items to complete the entire set.
Even with the historic counterparts to rely on, why aren’t there white or orange colorways?
When not wearing the new uniforms (or the pinstripes first introduced in 2020), the Tigers have sported the old white uniforms. Originally debuting in 2018, the old set features a two-colored script and number with Northwestern stripes wrapping the collar, sleeve cuffs, and running down the pants leg.
It’s certainly not ideal to have a mismatched uniform set like this. You simply don’t plan to do this (unless budget constrictions require annual installations, which wouldn’t be the case with Auburn). It’s out of necessity that the white uniforms are still in rotation. That alone leaves me to think that a white colorway is also on the way.
The local Alumni Hall store in fact leaked the white colorway when the retail jerseys first arrived. It’s the same base design, but the AU logo is on the sleeve rather than the US flag. I find it hard to imagine that the retail jerseys would differ from the game jerseys in this manner. The remaining colorways are supposed to be available soon enough (end of March or early April for Fanatics, I’ve been told).
As for the orange jerseys, I’ve been informed that they may arrive later in the season and make an appearance. When they arrived, there were some inconsistencies that needed to be rectified, therefore Auburn sent them back. I got the sense that the orange colorways would be a different design and not include the script, but that’s to be determined for when they finally hit the field.
But why not just wear the old orange jerseys? Especially when wearing the old white uniforms.
While that’s an understandable logical conclusion, it lacks a few details. Personally, I don’t think the old orange tops are even available anymore. Much like the original cream uniforms, I believe enough orange jerseys have been gifted or given away, sold off, or whatever, and are no longer in the equipment room, that they can’t outfit the entire team.
Part of why I think that is that, well, I now own one of those orange jerseys, complete with the 2022 College World Series patch. And it includes a number for a player that is currently on the roster. If it were a number that wasn’t issued for the 2023 season, I may think a little differently here.
It’s important to mention that supply chains are still lagging behind after being greatly impacted in 2020. Sports equipment and apparel have been hit hard as well, harder than many other industries. It’s not just an Under Armour issue – it’s every manufacturer. And it goes beyond uniforms. There are delays and issues with so many aspects of this industry right now and will be for a while.
While we don’t have orange or white jerseys right now, I do think they’re coming. And if we don’t get confirmation on the diamond soon, we may know more once the retail jerseys hit the racks.
Here are the current uniform combinations and records through this past weekend’s games:
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(As mentioned in the story, the new Auburn Baseball jerseys will be available for purchase soon. Stay tuned to the social media accounts above for information when they are available.)
