SE: The Inside Story Behind K-State Baseball's New Uniforms - K-StateSports.com

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By: Austin Siegel

If every jersey tells a story, K-State baseball's new retro uniforms don't tell the story of the Chicago White Sox.
 
Sure, the nickname and colored stripes across the chest are inspired by Chicago's look during the Comiskey Park days of the 1980's. 
 
But really, these new threads tell the story of when K-State head coach Pete Hughes went to war with the Virginia Tech Bass Fishing Team. 
 
"The first day we were in Blacksburg, my family and I went down to the college bookstore," Hughes said. "I was like, 'Let's go to the sports section and get some baseball gear.' There wasn't a single T-shirt that said Virginia Tech baseball."
 
For the new head coach of the Hokies, there was also an unwelcome discovery.
 
"There was actually a shirt that said Virginia Tech Bass Fishing Team," Hughes said. "So, that's where we were."
 
Before Hughes could lead the Hokies back to relevance on the field – the team would reach the NCAA Tournament in 2010 and 2013 – he needed to get people talking about his program. 
 
And for that, Hughes looked to one of the more iconic uniforms in baseball history – the Houston Astros "tequila sunrise" jersey from the 1980's. 
 
Same pattern. Same font. Virginia Tech maroon and orange.
 
"Everyone was talking about that jersey," Hughes said. "Then they were talking about our program. Next thing you know, they're selling these T-shirts with a replica of our jersey in the stands. People were walking around town in these things."
 
Hughes knew a jersey that got people talking would help build the brand of his program, but even after arriving in Manhattan, his focus on college baseball aesthetics has always been about more than just marketing. 
 

 
When it comes to retro jerseys, Hughes has got the closet to back it up. 
 
His favorite jersey? The Denver Nuggets "rainbow skyline" threads during the 1980's. 
 
"I've got an Alex English jersey from Mitchell & Ness," Hughes said.  "It's got to be stitched to be in my closet."
 
For autographed uniforms, Hughes has one from his hometown Boston Red Sox, signed by Pedro Martinez.  
 
"I would wear it around with the kids and people would go 'Is that signed?' 'Yeah, it's signed.' 'Why would you wear that?' I would just go 'So everyone can see it!' I wasn't just going to keep that in my office or my house," Hughes said. 
 
Around the K-State baseball program, director of player and program development Colin Greaser knows Hughes' eye for uniforms better than most. 
 
After Hughes arrived in Manhattan in 2019, Greaser, a K-State grad, asked the new head coach if the Wildcats could incorporate more purple into their uniforms, after using black as a dominant color for years.

"That was the first thing, but he's always coming to me with different types of uniforms," Greaser said. "We did that with St. Patrick's Day and a green uniform this year."
 
When it comes to creating the perfect throwback jersey, Hughes didn't stop with the Astros – during his time at Virginia Tech, the Hokies also donned uniforms inspired by the Padres and Cardinals – complete with the bird-on-a-bat look that St. Louis has made famous. 
 
So, it wasn't exactly a surprise when Hughes pulled up a retro White Sox jersey on the internet, showed it to Greaser and said, "let's get this done."
 
Publications coordinator Ella Henton mocked up a draft of what the jersey might look like with a K-State spin and Greaser sent the designs to Nike. After getting mockups back from Nike HQ in Oregon, the uniforms were approved by K-State and sent back for production.
 
"The best part is seeing how excited the guys get when you give them new gear," Hughes said. "It used to be a pair of black cleats, a home white jersey, a road gray jersey and a black neutral jersey. That's it. I mean come on, let's flash it up a little bit."
 

 
For Greaser, taking K-State's iconic look and blending it with some of the most recognizable retro uniforms in baseball is just part of helping write the program's next chapter.
 
"We definitely feel like we've turned the corner and this program is headed somewhere," Greaser said. "It's a lot of fun to be a part of. It adds excitement and the guys love it."
 
If history is any indication, good things tend to happen when Hughes' programs turn back the clock with their uniforms – after wearing their Astros-inspired jersey, the Hokies made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade. 
 
And when Hughes returned to the campus bookstore at the end of the year, the Virginia Tech Bass Fishing Team was nowhere to be found. 
 
"Baseball had its own display. It was like, 'See? We did it.' It was awesome," Hughes said. "It means nothing, but it means everything. We built our brand and now the university could see our value. Those mannequins with all our uniforms and gear, it all started with a replica jersey that got people talking."

You can grab K-State baseball's new "Retro Cats" jersey right here. Adult sizes are currently on backorder and are expected to ship the week of June 29.
 

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