A few years back, we celebrated the iconic and vibrant jerseys of the Oakland A’s, recognizing their place as some of the most unique and creatively designed uniforms in sports. Their innovative approach decades ago truly revolutionized the concept of colorful and dynamic uniform designs across all leagues.
But when you envision an A’s uniform, what comes to mind? Throughout their history, the team has experimented with a wide array of styles, offering a diverse selection to choose from. Do you favor the timeless home whites, the vintage gold sleeveless vests, or perhaps the refreshed kelly green designs?
It’s time to settle the debate! We’ve curated 16 distinct Oakland A’s uniform designs, organizing them into four competitive brackets. Now, we’re inviting you to participate in a community vote to narrow down the field and ultimately declare the greatest uniform in Oakland A’s history. Following a bracket-style format, similar to a tournament, we’ll progress through rounds of voting to identify the ultimate champion. In this opening round, we’ll reduce the 16 contenders to just eight.
Here’s a breakdown of the four brackets:
- Home Whites: Featuring the modern white uniform, the ‘80s “Oakland” script, the ‘73 pinstripes, and the ‘68 kelly green/white sleeveless design.
- Gold Tops: Showcasing the ‘70s pullover gold, the ‘70s monochrome gold, the ‘70s gold sleeveless vest, and the contemporary gold alternate jerseys.
- Green Tops: Including the modern green top, the ‘70s pullover green, the solid green with piping, and the Player’s Weekend special edition.
- Wild Card: Presenting the road gray uniforms, the new kelly green alternates, the black tops from 2000, and the black tops from ‘08-’10.
While a few notable designs might be absent (such as the green and gold variations of the ‘80s “Oakland” script, and the ‘70s green monochrome), this compilation comprehensively covers the major uniform themes and styles, even though hat variations have been even more extensive. Let’s delve into each bracket and examine the contenders.
White Bracket
The Lineup: Modern Whites, ‘80s Oakland Print, ‘73 Stripes, ‘68 Kelly/White Sleeveless
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The first bracket, Home Whites, presents a classic contrast. The initial matchups are set horizontally, pitting the contemporary home white uniforms, exemplified here by Dave Stewart, against the original 1968 home attire—a sleeveless vest over kelly green sleeves, modeled by Catfish Hunter in the upper right. Intriguingly, both of these iconic A’s uniforms were worn by pitchers during their respective perfect games, adding a layer of history to these designs.
The other first-round face-off features the 1970s pinstriped jersey with the distinctive “A’s” logo, worn by Vida Blue, against the similar 1980s iteration that prominently displayed “Oakland” across the chest, as seen on Davey Lopes. This bracket highlights the evolution of the white A’s home uniform, from vintage sleeveless styles to more modern designs.
Gold Bracket
The Lineup: ‘70s Pullover, ‘70s Monochrome, ‘70s Sleeveless Vest, Modern Gold Alts
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Moving to the Gold Bracket, we encounter a range of golden hues. In the top row, we see the ‘70s gold uniform, a pullover style instead of a traditional button-up, complete with the iconic stripe running down the side of the pants, as worn by Joe Rudi. Paired against it is the modern gold alternate, reintroduced by the team in 2011, showcased here by Gio Gonzalez. These modern gold A’s uniforms offer a contemporary take on a classic color.
The bottom row presents two remarkably similar, yet distinct, looks. On the left is the striking monochrome jersey, where both the shirt and pants are rendered in a vibrant gold, as modeled by Ken Holtzman. On the right is another predominantly monochrome design, this time a sleeveless vest that prominently features the green sleeves underneath, once again worn by Vida Blue – a name perhaps unexpectedly recurring in an article focused on gold uniforms! This bracket explores the different shades and styles of gold in A’s uniforms history.
Green Bracket
The Lineup: Modern Green, ‘70s Pullover, Solid Green w/ Piping, Player’s Weekend
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The Green Bracket showcases the verdant side of A’s uniforms. In the top row, we have Tim Hudson sporting the modern green top, featuring the “Athletics” script across the chest and a matching green-brimmed hat, enhanced by his turtleneck and long sleeves. Opposing it is the ‘70s green pullover, worn here by a clean-shaven Sal Bando. These green A’s uniforms highlight the team’s primary color in various iterations.
In the bottom row, we have Mike Fiers facing himself, in a way. On the left, he’s wearing the current green top adorned with yellow piping, while on the right, he’s pictured in the 2017-18 Player’s Weekend jersey with gold sleeves (predating its transformation into the less favored mono-white version of 2019). The Player’s Weekend uniform is particularly noteworthy as a rare design (possibly unique) to pair a gold cap with a green brim. This bracket demonstrates the variety within green A’s uniforms, including special edition designs.
Wild Card Bracket
The Lineup: Road Grays, New Kelly Green, Black Tops 2000, Black Tops ‘08-’10
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Finally, we reach the Wild Card Bracket, a collection of unique and standout A’s uniforms. In the top row, we have the contemporary road gray uniforms, appropriately worn by Sonny Gray. Competing against it is the recently introduced kelly green alternate uniform from the past few seasons, modeled here by Matt Chapman. These represent the A’s away and alternate uniform styles.
The bottom row features two versions of the black top A’s uniforms. On the right is the original black jersey from 2000, distinguished by the green script, worn by Miguel Tejada. On the left is its successor from 2008-10, featuring a white script, as seen on Jason Giambi. This bracket showcases the A’s experimentation with darker uniform colors, adding another dimension to their uniform history.
Which of these A’s uniforms are your personal favorites? Let us know your top picks from each bracket!
