The History of Sports Uniforms

It's time to play ball! Your favorite team takes the field. You love the colors of the uniform and the cool mascot on the jersey. Have you ever wondered what some team colors mean and how their uniforms were chosen? Here are the histories behind the uniforms of some sports teams.

Duke University's Blue Devils

During World War I, the Chasseurs Alpins, also knows as "les Diables Bleus," were popular French soldiers who gained attention when their unique skills were relied upon to bring an end to trench warfare in their native region of the French Alps. Their presence didn't affect the cause that much but the Blue Devils were recognized for their courage, and their unique blue uniform with flowing cape and beret captivated the public interest. After the United States entered the war, some units of the French Blue Devils helped to raise money for the war effort by touring the country. Trinity College, now know as Duke University, chose the Blue Devils mascot and blue/white colors from nominations that included Blue Titans, Polar Bears, Royal Blazes and Blue Warriors.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers, originally founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates, changed their name to generate fan support since the steel industry was the city's primary source of employment. In 1962, Republic Steel of Cleveland asked the Steelers to use the Steelmark, the logo used by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), to honor the Pittsburgh steel heritage. The logo's colors represent the three materials used to produce steel: orange for iron ore, yellow for coal and blue for steel scrap. The Steelers are the only NFL team to sport its logo on only one side of the helmet.

Anaheim Ducks

How did a hockey team choose the "Ducks" for its uniforms? The Mighty Ducks were actually founded in 1993 by The Walt Disney Company. The team's name was chosen from the popular Disney movie The Mighty Ducks, a story about a group of troubled kids that turned their losing youth hockey team around and became winners. Disney created an animated series called Mighty Ducks that included a fictional Mighty Ducks of Anaheim team. The real team uses the Mighty Ducks logo on its uniforms to this day.

Other quick uniform facts:

o The Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first baseball team to wear knickers instead of pants. The reason for this choice was to show off the team's high red socks that had been designed by the owner's wife.
o In 1976, the Chicago White Sox wore shorts during the first game of a doubleheader. The players hated the shorts so much that they all switched back to pants for the night game.

Crystal is an Account Manager with Location3 Media.

Football Becomes Gender Neutral

The game of football has long been a source of contention among families. The standing jokes of the "man of the house" in a recliner with the remote yelling at the screen while the wife rolls her eyes in the kitchen as she prepares more food for all the "buddies".

A large number of women have taken to the sport, starting to watch the game fully armed with the knowledge of the rules and plays that accompany it. It seems to be turning towards more of a family event than the men gathering around asking for more refreshments while the women chat in the kitchen.

Some of the key ingredients have stayed the same all the way through. When you are hosting a football party, one of the key elements is generally the food. Having plenty of snack items on hand is key, along with a large flat screen TV and comfortable seating.

Having guests over for football is fun and easy to plan. Since the majority of the time will be spent watching the game, there is not much of a need for any other sort of entertainment. It can be as easy as throwing together some food and sitting all down together. Or, you may want to take it to the next level by decorating with streamers and balloons according to your "teams" colors. It is easy to find paper plates and cups to match, and that makes clean up a snap.

It's nice to see the football trend change a bit to include both genders. Getting together for any occasion with friends can be a great time, but getting together for a football game can really be a fantastic party "touchdown".

For the avid sportsman looking for things from football helmets to gear tents, Park's Sportsman is the place to shop. Heidi Ball is a freelance writer.

Houston Texans Jerseys - Colors and Designs

The Houston Texans are full members of the AFC southern Division of the NFL. This came about back in 2002 when the then Houston team, the Oilers, moved lock stock and barrel to Tennessee to become the Titans. The Houston Texans are only one of a handful of NFL teams that are yet to make it to a Super Bowl and as they are a relatively new team they have not so far taken part in the playoffs. As with any team, the more vocal and financial support they have the better the results are likely to be. You can show your allegiance by wearing one of the latest Houston Texans Jerseys.

The Texans do have a lot of potential. They have players that are very promising as well as a head coach who is accomplished in the sport. It is surely just a matter of time before they bring back to Houston the greatest sporting trophy in America. The first few seasons that they played in the NFL were disappointing, this must be said. But this season the performance and results are very different. Perhaps this will be their year.

If you are planning to get hold of the Texans jersey either for yourself or a loved one then it is important to decide which kit to opt for, there are actually three different styles when it comes to the design.

In all competitions the Houston Texans use a dark blue helmet emblazoned with their fierce bull logo. The jerseys and pants worn depend upon the time of the year and whether the match is being played in Houston or away. Usually for home games the Texans wear a white jersey and white pants with a red trim. This is important as the hot temperatures in Texas can have more of detrimental effect on players wearing dark colors. For away games the Texans use either a dark blue jersey with red trim or the opposite way around; a red jersey with blue trim.

When the Texans do use their all white home kit this forces the visiting team to play in darker colors and perhaps give the home team an advantage in the hot and sticky Houston climate. With player ability developing all the time it is essential that a team uses all necessary means to steal an advantage.

As you can see, there is a lot of choice when it comes to picking a Texans supporters jersey, you could even choose a selection of different designs to compliment the rest of your clothes and apparel.

Though the Houston Texans are still a relatively new team in the NFL their players are making waves with their performances. It takes time and effort for a team to find their place in the National Football League. The results in the 2008 and 2009 seasons show just how much the team have grown as a single unit over the last few years.

It is no surprise to discover that the Texans are receiving more and more support every year. By choosing their jerseys you can show your affiliation off proudly.

Michael Zhu is an expert author. He has written many articles in various interesting stories about nfl jerseys. For more information about Cincinnati Bengals Jerseys, please contact with us or check our web http://www.nfljerseysdiscount.net/