Baseball is a very popular game of sport in the United States and was first introduced around 1840. Although the baseball game is much the same has it was in the early years the clothing that players wear has changed quite a lot. Most baseball uniforms comprise of shirts, pants, shoes, socks, caps and gloves. Children enjoy playing the game very much and also follow their favourite team with much interest. Children’s clothes are now available to match the baseball uniform of the team that they support and are often described as Festival clothes.

The New York Knickerbockers were the first baseball team to use uniforms when they started playing in pants made of blue wool, white flannel shirts and straw hats. Nowadays most baseball uniforms include the player’s name and uniform number, usually on the back of the shirt which helps the spectators identify who is playing within a team. By the end of the 19th century teams started wearing one of two different uniforms, one when they played in their own baseball stadium and a different one when they played away. By the 1930?s nearly every team had distinctive logos, letters or the team nickname on their home shirts.

At High School in the United States baseball is very popular and bat-boys and bat girls are required to wear a helmet rather than a cap while on the field. A batting helmet covers the back, top and sides of the head and at least one ear. The left ear is covered for right handed batters and the right ear for left handed batters, whichever ear faces the pitcher. The bat is not allowed to be more than 2 5/8 inches in diameter and in the 12- year old and under youth leagues, the bat may not be more than 2 ¼ inches in diameter.

Children’s clothes (Kinderkleidung) can be bought in all sorts of different designs and Festival clothes are very popular as presents for children for a Birthday present or Christmas present. In the United States baseball uniforms for children can be found in most big stores together with the bat and balls. Rounder’s is a game in England that children play at school which is very similar to baseball but not as popular as baseball is in the United States.

As well as Festival clothes for children the shoes that they wear is very important and the most popular ones are white in colour. Years ago most baseball shoes were black leather but today there are hardly any all black shoes at all. Children’s clothes are very popular if they have the latest design on them and all children want to show off in the latest fashion. It is very difficult sometimes for parents to keep up to date with what is the present must have children’s clothes. However, once a child has been bought his baseball uniform along with the shoes, bat and balls he will not want to change his uniform for some time if it is the colours of the team he follows. Some of the baseball uniforms are striped and can be bought in different colours. Over the years small stripes on uniforms have become long stripes along the length of the uniforms and then pinstripes were widened so that the crowd could see them more clearly.

Children’s clothes are now just as fashionable as adult clothes and the Festival clothes (Festkleider) are very popular with the new trendy designs of the moment. Children want to look like their favourite pop idol or as in America their favourite baseball player.