The Eau Claire Express do not need my help. In their eight seasons, they have established themselves as one of the most successful Northwoods League franchises, both on and off the field. Yet I have an insatiable desire to improve their image. In an Athletic Aesthetic column a year ago, I helped compose a theme song for the Express (“All Aboard Express” – still viewable on the Volume One YouTube channel). Heading into season nine of Express baseball, I decided to apply this column’s title to my project: designing a 1970s-era throwback Express uniform.

The Express have been sporting “Turn-Back-The-Clock” uniforms for several seasons, wearing 1953 Eau Claire Bears unis with an exceptional attention to details. One could even argue that the Bears look should be adopted on a full-time basis, though that would require a whole-scale re-branding of the franchise, and that will never happen. However, a new trend involves teams turning the clock back a little less than before, to the era of bright colors, fat fonts and pullovers. This is known as the Double-Knit Era.

The Double-Knit Era lasted from roughly 1970-90, when double-knit polyester replaced wool as the primary uniform fabric and, with a more-versatile material at their disposal – and color television becoming the industry standard – many baseball teams experimented with varied palettes and graphic designs. Road uniforms became powder-blue, real belts were replaced by snapped fabric “sans-a-belts” and jerseys could be seen in all red, orange, or brown. Eventually, the sense of tradition that drives the ethos of baseball returned the plainer scripts, grays and belts to the game by the 1990s.

However, as those who grew up in the Double-Knit Era grew into season ticket holders, satellite package subscribers and front office executives, a new-found appreciation for the sometimes-garish looks of the ’70s and ’80s manifested itself in modern turn-back-the-clock games. Some clubs have gone so far as to introduce Double-Knit Era throwback alternates (like the Brewers’ Retro Fridays uniform), or resurrected designs from that time as a permanent new look (i.e., the Blue Jays and Orioles). What was radical to an older generation is classic to a newer one.

It is time that the Express, er, get on board with the trend. For a reference year, I chose perhaps the peak of the crazily-colored polyester uniform fad: 1978, which just so happens to be 35 years ago this season. Utilizing the handy online Ripon Athletic uniform designer, I whipped-up a Double-Knit throwback the Express can call their own. Refer to this article’s related image to see the design.

If we wanted to create a true ’70s-era throwback, we’d have to change the name. “Express” is a collective noun, and similar team names like the “Miami Heat” and “Orlando Magic” didn’t really appear in sports until the late-1980s. In 1978, our team probably would have been the “Locomotives.” To avoid too much change, let’s just stick with “Express.”

I thought about what a summer collegiate team like the Express realistically would have worn at that time.  Such a team in the 1970s would have a simple look, so I went with a burnt orange pullover jersey. There’s an old-timey “EXPRESS” across the chest (echoing the ’70s-era Texas Rangers), using an Old West-style font that echoes the glory years of trains. Stripes were thicker and bolder back then, so I went with black-white-black striping around the v-neck and sleeve, and some meaty black-orange-black striping down the pants and on the “sans-a-belt.” To truly go for the period effect, the Express would have to wear the unis as form-fitting as baseball players did three decades ago, not the pajamas look of the 2010s.

Unwittingly (or, perhaps, wittingly?), the Express sort of threw back to the Double-Knit Era with their recent black crown/orange-paneled cap, a look that was commonplace a generation ago but only recently made a comeback. Similar to that design, I thought an appropriate 1978 cap would have the same color scheme, with a simple “E C” logo using that same Old West-style font.

Express, it’s your call. You like the look? Wanna do a 1978 throwback night, with Bee Gees and Barry Manilow player intro music? Do it: you’ll be the grooviest team in the Northwoods.