| Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of | | | | Red Stockings. It became the explicit identity of |
| play in professional baseball. Major League Baseball | | | | the club. The 1876 Chicago White Stockings |
| specifically refers to the organization that | | | | actually wore caps of different colors. In 1882, |
| operates North American professional baseball's | | | | the National League assigned stocking colors to |
| two major leagues, the National League and the | | | | the member clubs: red for Boston, white for |
| American League. A joint organizational structure | | | | Chicago, grey for Buffalo, blue for Worcester, |
| had been existed between them since 1903.The | | | | gold for Detroit, green for Troy, and so on. The |
| American League is in operation under the | | | | league also assigned jersey and cap colors that |
| Designated Hitter Rule while the National League is | | | | year. |
| not operated on the same rule. | | | | Traditionally, teams wore uniforms that were |
| The American and National leagues were officially | | | | mostly white with trim in team colors when they |
| disbanded as separate legal entities in 2000. All the | | | | played at home. They wore uniforms that were |
| rights and functions were consolidated in the | | | | mostly gray with trim in team colors when they |
| commissioner's office. MLB effectively operates | | | | played away. With the advent of synthetic |
| as a single league. It constitutes one of the major | | | | fabrics, teams began using more color in their |
| professional sports leagues of North America. | | | | uniforms in the early 1970s. The Pittsburgh Pirates |
| New York-based MLB Advanced Media is the | | | | began a trend of multiple combinations of |
| production/multimedia wing of MLB. It manages | | | | differently colored jerseys and trousers and caps |
| oversees and all 30 of the individual teams' | | | | (with the options of black, yellow, and white with |
| websites. MLB Advanced Media holds editorial | | | | pin stripes) in the late 1970s. |
| independence from the League itself as per its | | | | In an exhibition game, the All-Star game pits |
| charter. But it comes under the same ownership | | | | players from the NL, headed up by the manager |
| group and revenue-sharing plan. MLB Productions is | | | | of the previous NL World Series team, against |
| a similarly-structured wing of the league, focusing | | | | players from the AL. The 2002 contest ended in |
| on video and traditional broadcast media. | | | | an 11-inning tie because both teams were out of |
| The Major League regular season continues from | | | | pitchers. The fans were not happy with the |
| late March or early April to late September or | | | | results. The league which won the game received |
| early October. During February and March, players | | | | the benefit of home-field advantage for a |
| and teams prepare for the season in spring | | | | two-year trial in 2003 and 2004. |
| training, primarily in Florida and Arizona. Three | | | | Following this format, the 2005 contest was |
| rounds of playoffs follow the regular season. Then | | | | played in Detroit. The Boston Red Sox and |
| there is the World Series in late October. | | | | Chicago White Sox ( ) took some advantage of |
| According to official rule of major League Baseball, | | | | the rule in 2004 and 2005 respectively, as each |
| all players of a team are required to wear | | | | team started the Series with two home victories, |
| matching uniforms. There was no such rule in | | | | giving them good momentum for a sweep. |
| force in the early days,. Originally, teams were | | | | However, the rule did not help the Yankees in |
| primarily distinguished by the colors of their | | | | 2003, as they lost the Series to Florida in 6 |
| stockings. The adoption of sock color was | | | | games, or the Detroit Tigers in 2006 as they lost |
| popularized after the success of the Cincinnati | | | | to the St. Louis Cardinals in 5 games. |