For the last three seasons, Nike has taken their role as official jersey manufacturer seriously by revolutionizing team jerseys to incorporate a city theme. Last week, multiple NBA teams officially disclosed their new threads for 2019-20 – some of them paying homage to the team histories, with others going for something totally fresh.
Brooklyn Nets
In a font that upholds the rich and beautiful legacy of Brooklyn’s graffiti scene, the Nets brought out a new set with a Bed-Stuy tag and technicolor lining. They debuted the jerseys in a tweet that quoted local hip hop legend Notorious B.I.G, which read: “Live from Bedford-Stuyvesant, the livest one. Representing BK to the fullest.”
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls brought the Chicago flag right into their uniform last year, but its small presence against against black jerseys has become much more incorporated into the jersey this year, with the flag’s blue as the base itself and the stars scattered across the shorts. Patriotic, much?
Cleveland Cavs
For their 50th birthday, the Cavs are celebrating with a throwback to 1970 and the journey of their team and franchise ever since.
Denver Nuggets
Don’t worry, this signature vintage rainbow skyline that was just brought back last year as an homage to over a decade of Jerseys from the past isn’t going anywhere – it’s just getting a new white base.
Detroit Pistons
After a short black-and-gray break from their regular blue-and-red, the Pistons are bringing the tried and true color palette back this year.
Milwaukee Bucks
Often called Cream City for its distinctive look, the Bucks are finally grabbing Milwaukee’s nickname for themselves – and going all out with cream-colored jerseys as well.
Sacramento Kings
Last season’s blue has been replaced by this season’s red, which the team says “represent[s] that passion and energy that has echoed through our arena.”
Washington DC Wizards
The ‘stars & stripes’ look was originally designed for games that honored the U.S. military but was shelved 2 years ago – until now. Along with it, they brought back their Bullets-era-inspired ‘DC’ to replace ‘Washington’.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame Will Not Have Any New Inductees in 2021
In a rare turn of events, the National Baseball Hall of Fame will not have any new inductees in 2021. This has happened for the first time since 1960 and only the seventh time since the first elections were held back in 1936. Still, there is yet a chance for some of the MLB players to enter the Hall of Fame later this summer.
None of the 25 MLB Players Reached the 75% Voting Threshold to Enter the Hall of Fame
While none of the MLB players managed to get 75% of the vote for the Hall of Fame, some were quite close. Starting pitcher Curt Schilling came closest with 71%, getting just sixteen votes shy of an admission. He then asked the Hall of Fame to remove him from next year’s vote. The next induction day is scheduled for July 25.
Experts Say Curt Schilling’s Inflammatory Social Media Rhetoric Affected the Vote
While Schilling had a very compelling case for entering the Hall of Fame, it seems his history of posting intolerant comments on social media cost him some votes, and ultimately, the spot. The MLB star responded with a letter to the Hall of Fame officials, declaring that he will not participate in the 2022 vote. Schilling also released the letter to the public, noting that he had often stated he was not Hall of Fame material but would accept such an honor if former players thought he was.
The votes for Schilling have steadily increased over the years, rising from 51% in 2018 to almost 61% in 2019 and 70% in 2020. Despite that, he gained just four new votes this year and was not elected. This is the ninth time the Baseball Writers’ Association of America did not elect players to enter the Hall of Fame. Previous years with such an outcome were 1945, 1950, 1958, 1960, 1965, 1971, 1996, and 2013. Still, the BBWAA elected some twenty-two players from 2014 to 2020. Other players who got a big percentage of the vote were Scott Rolen with 52.9%, Todd Helton with 44.9%, Billy Wagner with 46.4%, and Gary Sheffield with 40.6%.