Two summers ago, we started The Uniform Project with a look at how Muhlenberg’s uniforms have evolved in the sports of track and field, field hockey and men’s soccer over the years.

After a year off, The Uniform Project is back this summer. And what better sport to start with on this July 4 weekend than our national pastime?

Baseball is often criticized for its slow pace of play, but how about the slow pace of uniform change? Baseball made its debut at Muhlenberg in 1914, and more than a half-century later, although the caps changed every few years, the uniforms looked pretty much the same, with “Muhlenberg” in an arc across the chest of a button-down shirt.

Proof that a classic look never really goes out of style – the new uniforms worn by the Mule softball team in 2014 are very reminiscent of those early baseball unis (though not flannel).

The most significant uniform development until the 1970s was the presence of a bird in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Yes, for a few years the men in Cardinal & Grey were known, at least informally, as the Cardinals. “Mules” was not adopted as the official nickname until later on.

As if making up for lost time, the uniform changes have been numerous in the last 40-plus years. The buttonless, beltless uniforms that came into vogue in the 1970s found their way to Allentown. Color tops – and bottoms – were introduced too. Sam Beidleman, head baseball coach from 1970 to 1992, loved to tell the story of visiting the mound during a game while wearing a red pullover uniform top and red uniform pants. “Hey, there goes The Great Tomato!” remarked one heckling fan.

Buttons came back in the 1990s, and there has been an explosion of new uniforms in the past few years. Like many college teams, the 2014 Mules had three options for gameday tops: red, gray (rarely worn) and the popular digital camo.

What team should we feature next Thursday? Leave a comment below or tweet us at @Muhl_sports.