18-03-2025
Here's why you may be seeing Reds hats at the Dodgers-Cubs Tokyo Series
No, your eyes aren't deceiving you.
In a sea of blue Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs hats, a few red hats resembling the Cincinnati Reds' signature "C" logo have been spotted in the Dodgers-Cubs Tokyo Series crowd in Japan.
While it's certainly possible that fans in attendance are sporting Reds baseball caps, especially since former All-Star first baseman Joey Votto was in attendance Tuesday, the hats most likely belong to one of Japan's professional baseball teams: the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
The Carp are among the 28 Asian professional baseball teams, as they compete in Nippon Professional Baseball, and were founded four years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1949.
According to the team's website, the Carp's official colors are red and dark blue. However, their uniforms, specifically their hats, bear a strong resemblance to the Reds' caps.
But the connections don't stop there.
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Former Reds outfielder Shogo Akiyama plays for the Carp. The team's blue and green dragon-like mascot, Slyly, also resembles the Reds' mascot, Gapper. However, Slyly looks more similar to the Philadelphia Phillies' Phillie Phanatic, as both mascots were designed by Bonnie Erickson and Wayde Harrison, who worked with both Sesame Street and the Muppets creator Jim Henson.
＼HAPPY BIRTH DAY／ 🎂 #スラィリー 🎂 🎁7/29🎁 ㊗️29周年㊗️#誕生日 #カープ #carp#SLYLY #おめでとう
— 広島アスリートマガジン編集部 (@hiroshimathlete) July 29, 2024
The Dodgers defeated the Cubs 4-1 Tuesday, marking the official start to the MLB season. The teams face off again Wednesday at 6:10 a.m. ET. The rest of the MLB starts regular season play Thursday, March 27.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why fans are wearing Reds hats at the Dodgers-Cubs Tokyo Series
