Field not only thing new for Mud Hens

The new Mud Hens uniforms feature a font from the '40s, pinstripes from the '60s and, for the first time, sleeveless jerseys.

The Toledo Mud Hens will have some new clothes to wear as they begin playing at their new home, Fifth Third Field, next Tuesday.

The Hens will have two variations on their home uniform, which is white and sleeveless with blue pinstripes and red piping around the letters and numbers. During day games, including the home opener on April 9, the team will wear a red undershirt along with the team's batting practice cap, which features only the head of a Mud Hen.

During home night games the team will wear blue undershirts and the traditional cap, which features a Mud Hen swinging a bat and the letter “T.”

On the road the Hens will wear gray uniforms with blue pinstripes, red piping and blue undershirts. The team also will wear its traditional cap on the road.

One distinctive feature found on both uniforms is the script used for the team name and player numbers. The type style includes loops in the middle of the “M” and on the edge of the “H” in the words “Mud Hens.” The word “Toledo” can be found on the front of the road jerseys, but is not on the home uniform.

“The script was used by the teams in the 1940s and is a unique font,” said Hens general manager Joe Napoli during an edition of The Editors broadcast over the weekend. “The pinstripes came from the uniforms of the '60s. But the sleeveless jerseys, we've never had that before.”

The team will sell replicas of both uniforms in its souvenir store, which is located next to the Washington Street ticket office.

The Hens will practice at their new ballpark, Fifth Third Field, this evening at 5:15 and again tomorrow at noon before bussing to Louisville. Both workouts are closed to the public.

Toledo will open the season against the RiverBats on Thursday at 7:15 p.m.