Lame: MLB Bans Gun Image On Throw-Back Houston Astros Jerseys

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Written By:
Rob Port

Feb 29, 2012
3:58pm

Like baseball fans everywhere, I’m ecstatic for the beginning of spring training games later this week, but this nonsense is putting a damper on my enthusiasm.

The Houston Astros‘ plan to commemorate their franchise’s 50th anniversary this year hit a roadblock when Major League Baseball officials decided players could not wear special “throwback” uniforms featuring the team’s original name — the Colt .45s — with their original logo, a pistol.

Players instead will be wearing versions of the original uniform but with the gun image removed.

Here’s the logo:

In a statement, a representative from the team likened the banning of the gun image to the decision in the NBA to change the name of the Washington Bullets to the Washington Wizards:

[D]uring our discussion with Major League Baseball, it was expressed to us that we could wear the uniform as long as the pistol was removed. We realize this changes the original design, but we still want to honor the Colt .45s. We are also under an obligation to follow Major League Baseball’s requests.

Personally I can see how in this time period any sports league (MLB, NFL, NBA, etc.) would not want a team logo associated with a weapon on their uniform that is broadcast to many people. In recent years the Washington Bullets were renamed the Wizards because of this very subject. The symbol of a warm gun with the “C” coming out as smoke is an image many of us have for the Colt .45s. The Wild West theme this franchise had in the early 1960s is symbolic of how times have changed in our society.

There is nothing inherently threatening or offensive about a gun image on a jersey. The Colt .45′s team name no more promotes gun violence than the Milwaukee Brewers promote drunk driving, or the Atlanta Braves tomahawk logo promotes scalping.

It’s a trivial matter, really, and obviously Major League Baseball is a private organization that can make whatever decisions they want in this regard. But it just goes to show how downright Orwellian those who would protect us from ourselves really are.