By Tom Hoffarth
Ugly is in the ire of the beholder.
And uniformly, Todd Radom has a laundry list of targets he can reference when sorting out Major League Baseball’s history on this dirty subject.
The Houston Astros’ rainbow fade that Nolan Ryan was once made to wear after the Angels let him walk away. Check.
The White Sox’ of Chicago’s scandalous attire at different points in the ‘70s and ‘80s – collared shirts, short pants, license-plate “SOX” across their hat and shirt. Double check.
The San Diego Padres’ Taco Bell brown-and-yellow mess that Tony Gwynn embraced out of embarrassment. Check please.
Do not dry clean any of the arguments Radom makes in presenting cases for these — as well as address two other faux paus much closer to our Southern California home – with the release of his new book, “Winning Ugly: A Visual History of the Most Bizarre Baseball Uniforms Ever Worn” (Sports Publishing, 156 pages, $24.99).
Check out the Q&A we did with Todd as he explains not just his book, which has been warmly embraced by the public, but also his time at MLB helping the Angels change their branding, the time the Dodgers messed up their perfect image, and why the Houston Astros’ rainbow attire of the ’80s stands out as The Worst.