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The Cubs' home uniform has been essentially unchanged since 1958. The blue-pinstripe classic has had some minor modifications -- a slightly different "CUBS" on the front, different Cub emblems on the sleeve, and names added on the back -- but what you see on the field at Wrigley Field these days is, for all intents and purposes, what the team has been wearing for home games for the last 57 years.
The road uniform? Not so much, and this post was inspired by the Cubs again wearing their late-1950s road uniform as a throwback Friday against the White Sox. They wore a similar road uniform, from 1964, in a throwback game at Philadelphia last year.
I thought I'd post examples of each of these road uniforms just as they were worn by players of the era, and see which one you like best. I've made no secret of my admiration for the 1958-68 model and my feeling that the Cubs should adopt this as their primary uniform away from Wrigley Field. Click on any of the photos for a larger version in a new browser window or tab. Have a look at all of these and then vote in the poll for your favorite.
1958-68
This classic look worn by Ernie Banks is the one replicated in the throwbacks from last year and this year. The Cubs could either go back to the bear-cub look that's on this mid-1960s version, or use a current version of that logo, or mix-and-match.
Here's a throwback version of this jersey (the 1964 edition) as worn by Jake Arrieta in Philadelphia last year:
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
1969-71
For MLB's centennial year in 1969 (see the patch on Ron Santo's right sleeve), the Cubs changed from red-and-blue for lettering to all-blue, and added uniform numbers on the front. While the uniform remained gray, it got somewhat lighter and had blue hints in it.
Louis Requena/MLB Photos via Getty Images
1972
MLB was switching over from wool uniforms to polyester in the early 1970s, with the beltless look that remained part of many baseball uniforms into the 1980s. 1972 was the Cubs' first year with these uniforms, and this road uniform -- with the number in the middle, something that I don't think has been done by any other team -- lasted just one season.
Louis Requena/MLB Photos via Getty Images
1973-77
For these four seasons the Cubs went back to a similar look to the 1969-71 model, only in a polyester pullover, and the background color definitely a powder blue, which was trendy among quite a few teams in the 1970s. This photo of Bill Madlock was taken in 1976 -- you can see the National League centennial patch on his right sleeve, and the Cubs centennial patch on the left sleeve.
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
1978-81
These are the infamous "pajama" road uniforms, with a reverse-pinstripe format that some loved and others hated. (I'm in the latter category.)
1982-89
When Tribune Company bought the Cubs, they decided to jazz up the road uniforms. The Cubs became one of the first teams to have a colored jersey as their primary/only away uniform. What made this set odd was the all-white pants instead of the more-common gray pants worn on the road.
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
1990
The Cubs went back to traditional belts and button-front jerseys in 1990. This particular style lasted only one year. You can see the Cubs' 1990 All-Star patch on Ryne Sandberg's right sleeve.
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
1991-93
This style is almost identical to the 1990 version, except the "CHICAGO" is larger, and there's a bear-cub patch on the right sleeve.
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
1994-96
More infamy! These are the uniforms everyone termed the "CUBA" jerseys, since the script "CUBS" resembled not only the word "CUBA," but also the baseball uniforms worn by that country. They were rightfully ditched after three years.
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
1997 - present
This is the current "traditional gray" road look, here modeled by Anthony Rizzo.
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
2003 - present
The "blue alternate" is popular among some Cubs fans, disliked by others. (I'm in the latter category.) Kris Bryant models this road alternate, which was also worn at Wrigley Field at times until 2007, when the team went back to all pinstripes at home.
Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
2014 - present
The Cubs introduced this road alternate in 2014. It's modeled after a road uniform the team wore from 1920 through 1924. I don't know many who like this style; the numbering font doesn't match what the Cubs have used for decades, and the style is just odd. Kyle Schwarber is shown wearing this jersey.
Jason Miller/Getty Images