Pretty in pink
Hot on the heels of the MCC's decision to experiment with pink balls comes this XI of instances when sport took recourse to a certain less-than-masculine colour
Andrew Miller
15-Nov-2007
The MCC's announcement that it intends, next season, to experiment with pink cricket balls has been met with horror and derision in certain quarters of the media - "Gaylord's!" was the Sun's unequivocal reaction, for instance. And yet, sport has had a long and illustrious link with the colour pink, as Cricinfo reveals below:
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Middlesex 2007
Perhaps it's a Lord's thing, because in 2007, Middlesex decided to adopt pink shirts for their Twenty20 campaign. The idea started out as a gimmick, in keeping with much of the Twenty20 scene, but soon evolved into something much more worthy. "It was a daft idea I had to brighten up the side," said Vinny Codrington, the Middlesex chief. "Then we came up with the idea of supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer, with proceeds from the sale of shirts and caps going to charity. I imagine our rivals will be green - or rather pink - with envy that they didn't think of it first."
Perhaps it's a Lord's thing, because in 2007, Middlesex decided to adopt pink shirts for their Twenty20 campaign. The idea started out as a gimmick, in keeping with much of the Twenty20 scene, but soon evolved into something much more worthy. "It was a daft idea I had to brighten up the side," said Vinny Codrington, the Middlesex chief. "Then we came up with the idea of supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer, with proceeds from the sale of shirts and caps going to charity. I imagine our rivals will be green - or rather pink - with envy that they didn't think of it first."
West Indies World Series 1977
Middlesex weren't the first cricketers to link to pink though. In 1977, when Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket burst onto the scene, the shock of watching cricket with a white ball under floodlights was nothing compared to the shock in the West Indies dressing room when they first unveiled their lurid new kit. Described as "coral pink", it was a head-to-toe monstrosity that might have been intended to reflect the marine diversity of their home region but instead reflected something rather less palatable to these most macho of men. "It's a colour which carries strong homosexual overtones in the Caribbean," demurred the veteran commentator Tony Cozier. Pretty soon they had reverted to a more familiar maroon strip.
Middlesex weren't the first cricketers to link to pink though. In 1977, when Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket burst onto the scene, the shock of watching cricket with a white ball under floodlights was nothing compared to the shock in the West Indies dressing room when they first unveiled their lurid new kit. Described as "coral pink", it was a head-to-toe monstrosity that might have been intended to reflect the marine diversity of their home region but instead reflected something rather less palatable to these most macho of men. "It's a colour which carries strong homosexual overtones in the Caribbean," demurred the veteran commentator Tony Cozier. Pretty soon they had reverted to a more familiar maroon strip.
Matthew Hayden's bat handle 2006-07
Ahead of last winter's Ashes, Matthew Hayden announced he would be using a pink grip on his bat handle, also in support of the Breakthrough Charity. His bat sponsors, Gray Nicholls, pledged A$20 for every run he scored in the series. Ahead of the fourth Test at Melbourne, his Queensland team-mate Andrew Symonds also came on board, and the dollars began to roll in. Their sixth-wicket partnership of 279 was not only the highest by two pink-handled batsmen in Test history, it realised a charity windfall of A$4660 and set Australia up for their coveted 5-0 whitewash.
Ahead of last winter's Ashes, Matthew Hayden announced he would be using a pink grip on his bat handle, also in support of the Breakthrough Charity. His bat sponsors, Gray Nicholls, pledged A$20 for every run he scored in the series. Ahead of the fourth Test at Melbourne, his Queensland team-mate Andrew Symonds also came on board, and the dollars began to roll in. Their sixth-wicket partnership of 279 was not only the highest by two pink-handled batsmen in Test history, it realised a charity windfall of A$4660 and set Australia up for their coveted 5-0 whitewash.
Casey Mears, Nascar racing driver, October 2005
The ultra-masculine world of American motor-racing also found time to promote the cause of Breast Cancer in October 2004 and 2005, when the Chip Ganassi driver Casey Mears climbed into a pink mean machine for his five races of Awareness Month. "Last year I didn't know what to think about driving a pink car," said Mears. "Now I can't wait to race it." Afterwards, his specially designed helmet was auctioned for the charity.
The ultra-masculine world of American motor-racing also found time to promote the cause of Breast Cancer in October 2004 and 2005, when the Chip Ganassi driver Casey Mears climbed into a pink mean machine for his five races of Awareness Month. "Last year I didn't know what to think about driving a pink car," said Mears. "Now I can't wait to race it." Afterwards, his specially designed helmet was auctioned for the charity.
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Cambridge University Rugby 1872-76
Until the turn of the 20th century, pink was the old blue. "Pink is a more decided and stronger color [sic] ... while blue is more delicate and dainty," wrote the Ladies Home Journal in June 1918, which encouraged new mothers to dress their infants accordingly. And so there would have been nothing remotely strange about the men of Cambridge University taking the field in pink for the inaugural Varsity Match at The Parks in 1872. Their switch to a (then) more effeminate eggshell blue four years later probably caused more consternation.
Until the turn of the 20th century, pink was the old blue. "Pink is a more decided and stronger color [sic] ... while blue is more delicate and dainty," wrote the Ladies Home Journal in June 1918, which encouraged new mothers to dress their infants accordingly. And so there would have been nothing remotely strange about the men of Cambridge University taking the field in pink for the inaugural Varsity Match at The Parks in 1872. Their switch to a (then) more effeminate eggshell blue four years later probably caused more consternation.
Juventus FC 1897-1903
Juventus is known as the Grand Old Lady of Italian football, having won more trophies (51) and spent longer in Serie A than any other side in the country. But the nickname emphatically does not derive from the original pink shirts that the team wore for six years after being founded in November 1897 by the pupils of the Massimo D'Azeglio Lyceum in Turin. In fact, they might still be wearing pink had it not been for the side effects of continual washing. The colours faded so regularly that in 1903, on the recommendation of an English team member, John Savage, they adopted the black and white of Notts County. Two years later they won their first league title.
Juventus is known as the Grand Old Lady of Italian football, having won more trophies (51) and spent longer in Serie A than any other side in the country. But the nickname emphatically does not derive from the original pink shirts that the team wore for six years after being founded in November 1897 by the pupils of the Massimo D'Azeglio Lyceum in Turin. In fact, they might still be wearing pink had it not been for the side effects of continual washing. The colours faded so regularly that in 1903, on the recommendation of an English team member, John Savage, they adopted the black and white of Notts County. Two years later they won their first league title.
US Città di Palermo 1907-present
Perhaps spotting a gap in the market, Juventus' Sicilian rivals Palermo adopted their old pink and black strip in 1907 and have retained it ever since - save for a five-year interlude from 1936 when Benito Mussolini put his fascist foot down. The original change was suggested by a founder member of the club, Count Giuseppe Airoldi, who noted that pink and black were the colours of the "sad and the sweet", appropriate for a team whose results were "as up and down as a swiss clock". These days the Rosanero's results are more up than down - in 2007 they narrowly missed qualification for the Champions League.
Perhaps spotting a gap in the market, Juventus' Sicilian rivals Palermo adopted their old pink and black strip in 1907 and have retained it ever since - save for a five-year interlude from 1936 when Benito Mussolini put his fascist foot down. The original change was suggested by a founder member of the club, Count Giuseppe Airoldi, who noted that pink and black were the colours of the "sad and the sweet", appropriate for a team whose results were "as up and down as a swiss clock". These days the Rosanero's results are more up than down - in 2007 they narrowly missed qualification for the Champions League.
Stade Francais 2006-present
As the top team in Paris, Stade is a powerhouse of European club rugby, but it hasn't always been so. For 50 years they were languishing in the lower reaches of the French league, until the colourful chairman, Max Guazzini, took control in 1992. With innovations including cheerleaders and remote-controlled cars to bring the kicker's tees onto the pitch, he transformed interest in the sleepy club, but his biggest shock came in 2005 when he decked his players out in pink for their away games. The club sold 20,000 replicas that season, so Guazzini went one step further and in 2006 introduced a radical navy blue shirt bedecked with pink lilies. The team showed no ill effects - that season they won the French championship.
As the top team in Paris, Stade is a powerhouse of European club rugby, but it hasn't always been so. For 50 years they were languishing in the lower reaches of the French league, until the colourful chairman, Max Guazzini, took control in 1992. With innovations including cheerleaders and remote-controlled cars to bring the kicker's tees onto the pitch, he transformed interest in the sleepy club, but his biggest shock came in 2005 when he decked his players out in pink for their away games. The club sold 20,000 replicas that season, so Guazzini went one step further and in 2006 introduced a radical navy blue shirt bedecked with pink lilies. The team showed no ill effects - that season they won the French championship.
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Scotland football team
On intermittent occasions from 1881 to 1951, Scotland's footballers went into battle in the primrose and pink racing colours of the 5th Earl of Rosebery, a former prime minister and honorary president of the SFA. On one occasion in 1900, after Scotland had beaten England 4-1 at Parkhead, Rosebery was heard to remark: "I have never seen my colours so well sported since Ladas won the Derby". In 1999 the pink tones were revived for Scotland's friendly against Germany in Bremen, which they won 1-0.
On intermittent occasions from 1881 to 1951, Scotland's footballers went into battle in the primrose and pink racing colours of the 5th Earl of Rosebery, a former prime minister and honorary president of the SFA. On one occasion in 1900, after Scotland had beaten England 4-1 at Parkhead, Rosebery was heard to remark: "I have never seen my colours so well sported since Ladas won the Derby". In 1999 the pink tones were revived for Scotland's friendly against Germany in Bremen, which they won 1-0.
Arkansas Razorbacks 2005
Not all teams find such pride in pink, however. In 2005 the Arkansas Razorbacks - an American college football team - introduced a new practice strip for players who the coach, Reggie Herring, felt were "loafing" too much. "This game's not very complicated," said Herring. "It's very simple. It's about effort and commitment and accountability, and this was just another way of identifying guys that we don't think are playing hard enough and fast enough in practice." For the first training session of the new regime, six players were paraded in pink, and Herring had further ideas up his sleeve for anyone who failed to pull finger. "Maybe we'll make them wear a bonnet out here with flowers."
Not all teams find such pride in pink, however. In 2005 the Arkansas Razorbacks - an American college football team - introduced a new practice strip for players who the coach, Reggie Herring, felt were "loafing" too much. "This game's not very complicated," said Herring. "It's very simple. It's about effort and commitment and accountability, and this was just another way of identifying guys that we don't think are playing hard enough and fast enough in practice." For the first training session of the new regime, six players were paraded in pink, and Herring had further ideas up his sleeve for anyone who failed to pull finger. "Maybe we'll make them wear a bonnet out here with flowers."
The London Olympics logo
"Edgy", "dynamic", "vibrant", and aimed at the "internet generation", the chosen logo of the London Olympics caused a furore when it was presented to an expectant public in June this year. Consisting of four lurid pink graffiti-shaped segments with a yellow trim, it was barely recognisable as the digits "2012", cost the organisers a cool £400,000, and caused epileptic seizures when broadcast as part of a promotional advert. Design guru Stephen Bayley condemned it as "a puerile mess, an artistic flop and a commercial scandal," but at least it generated headlines.
"Edgy", "dynamic", "vibrant", and aimed at the "internet generation", the chosen logo of the London Olympics caused a furore when it was presented to an expectant public in June this year. Consisting of four lurid pink graffiti-shaped segments with a yellow trim, it was barely recognisable as the digits "2012", cost the organisers a cool £400,000, and caused epileptic seizures when broadcast as part of a promotional advert. Design guru Stephen Bayley condemned it as "a puerile mess, an artistic flop and a commercial scandal," but at least it generated headlines.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo