Marlins unveil Cuban-inspired uniforms
MIAMI -- "Un paso m¨¢s y llegamos."
The Marlins on Monday morning unveiled their City Connect Series uniform, which honors the Cuban Sugar Kings¡¯ legacy and influence on b¨¦isbol across Latin America with a modern twist. Developed and designed in partnership with Nike and MLB, the Marlins will debut the uniform this weekend during their three-game series against the Mets at loanDepot park. The club plans to wear the uniform at least once a month for the remainder of the 2021 season.
With home games in the heart of Miami's Little Havana neighborhood, the Marlins also will celebrate Cuban Independence Day, which is on Thursday, on Saturday as part of Cuban Heritage Night.
"Our new City Connect uniform seeks to blend sports and lifestyle fashion, remixing the Sugar Kings¡¯ stylish uniform that embodies the unique sense of energy, passion and swagger from our community," said Michael Shaw, Marlins vice president of experience and innovation. "Thanks to the collaborative efforts with Nike, we developed a refresh of the legendary uniform with a modernized look that embodies the legacy and heritage of past generations and embraces the future of our city. We¡¯re looking forward to seeing our players and fans wear the new look at the ballpark and around the city, with a sense of pride and excitement."
The Cuban Sugar Kings (1954-60) had the dream of becoming the first Major League Baseball franchise outside the United States, with the motto of "un paso m¨¢s y llegamos" (one more step and we arrive). Owned and guided by legend Bobby Maduro, the Sugar Kings were a ground-breaking team that inspired as one of the first clubs to field a multinational team with players from all over Latin America. The team won the Governors¡¯ Cup -- the International League championship -- and the Junior World Series in '59 with future MLB players Tony Gonz¨¢lez, Leo C¨¢rdenas and Cookie Rojas. The following year, the team moved to New Jersey, and in '62 to Jacksonville, a franchise that is now the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate.
The uniforms: Sweet future
The jersey inverts the colors of the classic white and red pinstripe jersey, and the font and numbers blend the past, present and future of Latin America¡¯s baseball and cultural influence.
The colors: Legacy Red | Miami Blue | Midnight Black
Bold and radiant, celebrating the vibrant culture of Latin American baseball and the energy of Miami.
The details: The Miami script
A nod to the handmade letterforms of the original jerseys and wide pinstripes with raglan-style sleeves for a bold look.
Sleeve patches
The original Sugar Kings mark on the right arm to remember the legacy, with the Marlins logo on the left for the next generation.
Caps: Miami Blue with Legacy Red bill
The crest features the traditional Sugar Kings' logo infused with the current Marlins' logo and the single fish logo on the side.
"Each Nike MLB City Connect Jersey is unique to the club and its fans," said Wil Green, senior creative director, Nike, Inc. "The partnership with the Marlins allowed us to create basically the fans¡¯ 'signature jersey.' The Sugar Kings¡¯ inspiration honors the past and will help to fuel the future of the club and community.
"Nike MLB City Connect Series celebrates the bond between a club and its city. In close collaboration with the clubs, we stepped outside of the game and looked at their community, fans and the key moments that connect them. These city insights helped us push the boundaries of baseball uniform design by bringing in details, colors, mottos and more that are important to the city. They may step outside of what the team is known for but they matter the most to their community -- not just baseball."
Six other teams were chosen to wear a City Connect uniform this season: the Red Sox (in April), White Sox, Cubs, D-backs, Giants and Dodgers. These uniforms will be worn for multiple seasons, and the collection will eventually grow to reach all MLB clubs.
The Marlins' Nike City Connect hats and jerseys are available at the New Era Team Store at loanDepot park, a Fanatics Experience, as well as Marlins.com/CityConnect, SNKRS, the Nike App, nike.com and select retail locations.