Ugliest Uniforms in Sports History

White Sox ace Chris Sale has been suspended for five days after destroying the team’s throwback jerseys on Saturday, the team announced. He was also fined about $12,700 — the cost of the destroyed jerseys. Sale was scratched from his scheduled start against the Tigers on Saturday due to what the team called a “clubhouse incident” at the time. He was apparently upset with the team’s choice to wear 1976 throwback jerseys, so he cut the jerseys up. Coincidentally, we have always included that original disco era uniform as one of the ugliest in sports history.

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Mar 3, 2014

Ugliest Uniforms in Sports History

Chicago White Sox

White Sox outfielder Ralph Garr models the shorts worn by the team for three games during the 1976 season.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates advertised these duds as a "uniform of the future" when they wore these during a 1999 game against the Mets.

Baylor Bears

Baylor's basketball team sported these blindingly-fluorescent uniforms in March 2012.

New York Islanders

It's been a rough couple of decades for Islanders fans, and this fisherman-themed third jersey didn't help matters

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

130315122602-notre-dame-uniform-tom-knight-single-image-cut.jpg — Chris Chambers/Getty Images

Notre Dame broke out its new basketball uniforms at the 2013 Big East tournament, creating a wave of criticism. The neon lime-green uniforms may have tried to associate with the Irish, but it proved the Fighting Irish should stick to their traditional colors of blue and gold.

Jorge Campos

Whatever the Mexican goalkeeper had in soccer ability, he lacked in fashion sense.

Golden State Warriors

In 2013, the Warriors went where no NBA team had gone before: over their own players' shoulders. The form-fitting yellow alternate jersey design included sleeves that went down to the mid bicep.

1994 U.S. World Cup Team

Alexi Lalas and the U.S. made it to the Round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup, but any pride the team may have felt was quickly erased with this uniform.

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks made uniform history with these duds, which featured no logo and a "V" starting at the collar.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets wore "rainbow" road jerseys for nearly a decade.

Houston Astros

Joe Morgan wishes he was back in the Reds' "Big Red Machine" uniform rather than where this orange-tinted Astros dud.

Trenton Thunder

The Trenton Thunder were so excited to have Derek Jeter join the team as part of a rehab assignment in 2011, they designed these duds so he'd never forget his time there (as well as pay tribute to America).

Cleveland Indians

A pre-mustached Dennis Eckersley shows off the bright red Indians uniforms of the late '70s.

Toronto Raptors

Marcus Camby and Damon Stoudamire probably weren't celebrating the Raptors' imposing dinosaur in March 1997.

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim

The Disney-owned Ducks never shied away from promoting a particular movie franchise. In 1995-96, the uniform designers must've thought the studio was releasing a a mash-up between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Slap Shot . Thankfully, these were shelved after just one season.

Los Angeles Kings

Even Wayne Gretzky couldn't look good in the Kings' short lived "Burger King" third jersey from the 1995-96 season.

Phoenix Coyotes

The Coyotes wore these Picasso-inspired third jerseys for five seasons.

Colorado Rockies

Larry Walker shows off this "futuristic" Rockies uniform, which the team wore for one game during the 1999 season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs' creamsicle jerseys and logo nicknamed Bucco Bruce may have been anything but intimidating, but at least that didn't stop Lee Roy Selmon (63).

San Diego Padres

Dave Winfield probably couldn't wait to don Yankee pinstripes over these duds.

New Orleans Hornets

These Mardi Gras-inspired uniforms might have been too flashy for the NBA in 2012.

Montreal Canadiens

In 2009, Montreal wore "barber pole" retro third jerseys featuring the distinctive look of narrow red, white and blue horizontal bands used by the team in 1912-13.

Pittsburgh Steelers

In honor of the franchise's 80th season, the Steelers brought back these throwback uniforms in 2012.

Denver Broncos

In 2009, the Broncos rolled out their original, yellow-and-brown uniforms as part of the NFL's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the AFL.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks opened eyes in 2009 when they debuted a lime-green jersey. They lasted one game and were dropped by then-coach Jim Mora because "we didn't win in them."

Washington Wizards

The Wizards, who many fans consider to have at one time had the best uniforms in NBA history, were at the opposite side of the spectrum with this gold and black alternate jersey worn from 2006 to 2009.

Maryland Terrapins

Maryland defeated Miami 32-24, but the game was secondary to the debut of Maryland's new uniforms in 2011. The Terrapins wore white uniforms patterned after the state flag and helmets splashed with red and white on one side and black and yellow on the other.