Queens Park SC

Queens Park is the most accomplished team in the American soccer history. The team was put together by teams in Queens and Brooklyn to merge a super team in the early 1930s. The team had instant success. The team took over in the 1940s. From 1940 to 1946, the team won 5 championships of 7. Then 2 US Open Cups in 41 and 42. The team was closely tied to the city of New York, and could bring in bigger American players, as well as immigrants during World War 2. Queens Park won two USOC in the 50s, and a league title. The team built a new stadium that was the anchor of the 1964 World's Fair, throwing the club into international focus. The team built up from new stadium hype went on to win their first CONCACAF championship in 1966, 5 years into the competition. But the team's high spending cost the team in the long run. From 1966 to 89, the team won no trophies. But once they got the monkey off their back, the trophies poured in. Three straight championships in 89 90 and 91, a USOC in 89, and a CONCACAF Champions League in 90 and 91. Another title in 2000, then an emotional Champions League and USOC in 2001. The team is known as the giants in American soccer, but the league has been more competitive since the playoffs started mixing up the champions. A title in 2012, and CONCACAF title in 2013 brings their totals to - 6 USOC, 5 CONCACAF, and 12 league titles. They can afford the best players in the world, and act like it.

Named after the location and the London club, their first uniforms were blue and white hoops to match. But since, then, the team adopted orange to match the New York City flag. The Nassau County flag's crest has been the team's crest since their inception. The clash isn't consistent. Currently, the clash takes cues from the flag of Queens.

From the Sox Drawer - BC Lions

So for LITERALLY years, I've had an idea to rebrand the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Look at animal logos in the Pacific North West. The Canucks and Seahawks both have sleek logos with references to traditional Native American, or First Nations art. The style is very straight with patterns and flairs that make it seem like it could be made of wood.

The BC Lions' logo isn't great. It's iconic, but not great. So I went ahead and made this yesterday. I went step by step, snapchatting the results. The first attempt was very blocky and hardly resembled a lion. I couldn't just take a lion from aboriginal art, well because, there isn't any. Not even mountain lions. So I looked at other animals, so eagles and wales. I picked up a few things from there. I went and looked at lion logos, so Detroit's came up. I realized that I may have to be sleeker than originally planned, but as long as it's bold and sharp. I did the head shape first, then added more details. The mouth is flat and angular, like the Seahawks and Canucks. I did a dark Shadow on the neck and jaw. Then white around the mouth (and has been nicknamed Colonel Sanders because of it). Eyes are one of my weak points, and I drew an eye after looking at some for other animals and came out with an eye that matched. I threw in a few shapes that I noticed in the art I saw, and I was done with the head.

The BC was the Baylor font that I really love. I wanted something that was different than the one they had, but could still be modern and evoke movement. I put the BC on the bottom of the head and placed it so the detail wold remain, and be as tall as it is wide. I may do some uniforms, but wanted to post these logos that I've had in my head for so long.

From the Sox Drawer - Alabama State Hornets

There's so many logos I've done but haven't shared for whatever reason. I have been thinking that it would be really cool to show off some of the nicer ones to the public, because outside of tumblr, and the people I did them for, no one has seen these.

So last year around November, I got an email out of the blue. It was a guy who had played baseball at Alabama State. He was emailing me because he wanted me to put a logo package for ASU together because, well, they don't have a great identity. He wanted a few logos, a font, and some jerseys. I told him I was game because this was such a great opportunity.

In my head I wanted to do a cool, one color logo, like Texas or Kansas State. I figured that on yellow or black, the hornet's stripes could still have similar effects. But the black really didn't agree with me and I had to settle with an outline. I talked to our good friend Doug, who I see as a great mentor, and he was just saying how it wasn't working. I finally decided I should start again.

I loved the shape, but going forward it needed to be more realistic. Bold lines, correct anatomy, and multiple colors. So I took apart the shapes that made the previous look. I went one by one making shadows and highlights in addition to the small details. I added an eye, some legs, and Power Ranger looking thunder bolts to the tail. All of this resulted in one of my favorite logos I've ever done. I made an ASU monogram, and a full font for them. Then finally, I made a football uniform using the striping pattern.

But eventually I sent the whole thing to the guy(who was legit, I found him on their baseball roster), and he never got back. He wanted it around New Years and I think I got it done before then, but I still have this really nice logo that ASU is willing to buy from me!

1985 World Baseball Cup

As it was announced at the end of last tournament, the IBF would now expand the tournament to 12. They determined teams 8-12 could hold their own against the best of the best, and the worst teams in the world would be weeded out in qualifying. The qualifying provided a surprise with Japan losing to South Korea in the Pacific Division. Chinese Taipei and Canada would advance in the playoff. This made Taipei the 12th team to compete in the tournament.

The structure would now be as follows. The teams would play in their group, then seeded 1-12. The top 8 teams would be put into a bracket and play to the finals. Hometown Mexico had a group play to remember. They played in their capital, and Parque del Seguro Social became the first stadium to host 2 tournaments. They beat Puerto Rico and coasted to a 3-0 record and clinched the first overall seed by allowing less than Japan in a tie breaker. Groups B and C were very contested. Three teams tied at 1-2 in Saltillo, with only Canada advancing forward. Group C was the tightest group. The Americans and Cubans both went 2-1, with South Korea and the Dominican finishing 1-2. All four teams moved on to the Round of 8.

Mexico beat the upstart Koreans to start. Jose Canseco hit a 2 run home run in the 7th to bear the Puerto Ricans, setting up a match up with the Mexicans. The Cubans went out and dominated Mexico. Mexico only got 2 hits, two doubles in the 3rd. Then the Cuban pitching staff retired 20 in a row to win 3-1. The North American match up of USA-Canada wasn't very close. The USA won 7-2. Then the Japanese-Dominican game had almost no pitching, a 10-8 barn burner saw the Japanese face their rivals America in the semi finals. The Americans had a big traveling fan base, but it wasn't enough as the Japanese won 8-2 in Caliacan. That set up the Japanese vs Cubans in Mexico City. Jose Canseco added 2 more home runs to make his total 6 during the tournament. Cuba would hang on and win their first title in team history.

Several changes were made to the jerseys of the tournament. Canada and the Dominicans both wore racing stripes for the first time. Canada brought back a button up jersey. Taiwan's debut jerseys were very amateur looking, with a cursive script and light blue roads. Cuba made their tops and bottoms match, unlike the previous tournaments. Panama introduced a jersey similar to the White Sox's 80s jerseys. Puerto Rico dropped the light blue and recolored several things for this new tournament. Finally, the much loved yellow Venezuela jersey became the home, with an all grey look becoming the road.

Milwaukee United

The team in Milwaukee was once two teams. The Croatian Eagles and Milwaukee Bavarians were established in the 1920s. They were a part of some Mid West leagues for several years, but they both saw an opportunity to jump to the top league in the country, situated in the North East. The travel costs would hurt whoever gets accepted, so the Croatians and Germans merged their club to form a super team and attack the established powers. The team's half blue half red kits were seen as a joke by teams because it was so different from anything they've seen. They picked up the nickname "Harlequins" in the late 30s. It took till 1951 to win their first piece of hardware. In 1951 they won the US Open and the league. The team brought over a lot of talent from Europe after the war and it showed, because the next year they won another US Open. The year after that they won the league title. Smaller market Milwaukee has always had trouble building up teams because they had no choice but to sell their players. Often mediocre, United had only played outside the APL for 4 seasons since 1937. They were relegated, then promoted the next year in the early 70s. Then again in 1979, and they didn't climb back up until 1982. In the 33 years since, the only trophy they won was a run to the US Open Cup in 1999. The team has a great fan base, and they've known to demand the best from their owners, despite only 3 playoff appearances in the last 15 years.

Bethlehem Steel

One of the most successful teams in American soccer finds their home in the top tier of US soccer. Bethlehem won 4 US Open Cups in the 1910s, and one in the 1920s. The team survived the soccer wars between the American Soccer League and USSF and the Great Depression, and won the 1935 US Open. Early on, the team was made up completely by workers at Bethlehem Steel. During the Second World War, the team experienced a great boost in play due to the increase of European immigrants. Five straight US Opens starting in 1943 brought their total to 11. The team won their first and only league title in 1955. An ownership group bought the team from the steel company who eventually considered the team a burden. In the contract, they made sure the team wouldn't have a sponsor, and still keep the Bethlehem Steel name. It was the beginning of the end for the team in Eastern PA.  The immigrant system would die out, and the team had to rely on buying players. Bigger markets drew players away from the Steel. In 1962, the Steel were relegated for the first time. In 1973, they made a run to the top league. That only lasted a few seasons before going back down in 1976. In 1977, the team almost folded, and saw them relegated to the 3rd league of US Soccer. It took them until 1997 to make it back to League 2. The Steel finally brought back the glory years by making it to the top tier in 2005. Since then, they bring players through their youth system, then sell them. The most recent success has been the 2011 US Open Cup, the 12th in their storied history.

The team wears the traditional black/white/black on home, then does some version of a red clash. This case, red and white stripes.

Minneapolis SC

The Moose were one of the founders of the Great Lakes League, a smaller league that formed in the 40s, but was soon picked apart from League 1's formation in 1956 because the clubs were stable and performed well in the US Open Cup. The Sky Blue colors of the team were very unique in the time they were founded, so when they made the jump to the promotion, it added a sense of color to the league. Minnesota's first taste of top level soccer came in 1963, when they were promoted after winning the 2nd tier. Then they were relegated or promoted 5 more times that decade. After bouncing around a few times, the Moose became one of the only teams to have won the US Open while not playing in the top tier. That was 1986, and the team went on to be promoted with high morale. The team hit hard financial times in the 1990s. They fell as far back as 12th place in League 2. Finally in 2001 they were freed from 3rd tier soccer. In 2004 they won promotion to the Premier League, and two years later, they won the playoff from the 8th seed. Minnesota normally sticks around mid table with flourishes of greatness like the 2012 US Open title run.

The team has worn all light blue since their inception. In 1998 they had a fan contest to design their clash kit, and a green jersey with a blue sash was submitted by a 2nd grader in St. Cloud and won. Since then, the team has worn green and blue that represent the state.