As I watched Bruin pitcher Trevor Bauer dispatch Beaver batters Saturday, I thought he looked to be a throwback to another age of baseball. His uniform seemed a size too large for him and his cap seemed a size too small and faded from years in the sun. I squinted my eyes and imagined him as a photo from the UCLA archives, a teammate of Jackie Robinson. It was a little eerie.
He worked quickly, efficiently. After a few innings, the Beaver crowd realized nothing exciting was going to happen for their team while Bauer was pitching, so the talk in my section turned to Trevor's cap. One clever fellow shouted, "Hey 47, get a new cap." I was the only fan wearing a UCLA cap in the vicinity, perhaps in the stadium, except for those on the field, so people asked me what the deal was with the pitcher's cap. I had not a clue, but I confidently explained, "He wears it for good luck." That seemed to satisfy everyone, because baseball fans understand superstitions.
I Googled "Trevor Bauer cap" as soon as I got home and found an article in the Daily Bruin. There's a photo of Trevor wearing his faded cap, and the caption reads, "After getting the hat during his official visit last September, UCLA freshman pitcher Trevor Bauer has not stopped wearing it. Though he likes the way the cap looks, Bauer said he wears it for comfort. He has no plans to change hats anytime soon."