The usage of alternate uniforms in sports is nothing new. Manager John McGraw famously trotted his New York Giants out in special all-black uniforms for the 1905 World Series. But the first example of a team intentionally rotating completely different home and road uniforms during a season seems to be the 1931 Chicago Cubs.
A February 1931 item by sportswriter Francis J. Powers stated the following: "(I)t is the plan of the Cub management to have the team alternate uniforms from day to day and present a different ensemble twice in each series."
The Cubs continued to rotate alternate uniforms through the 1936 season, adding a few new variations (and dropping others) along the way. The following year they went with a look that closely aligns with what they wear today—home jerseys with a circular royal blue and scarlet red "CUBS" logo, and road jerseys with royal blue block "CHICAGO" lettering.
