By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL/Designated Writers

The co-founder of Designated Writers threw down the haberdashery gauntlet on baseball uniforms yesterday by taking the Vanderbilt Commodores to task. As well he should.

So continuing along that (clothing) line, let’s move up to major league baseball, where something is going on that continues to annoy me — managers (and some coaches) not wearing the team’s jersey.

Years ago, this never happened. A century ago, it did happen (more on that in a moment).

To me, the manager of a team should be sending a message that he’s in it just like the players. You got one on; I got one on. Instead, some seem to be going for comfort with some kind of dry-fit pullover. Joe Maddon of the Chicago Cubs tries to legitimize the look by putting his number on the front. Nice try, but that doesn’t help.

Boston’s Alex Cora (Boston), Cleveland’s Terry Francona (who started all of this about 10 years ago), Aaron Boone of the Yankees … the list goes on of those who usually can’t be bothered with wearing a uniform with a number and, instead, would rather look like the assistant trainer.

You should be proud to wear the uniform, not hide from it. Dave Roberts (Dodgers) wears it. Brian Snitker (Braves) wears it. But more and more, managers are breaking what should be a solid baseball tradition. It was good enough for Earl Weaver, Bobby Cox and Tom Lasorda (although that could be a tough look at times).

If you don’t want to wear it, then go full-on Connie Mack. The legendary baseball manager of the Philadelphia A’s for 50 years (1901-1950) wore a suit. Of course, he was also a part-owner, so he could pretty much do what he wanted to.

It’s not a rule that managers have to wear the team uniform, but it is a tradition. So either wear it, or don’t. If it’s cold, put on a jacket. But stop acting like you are too important to be bothered wearing the same thing the players have on.

Teddy Allen/DESIGNATED WRITERS

The most awful uniforms known to mankind won the College World Series last night.

But the best team did too.

How Vanderbilt overcame their haberdashery is a mystery only the Baseball Gods could know.

These uniforms fell out of The Ugly Tree and hit every branch on the way down. They were not as much uniforms as they were modern art, which should sum it up. Modern art hits the tape at about the same time as today’s country music, which is Gut Bucket Drivel in the opinion of this bureau.

I wanted to post a picture of Vandy’s uniforms but the computer would not allow it. That’s how bad they were.

Thank you to Abner Doubleday and Nashville, our greatest inland city, the Commodores won Wednesday night’s Winner-Take-All Game 3 against fun-to-watch Michigan team, 8-2 or something like that, in white pants and gold jerseys, a sensible styling, much unlike the military green of Monday night’s loss or the heavy black pinstripes of Tuesday’s win. You look at these uniforms and automatically gain 10 pounds. Maybe 20.

And maybe that is what the Vandy coaching staff wanted. “Let’s look slow and ugly.” If so, mission accomplished. But they didn’t play that way. The ugliest and best team won.

Which goes to show, it doesn’t matter how you look out there. It matters how you play out there. Coastal Carolina won two years ago with Russell Athletic jerseys that costs $6.99 a pop. Good for them.

And Vandy beat Michigan–again, a fun team all week–in jerseys that a bowling team wouldn’t wear. It’s not what’s on the outside that matters. It’s what’s on the inside. And Vandy had far and away the most of that.

S-E-C! S-E-C! Oh please, none of that though…

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