Confirmed - Negro League Throwbacks This Friday!

After spotting a road version of the Brewers' "Milwaukee bears" throwback caps on Lids, I speculated whether they would be wearing them against the Pirates this Friday. My pal Phil Hecken provides confirmation that they're doing just that, from the Pirates' own website. Here's the schedule of events for the evening, it's the penultimate bullet point in the second list.

Friday, July 13, 2018 -- Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers (7:05 p.m.)

• Free Shirt Friday: Tonight, the Pirates popular Free Shirt Fridays continue as the first 20,000 fans, with paid admission, will receive a Pirates tee, presented by AAA Auto Insurance.
• Dollar Dog Night: As a special thank you to the fans, the Pirates announced the Dollar Dog fan value promotion, presented by Sugardale, on select Friday nights at PNC Park. During one of the eight "Dollar Dog" nights throughout the season, fans can visit any North Shore concession stand throughout the ballpark and purchase regular hot dogs for just one dollar each.
• Miller Lite Happy Hour: Tonight, and now every Friday Night home game, the Pirates will host a special Happy Hour, presented by Miller Lite, at the Crow's Nest bar from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Visit the Crow's Nest Bar for half-priced cans of Miller Lite, Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy and Blue Moon.
• Wine Night: Tonight, is a Wine Tasting Night at PNC Park. For just $70 fans receive a ticket in a luxury suite, an invite to a pregame wine tasting in Club 3000, and more. For complete information and to order tickets visit pirates.com/winenights.

African American Heritage Events:

• African-American Heritage Sports Panel: In celebration of African-American heritage in sports, the Pirates are hosting a special panel presentation from 3 to 4 p.m. in the PNC Park Press Conference Room for 200 youth from Penn State Center's C.I.T.Y., Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Urban BASEball Classic to engage with internal talent from every level of the Pirates organization. Following the event, all participants are invited to watch batting practice and stay to cheer on the Pirates during the night's game.
• Josh Gibson Scholarship: Tonight the 2018 Josh Gibson Foundation Scholarship recipients will be announced during a pregame on-field ceremony.
• Kevin Young First Pitch: In celebration of Negro League Baseball's past, present, and future legacy, Pirates alumni and current Special Assistant to the General Manager Kevin Young will throw an honorary first pitch.
• Negro League Memorabilia Display: The Pirates have teamed up with Carnegie Museum of Art's Teenie Harris Archives to offer fans a Negro League Baseball Memorabilia Exhibit displaying the 1940 Negro League Baseball Championship trophy won by the Homestead Grays, Josh Gibson's 1946 Negro League Baseball contract, and various Teenie Harris film and photo action shots of Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords. The exhibit will be displayed under the Left Field Bleachers and is open to all fans during the Friday and Saturday games.
• Game-Used Bases: Tonight, two sets (6) of Heritage Night game-used bases will be available at the Hunt Auction Kiosk (located behind section 125) or by emailing Pirates Authentics at Authentics@pirates.com.
• Negro League Celebration: As part of the African American Heritage Celebration, the Pirates and Brewers will honor Negro League baseball by wearing the uniforms of Negro League teams from their respective cities, with the Pirates wearing Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms and the Brewers wearing the Milwaukee Bears uniforms. The jerseys from tonight's game will be authenticated and available for auction at a later date on pirates.com/auctions.
• Season Ticket Holders Catch: After tonight's game, Pirates Season Ticket Holders will have the opportunity to play catch with friends or family in the pristine PNC Park outfield. Tonight's play catch on the field is exclusively for Season Ticket Holders who preregistered for the event.

That's going to be great. To my knowledge, this will be the first time the Brewers have worn gray pinstriped Bears throwbacks since 2006, in Kansas City. and that time was with a black cap:

Here's the leaked cap for the upcoming game.

Then again, there has often been some confusion over what the Bears' uniforms looked like, exactly. The Brew Crew has worn three separate and distinct versions of this Turn Back the Clock uniform, all representing the same single-season 1923 team. I wonder what they came across to change the road cap from black to pinstriped gray, or if they just thought it looked better.