What is a Rally Cape anyway?

If you followed many of the higher profile Cal tweeters (is that the correct term?), then you probably saw the saying “rallycapeson”. When I first saw it, I thought it was a misprint. Rally caps are a very common thing to see at a ballpark, but a cape? That’s unheard of. Even google search agrees with me- “do you mean rally caps on?”

But yep, they are capes. Whenever the team needed a rally, the capes came out, donned by every player in the dugout. And more often that not, the capes produced a rally. After all, this is a team that made so many comebacks that I can’t count them all, as well as racking up 6 walk off wins. They may not be super heroes, but when the capes came on they sure played like ones.

What exactly is a rally cape? Does the team have a set of ~30 blue and gold capes just hanging around? Are they Superman capes? Do they drape their cap on their back, or what? As it turns out, it goes like this: unbutton every button on the jersey, except for the top one. Let it hang over your shoulders. Voila! You have the best fashion look of the summer, and all of your friends will wish they were you. Maybe not, but if you’re favorite team (I’m looking at you, Giants) needs a rally, you now have an alternative to the boring ol’ rally cap. But the question has to be asked: How exactly does a team come up with this?

First of all, they’re college kids, meaning they can come up with anything, as long as it’s crazy. Way back at the beginning of the year, the Bears came from behind to tie Rice, and eventually beat them in 15 innings. After running through the commonly seen the inside out hat, the inside out tipped to the side or backwards, and the shark fin, the Bears had no where to go. That is, until senior Dwight Tanaka approach Dixon Anderson and Matt Flemer with the innovative idea: the rally cape. The cape produced a walk-off squeeze bunt from Derek Campbell, and the Bears won that day 7-6. The rest, as they say, is history.

So people, rush out and get your rally capes. Supplies are running out fast, and you don’t want to be the one without the newest fashion style. Just remember: it’s guaranteed to produce at least 6 come from behind victories and walk offs! Go Bears!