Padres Cap Tournament: The Absolute Final

It's time. Again.

All good things must come to an end, and this thing gets a sequel. What better way to erase the memory of James Shields surrendering a home run to Bartolo Colon than finally deciding the best Padres cap ever?

Welcome back to Gaslamp Ball's Padres Cap Tournament! As you just read, this is it (again): the final (again). It's time to choose which cap truly is the best Padres cap ever (otra vez).

So the last vote ended with this:

Not a very satisfying ending, is it? By this count, the 2016 Friday Alternate would be declared the winner by one vote.

Let's do this one again.

Modern Bracket Winner

2016 Friday Alternate - Brown/Gold Split Panel

The return to brown arrives in this clean cap. Taking cues from the 1973 cap, this modern alternate marries both the classic split-panel design with the modern serif'd interlocking SD. A return to brown proved to be a triumph for Padres cap design, with voters sending the #1 seed to the semifinal over the 2004 Home. The 2016 Commemorative proved to be no match for the brown and gold in the semifinal, as this cap cruised to an easy spot in the final match.

I expected this cap to win and knew the margin of victory would be slim. I definitely didn't foresee that margin as just one vote.

Historic Bracket Winner

1969 Cap - Brown/Gold

The cap that started it all, this cap debuted with the Padres induction into Major League Baseball in 1969. It remains a popular cap due to its simplicity and clean looks. The 2nd overall seeded 1969 Cap easily defeated the 1985 Brown/Orange in the preliminary round and got the benefit of some shady voting to overcome the '48 cap. In a tightly contested semifinal, the '69 overcame the split-paneled '73 to win the Historic Bracket.

I also figured that the style of the interlocking SD would hold this cap back from winning out. Don't get me wrong; I love the timeless look of the smaller SD. Part of me also figured that its age wouldn't hold up against the newer interlocking SD.

Let's decide this once and for all. Which cap is truly the best?

The vote closes promptly on Monday, May 9th at 10 PM. We won't drag this one out.

Get your vote in ASAP!