Dbacks 'Serpientes' jersey: How the Arizona team pays tribute to its Latino fanbase
Festive music set the mood outside of Chase Field on Monday, before the Arizona Diamondbacks fell short of defeating the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of the World Series.
Donning team colors, members of a Phoenix-area Mexican tamborazo performed "Ni el Dinero Ni Nada" of the late and great Mexican muscial legend Antonio Aguilar in front of the stadium as fans watched, danced and even sang along with the group.
Each one of the musicians wore the special "Serpientes City Connect" jersey that the team unveiled in 2021, which has since become a staple for many Latino DBacks fans.
It's not an uncommon sight when sports teams play in their home state, especially when that state is a haven for Latinos. Over 32% of Arizona's population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, according to the U.S. Census.
While several baseball teams have paid tribute to their Latino and Spanish-speaking fans by adding "Los" to their merchandise, like the Los Angeles Dodgers, and adopting colors and symbols that reflect their border region, like the San Diego Padres, the Spanish-language adoption of their namesake on an official MLB jersey is unique to the Diamondbacks.
From 'Los DBacks' to 'Serpientes'
“Los DBacks.”
For years, this was the Spanish-language print that Diamondback players wore on their jerseys during Hispanic Heritage nights.
It was a simple, sober design, to which they only added the article "Los" before the team name as a tribute to Spanish-speaking fans.
But seeing that the Latino fan base in Arizona kept growing — including south of the border as fans from Sonora made the trip to Phoenix just to watch the DBacks play — the club decided to take a step further.
A City Connect design — a line of alternate official MLB uniforms designed by Nike — the Diamondbacks debuted the Serpientes uniform on June 18, 2021, in a series against the Dodgers at Chase Field.
"Pretty excited about it. I know it's an earthy tone and we've got a ton of desert out here," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "And any way that we can connect with our city, our town and our state, we love it. We love representing this community the best way that we can."
Why choose the name 'Serpientes'?
The Diamondbacks' team name alludes to the rattlesnake indigenous to the Sonoran Desert. Serpientes is the Spanish-language plural translation of the word snake.
The black typography of the word 'Serpientes' on the jersey resembles a semi-coiled rattlesnake, alert and ready to attack. It represents the attitude of the Diamondbacks team every time they take the field.
The jersey is also a different color than the Sonoran red or even the traditional purple and teal. The Serpientes jersey comes in a sand color as a tribute to the color of the Sonoran desert sand.
On the left sleeve, the jersey carries the traditional team logo and on the right the flag of the state of Arizona. On the lower front part, there is another logo that is a V-shaped snake surrounding a red circle, which alludes to the Valley.
How else do the DBacks celebrate the Latino community?
Each season, the DBacks host Latino-centric nights, such as Mexican Heritage Night, Hispanic Heritage Weekend and Cinco de Mayo.
On these nights, the team hosts all fans to their regular season games but adds performances by mariachis, folklore dances, Mexican Baseball League teams and even regional Mexican music concerts at the end of games.
Where can I buy the DBacks 'Serpientes' jersey?
The Serpientes jersey is available at the DBacks Team Shop, located at the main entrance of Chase Field (Gate E) next to the ticket offices, on the corner of Fourth and Jackson streets.
The store is open to the general public Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On game days the store remains open till the end of the game.
It is also available for purchase online on the Arizona Diamondbacks official MLB website.
How much does the DBacks 'Serpientes' jersey cost?
According to the MLB website, different versions of the jersey can range between $130 and $159, plus tax.
Caps, t-shirts, sweaters and other merchandise carrying the Serpientes logo are also available for purchase.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What is the 'Serpientes' jersey? How DBacks pay tribute to Latino fans
