What Kind of Hat is That?

[Texas Star]

A Krispy Kreme perhaps?

You may be onto something here. Parker set his Spenser PI series in and around Boston, where he lived. Spenser's shrink girlfriend lived in Cambridge, near Harvard.

And brand names were often mentioned. Indeed, Spenser and his State cop and Boston cop friends ate Krispy Kreme donuts.

In fact, I plan to get some here today.

Spenser also liked specialty beers inc. Sam Adams, which I think is brewed in Boston.

I hope these brands gave the author a discount or freebies on their products. His books probably sold some merchandise for them.

He mentioned Spenser as using a Browning Hi-Power 9mm and other specific guns, but only described his normal carry gun as a Smith & Wesson .38 snub. Ditto for Jesse Stone in his second series, although Tom Selleck uses a .45 auto as Stone on TV. I decided to picture Spenser and Stone (and Sunny Randall) with Model 60's as I read. I turn words into mental images and "see" the book unfold as I read.

BTW, re one post above, the Terxas Rangers are not sheriffs. They are an elite investigative body within the Dept. of Public Safety. The Highway Patrol is a separate division. There are only about 155 Rangers in the entire state. It is true that some sheriffs sport similar headgear and badges, wanting a similar image.

I believe the Texas Rangers are the oldest law enforcement group in North America, being founded in 1835. Stephen F. Austin raised them to defend his white settlers against Indians and Mexicans. They were presumably the national police here until Texas joined the USA in 1845 or '46. (Our revolution was against Mexico, not against Britain.)

 

[therevjay]

I don't know if there is an official name, but hats shaped like that used to be called 100 mission hats. The bend was caused by wearing earphones over the hat.

Looked great in WWII, but now reminds me of something a banana republic strongman would be outfitted in.

My Dad a WWII vet called those a "50 mission crush". But he also said most you saw were worn by 2nd Lt. "wannabees" and the droop was caused by bending the wire by hand, rather then earphones.

 

[bobcat]

I like the look, much better than the darn campaign hats I've had to maintain and wear for the last 31 years. I'm 6'5", and I've hated campaign hats from the get go, they go flying in the wind and having to check buses while in the Border Patrol, with my height and wearing a campaign hat on, I couldn't stand up on the darn bus, and don't like looking like a 10 penny nail. I've got 2 green campaign hats and 2 blue ones and they're nothing I'm going to save when I retire.

Now that Boston copper, he looks serious in that hat, carry on BPD!

 

[feralmerril]

You need a pin head. My buddy told me years ago I didnt need a barber, just use a pencil sharpener.

 

[Doug M.]

I agree that it is an ugly hat, but more important, it is a safety hazard. Cops should NEVER wear a hat other than foul weather or protective gear except for honor guard members while actually engaged in their duties. It is a distraction from paying attention to things that matter.

 

[Sebago Son]

Is this the hat in question?



My understanding is that this hat belongs to Mass State Police Col. Timothy Alben.

No one I'd poke fun at about his chapeau...

 

[pluspea]

I think it is a replica of a simular hat worn by Marlon Brando in an old motorcycle movie from the distant past. I wonder if he takes it off while showering?

 

[AZretired]

The military designation of that hat is a garrison Cap and the crushed look is a tradition with the Mass. SP. The Phildephia PD Highway Patrol also wear a similar hat. My old department issues the six point style and its common to remove the stiffener.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

 

[2152hq]

He just needs to do a quick check of the air pressure in that hat.,,looks a couple pounds low.
A shot of Dapper Dan might help,,could be a slow leak somewhere around the edges.

 

[Silver Dollar]

My understanding is that this hat belongs to Mass State Police Col. Timothy Alben.

No one I'd poke fun at about his chapeau...

Funny hat and all, I still wouldn't do anything to get this guy mad. Not a good idea.

 

[cmort666]

Yeah. It's probably modeled after a vintage WW2 Luftwaffe Officers hat. With different insignia of course. While all air corps of the period seemed to like the "20 mission crush" look the German cap tended to have a taller peak.

When I was in highschool and college in the '70s, the guards at Continental Bank in Chicago used to wear the same kind of service caps. Theirs were brown, which made them really look like Nazi party officials.

 

[GerSan69]

I grew up in MA, saw those trooper hats all the time. They were (and still are) THE elite department up there. We NEVER screwed with a "Statie." Never. Those hats screamed "Authority" to us back then.

 

[jlrhiner]

Doesn't someone on the right coast still wear jodhpurs as their dress uniform pants?

Traditions, you gotta love 'em!

 

[Squarebutt]

I believe that style was standard issue for the MSP for many years. Most of the troopers I saw this week on the TV were wearing the Smoky the Bear model.
As for Col. Tim Alben, he's from here in western MA, and he's the real deal. He's a good man who has been there and done that, on the street and on patrol over a long career. We were glad to see him appointed last year instead of another political favorite.

 

[yashua-p]

The more I see it, it looks like somthing a banana republic dictator would wear. No disrespect intended, just following his dept dress code.

regards,

yashua

 

[David LaPell]

To me the stetson or something similar is what a cop should have on their heads, even though many departments wore other things like what the British "bobbies" had. I remember my father was a cop he had a stetson variation. It looked something like the old drill instructor hat in a way. To me when you were a little kid every cop wearing one of those looked seven feet tall and they all meant business and in my home town since many were also Army reservists and firefighters they all looked the part.

This in my mind is how someone wearing a badge should look.



Of course, I can't say too much because in the jail the only hats we get are baseball caps with a miniature of our shoulder patch and we had to buy them!

 

[george minze]

I guess every cop no matter the jurisdiction should look like Bill Jordan.....Wouldn't we all like to shoot like him.....

 

[keith44spl]

.

I guess every cop no matter the jurisdiction should look like Bill Jordan.....Wouldn't we all like to shoot like him.....

I never met Bill Jordan.

But, he looks like......A Lawman.




.

 

[george minze]

.




I never met Bill Jordan.

But, he looks like......A Lawman.


.

So do you my friend, so do you. Would get my attention!