Founded in Brooklyn in 1883, the Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles for the 1958 season, going on to represent the hallmark of a great American pastime, as well as the ever-shifting nature of the sports decades to come.

While sports-inspired tattoos certainly aren’t uncommon, there’s something about a Dodgers logo that stirs a deeper, almost poetic feeling.

When the Dodgers left Brooklyn in 1958 their absence was felt throughout the tri-state regions long after many sought to take their place. The Dodgers weren’t and aren’t just a baseball team, they’ve became a legend in their own right.

Many men opt for a Dodgers tattoo, generally the team logo, to show their pride in one of America’s oldest baseball teams. For some the Dodgers carry a particularly powerful message after becoming the first Major League Baseball team to employ an African American-none other than the record-breaking Jackie Robinson.

Whatever his reasons, the man who dons a Dodgers tattoo is a subtle but striking mix of old world Americana and a boldly stylish movement into a new era.