Team captain

A captain is an honorary title given to the member of the team primarily responsible for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field. It is largely a ceremonial title, in recognition of a great player displaying outstanding leadership abilities, but does not come with a defined role. This is in opposition to soccer or ice hockey, for example, in which the captain had the authority to speak to the referees on behalf of members of his team and is the sole player allowed to do so.

Not all teams have taken up the practice of naming a captain, and in certain cases have only done so informally. One exception is the New York Yankees who take the role very seriously and have formally bestowed the honor on some of their greatest players. In turn, they have often left long gaps between two captains if no player was deemed worthy of the honor. Other teams have distinguished their captains by adding the letter "C" to the front of their uniform jersey, hockey-style.

See also

• New York Yankees Captains