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Why Orange?

(There was a picture of a orange shirt here but now it doesn't seem to be working)
Have you ever wondered why the Dutch National Soccer team wears the color orange when the colors on their flag are red, white, and blue?

The simple answer is that orange is the color of the Dutch Royal Family which hails from the House of Orange. The original orange (William I of Orange also know as William the Silent) organized the Dutch revolt from Spain. Unlike other Royal houses that were eliminated or viewed with contempt by the populace; The Dutch Royal House are still very popular in the Netherlands. The color orange has come to signify the country and therefore a national pride. On royal birthdays the tricolor flag is flown with an orange pennant above.

Each year on April 30th, Amsterdam and the entire country turn orange. Revelers sing "Oranje boven, orangje boven. Leve the koningin!" (Orange on top, Orange on top. Long live the Queen!) The Soccer team's nickname is Oranje which is Dutch for Orange.

That shirt may be a little bit nationalistic but I love the color!

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