The Birmingham Babies, based in Birmingham, Alabama, played a single season in the Southern League in 1887, finishing 18-63. Modern record books usually list the club as the Ironmakers, but the name that shows up in period newspaper coverage of that season is the Babies.
Professional baseball had reached Birmingham two years earlier, in 1885, and the city cycled through names for the next decade and a half. The Maroons followed in 1888, the Grays in 1892, and the Bluebirds in 1896. None lasted more than a season or two, and Birmingham went several years at a stretch with no professional club at all.
The instability was not really about baseball. Birmingham had been founded only in 1871, on a rare convergence of iron ore, coal, and limestone deposits, and it was still building itself into the industrial center of the South while these clubs came and went. Stability arrived in 1901, when the city became a charter member of the Southern Association. Rickwood Field, built for that team in 1910, is still standing and is the oldest professional ballpark in the United States.
The Southern League of this period ran in fits and starts from 1885 through 1899, drawing teams from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Arkansas, collapsing and reforming several times along the way. In the 1800s and first half of the 1900s, teams existed in thousands of small towns across the United States, as Americans looked for recreational activities and entertainment in the era before TV.
Retro Baseball Revival celebrates historic baseball teams with unique apparel, honoring their legacy and bringing history to one-of-a-kind clothing with our old school retro baseball tees from defunct Minor League Baseball teams. All of our high quality apparel is designed, printed, and shipped within the USA. This collection features 100% original designs based on the history and nicknames of historic minor league teams.
Our standard (non-premium) hoodies are classics that anyone is sure to recognize. They are thick, durable Gildan brand hoodies. They are a cotton/poly blend that stands the test of time and feature the 'kangaroo pouch' on the front with a draw string hood.
Size Guide: True to size, roomy
- Brand: Gildan | Product ID: G18500
- Made with a medium-heavy fabric (8.0 oz/yd² (271 g/m²)) that consists of 50% cotton and 50% polyester for that cozy feel and warmth you need in a hoodie.
- The classic fit along with the pouch pocket and the tear-away label make for a highly comfortable, scratch-free wearing experience.
- The color-matched drawcord and the double-lined hood add a stylish flair and durability that tie everything together.
- Made using 100% ethically grown US cotton. Gildan is also a proud member of the US Cotton Trust Protocol ensuring ethical and sustainable means of production. The blank tee's dyes are OEKO-TEX-certified dyes with low environmental impact.
- Tumble dry: medium; Iron, steam or dry: low heat; Do not dryclean; Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F); Non-chlorine: bleach as needed.
