The Bartlesville Broncs represented Bartlesville, Oklahoma, an oil town in the state's northeastern corner, in the Class C Western Association in 1931 and 1932, winning a conference title in 1932. Contemporary newspapers consistently called the team the Broncs, though later record books have rendered the name Broncos and even Bronchos; we go with what the papers of the day actually printed.
Their Western League chapter came about the hard way: partway through the 1933 season, the Hutchinson Wheatshockers franchise relocated from Kansas to Bartlesville, giving the city a brief run in the Class A Western League as a Detroit Tigers affiliate under manager Marty Purtell. It was two classification levels above anything Bartlesville had hosted before, and it lasted only the remainder of that Depression-battered season.
Bartlesville's baseball history is a study in nickname churn. The city fielded teams under six names in eight seasons through the 1930s: Broncs, then Reds as a Cincinnati affiliate, Bucs, Blues as a New York Yankees affiliate, and Chiefs, all playing at Bartlesville Municipal Athletic Field, a ballpark still in use today as Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium. Professional baseball returned after the war with the Oilers and Pirates of the Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League through 1952, and Bartlesville has not hosted a professional team since.
The Western League was a Class A circuit for most of its life, operating from 1900 through 1937 and again from 1947 through 1958, fielding teams across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain states, including Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, and later Texas and New Mexico. For its first decade it stood just one step below the major leagues. An earlier league of the same name, which ran from 1885 to 1899, renamed itself the American League in 1900 and lives on today as one half of Major League Baseball.
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 crewneck sweatshirts are classics that anyone is sure to recognize. They are thick, durable Gildan brand crews. They are a cotton/poly blend that stands the test of time.
Size Guide: True to size
- Made with a medium-heavy fabric blend of 50% cotton and 50% polyester (8.0 oz/yd² (271.25 g/m²)), this sweatshirt feels cozy and is the perfect choice for those colder months.
- The classic fit along with the crew neckline deliver a comfy wearing experience with a clean-cut style. Meanwhile, the double-needle stitching at the shoulder, armhole, neck, waistband, and cuff seams add top-tier durability.
- Say goodbye to itchiness thanks to the gray, pearlized tear-away label.
- 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 shirt's dyes are OEKO-TEX-certified dyes with low environmental impact.
- Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F); Non-chlorine: bleach as needed; Tumble dry: low heat; Do not iron; Do not dryclean.
