The Evansville River Rats, based in Evansville, Indiana, take their name from the city's location on the Ohio River. After a brief run in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League, the club settled into the Class B Central League in 1903 and stayed through 1910, returning again from 1913 through 1915.
Evansville won the Central League championship twice, in 1908 and in 1915. The 1915 title came in the same season the city opened Bosse Field. A record Central League crowd of 8,082 turned out for the ballpark's debut on June 17, a 4-0 River Rats win. The team was sitting in third place when it moved into its new home, then went on to win the league. Bosse Field remains in use today, the third-oldest baseball park in the country behind Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. Later Evansville teams playing there under different names, the Evas, Hubs, and Bees among them, would go on to host five future Hall of Famers, including Hank Greenberg and Warren Spahn, though by then the River Rats name itself was long retired.
Evansville pitching produced its share of strange nights too. Bill Cristall threw an 11-inning no-hitter for the River Rats on May 10, 1910, and still lost the game, 1-0, to the Grand Rapids Raiders.
The Central League itself was a Class B circuit that ran, often sporadically, from 1903 into the 1930s (with a later 1948-51 revival), fielding teams mostly from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
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 tees are classic, heavyweight t-shirts that are durable and thick. They are looser fitting and run true to size.
Size Guide: True to size
- Brand: Gildan | Product ID: 5000
- Made with medium fabric (5.3 oz/yd² (180 g/m²)) consisting of 100% cotton for year-round comfort that is sustainable and highly durable.
- The classic fit of this shirt ensures a comfy, relaxed wear while the crew neckline adds that neat, timeless look that can blend into any occasion, casual or semi-formal.
- The tear-away label means a scratch-free experience with no irritation or discomfort whatsoever.
- Made using 100% US cotton that is ethically grown and harvested. Gildan is also a proud member of the US Cotton Trust Protocol ensuring ethical and sustainable means of production. This blank tee is certified by Oeko-Tex for safety and quality assurance.
- Non-chlorine: bleach as needed; Do not iron; Do not dryclean; Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F); Tumble dry: low heat.
