The Kalamazoo Celery Pickers, based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, take their name from the city's history as "Celery City." Celery growing became a major local industry there starting in the 1850s. The nickname itself dates back to 1895, when an earlier Kalamazoo club first used it in the Michigan State League, but the team that joined the Class B Central League in 1920 was a new organization, formed after Kalamazoo had gone a year without professional baseball.
Local businessman E.M. Sergeant put the new club together and hired veteran baseball man Rube Vickers to manage it. After a slow start, Vickers was let go in June and first baseman George Tomer took over, guiding Kalamazoo to a 64-60 finish in its first Central League season.
Kalamazoo stayed in the Central League through 1922, then followed several Michigan clubs into the Michigan-Ontario League for 1923 and 1924. In 1926, the Celery Pickers were among the teams that merged the Michigan-Ontario League with the Central League to form a new Michigan State League. That debut, and final, Michigan State League season did not go well: Kalamazoo finished 39-59, in seventh place, 27 games behind the pennant-winning Bay City Wolves. The league folded after that one season, and Kalamazoo went without professional baseball for nearly 70 years.
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 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.
