The Atlanta Pretzels, based in Atlanta, Georgia, went 59-59 in 1902 and finished fourth in the eight-team Southern Association, twenty and a half games behind pennant-winning Nashville. It was Atlanta's first season in the league and the only one the club spent under that name.
The 1902 team turns up in league records under three different nicknames, Pretzels, Firemen, and Crackers, which is a fair measure of how loosely names attached to ballclubs in the era. Pretzels is the one that actually appears in period newspaper coverage of the season, and even there only occasionally.
The franchise itself was imported. Abner Powell and his co-owner E. T. Peter had run the Selma, Alabama club in the Association's inaugural 1901 season and moved it to Atlanta for 1902. Powell is one of the more consequential figures in early Southern baseball, generally credited with inventing the rain check, popularizing Ladies' Day, and being among the first to pull a tarpaulin over the infield during rain. He also talked a young Nashville sportswriter named Grantland Rice into taking a job at the Atlanta Journal that year, which put Rice on the path to becoming the most widely read sportswriter in the country.
Powell owned the Atlanta club through 1905, though he never really won the city over. Locals resented the profits going to an outsider from New Orleans and gradually pushed him out. The team settled on the Crackers name from 1903 forward, moved into Ponce de Leon Park in 1907, and went on to win more championships than any other club in Southern Association history before the league folded after the 1961 season.
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.
