The Beaumont Exporters, based in Beaumont, Texas, took their name from what the city did best. Beaumont's transformation began on January 10, 1901, when the Lucas Gusher blew in at Spindletop, touching off the Texas oil boom almost overnight and turning the city into one of the great petrochemical refining and shipping centers in the country. The Neches River connected Beaumont's refineries to the Gulf, and the crude that poured out of Southeast Texas poured out through Beaumont's docks. The Exporters name fit the city the way few nicknames in minor league baseball ever fit their towns.
The franchise entered the Texas League in 1920, playing at Magnolia Ballpark for its first decade before moving to the newly constructed Stuart Stadium in 1930. Through the 1930s and into the mid-1940s, the Exporters operated as a Detroit Tigers affiliate, one of the more productive arrangements in the Texas League during that period. The club won the Texas League pennant in 1932 and again in 1938, and finished first in the standings in both 1942 and 1950, though neither of those seasons produced a championship. The Tigers affiliation ran deep enough to show up on the uniform itself: the Exporters wore a gothic "B" on their jerseys styled directly after Detroit's own gothic "D," a visual tie between the East Texas port city and one of the American League's most recognizable clubs.
After the 1955 season, team owner Allen Russell acquired the Class B Austin territorial rights from the Big State League and relocated his franchise to the state capital, where it became the Austin Senators and later the Braves, operating through 1966. New local directors Bill Currie and Otis Shelton took over the Beaumont franchise, leasing Stuart Stadium and continuing under the old Exporters name for the 1956 season before finishing out the league's final year in 1957 under the Pirates name. The Big State League folded after that season with only four clubs still operating.
Beaumont returned to professional baseball in 1983 with the Golden Gators, a separate modern franchise with no connection to the original Exporters.
The Big State League was a Class B circuit that ran from 1947 through 1957, fielding teams exclusively from across Texas. Named for the state's reputation as the nation's largest, the league stretched from the Gulf Coast to the plains of West Texas, bringing professional baseball to cities the higher-classification Texas League had never reached.
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.
