The Bradford Blue Wings played in Bradford, Pennsylvania, an oil-refining town in the northern tier near the New York line, and won the league championship in 1949. They were a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate for all six of their seasons, from 1944 through 1949.
Bradford's franchise was a charter member of its Class D circuit in 1939 and ran under five different names across eighteen seasons. It began as the Bradford Bees, affiliated with the Boston Bees, and took a league title under that name in 1941. The club sat out 1943, returned in 1944 as the Blue Wings under the new Phillies agreement, then became the Bradford Phillies in 1950, the Bradford Yankees in 1956, and finally the Bradford Beagles in 1957.
The most famous player to pass through Bradford came in the Bees years. Warren Spahn signed with the Boston organization out of high school in 1940 for eighty dollars a month, turning down a partial scholarship to Cornell because his family could not cover the expenses, and Bradford was his first professional assignment. He made his debut on July 6 in Batavia, came out of the bullpen, took the loss, walked two, and struck out nobody. He finished the year 5-4 with a 2.73 ERA. Spahn went on to win more games than any left-hander in major league history.
Home games were played at Community Park on Main Street, built in 1916 with seating for about 2,500. Bradford no longer hosts professional baseball, and unlike several other towns on its old circuit it has not picked up a summer collegiate club either.
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.
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- Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F); Non-chlorine: bleach as needed; Tumble dry: low heat; Do not iron; Do not dryclean.
