The Dayton Aviators, based in Dayton, Ohio, took their name from the city's aviation legacy as home to Wright brothers Orville and Wilbur. Dayton is still home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force and the Wright Brothers National Museum. The club was a charter member of the reformed, six-team Class B Central League, joining Akron, Canton, Erie, Fort Wayne, and Springfield to open play on April 25, 1928.
Dayton's debut season was its best on the field: the Aviators went 76-59 in 1928, finishing just one game behind the regular-season-leading Erie Sailors in a split-season schedule. Fort Wayne and Erie split the two halves of the season, and Fort Wayne went on to beat Erie for the playoff title.
The following year's club featured a future Hall of Famer: 19-year-old second baseman Billy Herman, in just his second professional season, hit .329 across 138 games for the 1929 Aviators. Herman went on to a long major league career, mostly with the Chicago Cubs, making 10 consecutive All-Star teams and finishing with a .304 career average and 2,345 hits before his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.
The Aviators folded after a last-place 1930 season, a 56-81 finish that left them 26 games behind the pennant-winning Springfield Blue Sox, though Dayton's Clyde Hatter did lead the league with 217 strikeouts that year. The Central League itself didn't return in 1931, and Dayton's spot was eventually filled by the 1932 Dayton Ducks.
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 premium lightweight shirts are the hugely popular Bella+Canvas brand 3001 tees. They are much lighter and thinner feeling than a traditional heavyweight tee. They also are more form fitting and feel more snug. These are generally 90% to 100% cotton, although please note that heather colors in this item are 52% cotton.
Size Guide: Fit is true to size or a little snug. Considering ordering one size up if you are normally between sizes.
Brand: Bella Canvas | Product ID: 3001
- Made with 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, a lightweight fabric (4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²)) that is easy to layer, breathable. Perfect for active and leisure wear.
- The retail fit that is perfect for casual and semi-formal settings. The crew neckline adds a classic, neat style that's perfect for accessorizing.
- Bella+Canvas manufactures all its products in the US and internationally in humane, no-sweat-shop, sustainable way and is part of the Fair Labor Association as well as Platinum WRAP certified.
- The tear-away label minimizes skin irritations.
- Fabric blends: Ash and Heather Prism colors - 99% cotton, 1% polyester; Heather and Solid Blend colors - 52% cotton, 48% polyester; Athletic Heather and Black Heather - 90% cotton, 10% polyester.
