The Erie Sailors, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, take their name from the city's location on the shore of Lake Erie. The Sailors name dates back to 1908, when a struggling Erie club relocated from Butler partway through the season and adopted it. That first year was rough: a 37-79 finish, 41 games behind first-place Akron, in the Ohio-Pennsylvania League.
Erie joined the Class B Central League in 1912, when several Ohio-Pennsylvania League teams moved over to the circuit together, and went 75-55 to finish third under manager Billy Gilbert.
The Sailors bounced to the Interstate League in 1913 and put up the best winning percentage of any of these stints, going 57-21, but the league disbanded that July over financial trouble before a postseason could happen. In 1914, Erie became the only United States city ever to field a team in the Canadian League, playing as the informally named Yankees (still called Sailors locally) and finishing third. The Sailors returned to the Central League in 1915, finishing fifth at 64-58 under Larry Quinlan, before falling back to the Interstate League in 1916, which ended in a midseason disbandment that August and kept professional baseball out of Erie for the next 12 years.
When the Central League reformed in 1928, the Sailors won the regular-season pennant at 76-59 under manager Buzz Wetzel, but lost the playoff championship to the Fort Wayne Chiefs, four games to two. Erie's best season by wins came in 1932, when the team topped the regular-season standings again with 85 victories.
The Sailors name kept going in Erie for decades afterward across the Middle Atlantic, PONY, New York-Penn, and Frontier Leagues, picking up championships in 1951, 1957, and 1994 along the way.
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.
