The Fresno SunSox, based in Fresno, California, played the 1957 season in the Class C California League, a one-year identity bridging two long eras of Fresno baseball. For the previous decade and a half the club had been the Fresno Cardinals, owned outright by St. Louis, but the Cardinals scaled back their farm system after 1956 and sold the team to the Greater Fresno Youth Foundation. Operating in 1957 without a major league affiliation, working loosely with the Pacific Coast League's Sacramento Solons, the SunSox finished in last place.
The stay at the bottom was brief. In 1958 the club signed with the newly relocated San Francisco Giants, was renamed the Fresno Giants, and won the pennant in its first year, beginning a 30-year affiliation that was the longest minor league partnership in baseball at the time it ended.
Fresno's professional baseball roots run much deeper than the 1941 league. The city fielded a team in the original California League as far back as 1898, hosted the Fresno Raisin Eaters of the Pacific Coast League in 1906, and put clubs in the California State League in 1910 and 1913.
The televising of major league games took a heavy toll on minor league baseball during the 1950s, and the Cardinals' departure from Fresno was part of that nationwide retreat, as big league clubs trimmed farm systems that had once reached into hundreds of American towns.
Our design is adapted from original SunSox artwork that appeared in the team's own 1957 game materials, a genuine piece of Fresno baseball graphics brought back to life rather than a modern invention.
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.
