The Lodi Melon Rollers, based in Lodi, California, were the city's first professional baseball team, playing in the California State League in 1904 and 1905. The name is a small masterpiece of local truth: before Lodi became synonymous with wine grapes, it was one of California's great watermelon shipping centers, sending trainloads of melons out of San Joaquin County every summer, and the image of workers rolling melons up into boxcars gave the ballclub the name the papers used for it from the start.
The Melon Rollers came and went quickly, as most small-market clubs of the outlaw-league era did, and Lodi would wait six decades for professional baseball to return. When it finally did, with the Lodi Crushers of 1966, the new name honored the grape industry that had replaced melons at the heart of the local economy, making Lodi likely the only city in baseball history whose two team names track its agricultural succession.
In the first half of the 1900s, professional baseball reached into towns of every size across America, with leagues rising and folding year to year as cities looked for entertainment in the era before television, and few names anywhere said more about their town in two words than the Melon Rollers.
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.
