The Merced Bears, based in Merced, California, were a charter member of the California League, founded in 1941 as a Class C circuit, and were fittingly a farm club of the Boston Bees, as the Boston Braves were then briefly known. Merced was the smallest market among the eight founding cities, and the Bears struggled accordingly, finishing last at 50-86, a full 38 games behind pennant-winning Fresno.
That one season was the whole story. When World War II arrived, the league shed half its teams for 1942 and then suspended entirely, and unlike Bakersfield, Fresno, and Stockton, Merced never returned to the league when play resumed in 1946. The Bears remain the only entry in the modern California League's long history to represent the city.
Merced's baseball history did not begin or end there: the city fielded the Merced Fig Growers in the California State League in 1910, a nod to the same agricultural identity that surrounded the Bears three decades later.
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 (non-premium) hoodies are classics that anyone is sure to recognize. They are thick, durable Gildan brand hoodies. They are a cotton/poly blend that stands the test of time and feature the 'kangaroo pouch' on the front with a draw string hood.
Size Guide: True to size, roomy