The Rocky Mount Rocks played just one season in the Bi-State League, in 1942, but won the only thing that season had to offer. Third in the regular season at 63-60, managed by George Ferrell, they beat the Wilson Tobs in seven games in the first playoff round and then swept the Sanford Spinners four games to one for the championship. Ferrell led the team himself at the plate with 105 RBIs on the year, tops in the league.
Among the players who joined the Rocks partway through the 1942 season was an 18-year-old third baseman named Bobby Thomson, in his first professional year after signing with the New York Giants. Thomson hit .241 in 29 games with the Rocks, with a home run during the playoff series against Wilson, before being drafted into the Army Air Corps that December. On October 3, 1951, playing third base for the Giants against Brooklyn in the deciding game of the National League playoff, Thomson hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history off Ralph Branca in the ninth inning: the shot known ever since as the Shot Heard Round the World.
Rocky Mount had fielded professional baseball teams under one name or another since 1909, in leagues ranging from the Eastern Carolina League through the Virginia League to the Piedmont League. Buck Leonard, the Hall of Fame first baseman from the Negro National League, grew up playing semi-pro ball in Rocky Mount through the 1920s, and remained a Rocky Mount resident his entire life. The Bi-State League was a Class D circuit that ran from 1934 through 1942, fielding teams from the tobacco and textile country straddling the Virginia-North Carolina border. The league did not resume after World War II.
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.
