The Salt Lake City Skyscrapers, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, played four seasons as charter members of the Class D Union Association from 1911 through 1914. The name was a piece of civic bragging: Salt Lake was putting up its first tall commercial buildings in those years, and the club named itself after the skyline rather than after an animal, an industry or a parent team.
The best season was the first. The 1911 Skyscrapers went 85-58 under manager Cliff Blankenship and finished second, eight and a half games behind a Great Falls club that won 90. Blankenship would manage Missoula to the league title the following year.
The end of the Union Association was strange even by Class D standards. In 1914 the rest of the league disbanded during the season, leaving Salt Lake City and Ogden as the only clubs still operating. Rather than quit, the two teams played sixteen games against each other to finish out their schedules. Ogden was awarded the championship, and the league never came back.
A common shorthand treats the Skyscrapers as an earlier name for the Salt Lake City Bees, but the two were separate operations. The Skyscrapers folded with their league after 1914. The Bees arrived in 1915 when a Utah businessman named Bill Lane bought an existing West Coast franchise and moved it to Salt Lake City, which is a purchase and a relocation rather than a renaming.
Photographs of the Skyscrapers survive in the Utah State History collections, including shots of the grandstand on April 23, 1911 and a team portrait from April 1912, with the crowd in suits and ties.
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.
