The Santa Barbara Rancheros, based in Santa Barbara, California, played the 1962 and 1963 seasons in the state's own professional circuit, returning professional baseball to one of its founding cities. The name reached back to the region's Californio past, when the great Mexican-era land grant ranchos defined the Santa Barbara coast, and it came from the people: a naming contest was won by Wendell Simons, a librarian at the University of California at Santa Barbara, who was first to submit Rancheros and collected a pair of season tickets from Caesar Uyesaka, chairman of the Santa Barbara Baseball Committee.
The front office had genuine baseball royalty. Business manager Al Gionfriddo was the ex-Brooklyn Dodger forever remembered for robbing Joe DiMaggio of a certain home run in the 1947 World Series, one of the most famous catches ever made, and he was no stranger to Santa Barbara baseball, having played for the Channel Cities Oilers there in 1954. The Rancheros opened at home at Laguna Park on April 24, 1962, and the opponent carried its own irony: the defending champion Reno Silver Sox, the very franchise that had left Santa Barbara for Nevada as the Channel Cities Oilers back in June 1955. On the field the Rancheros hovered right around even, going 35-32 in the second half of 1962 and 32-35 in the second half of 1963, competitive baseball if never a championship threat.
The Rancheros filled the gap between Santa Barbara's two Dodgers eras. The city had hosted the Santa Barbara Dodgers from 1946 through 1953, and after the Rancheros' two seasons the Dodgers name returned from 1964 through 1967, when professional baseball left Santa Barbara for good.
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.
