The Sioux City Packers wore the identity of the Sioux City, Iowa stockyards, which at their peak sold more livestock than any market in the nation. The name arrived in 1905, when the Soos rebranded, and the first edition finished a respectable 80-69 behind George Noblit's .317 average. The Iowa Senate banned Sunday baseball the following year, forcing the league to juggle the schedule around the state line.
Sioux City baseball's deeper history carries one of the sport's best trivia answers. The city's 1890s club, the Corn Huskers, won the 1891 Western Association pennant and beat two major league teams in postseason exhibitions; Charles Comiskey then bought the franchise, moved it to St. Paul, and in 1900 moved it again to Chicago, where it became the White Sox. Sioux City's team is, in a very real sense, the ancestor of an American League charter franchise.
The Packers name returned from 1920 to 1923, though those clubs struggled; the 1923 team went 59-105 and had to be bailed out and finally taken over by the league, despite Eddie Palmer hitting .365 with 62 doubles. The franchise moved to Lincoln for 1924 and became the Links. The stockyards stayed central to the city's baseball life even without a team: when Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig brought their barnstorming tour to town in October 1927, ten days after sweeping the World Series, they played at Stockyards Park with fans watching from the tops of rail cars beyond the outfield.
The Western League was a Class A circuit for most of its life, operating from 1900 through 1937 and again from 1947 through 1958, fielding teams across the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain states, including Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, and later Texas and New Mexico. For its first decade it stood just one step below the major leagues. An earlier league of the same name, which ran from 1885 to 1899, renamed itself the American League in 1900 and lives on today as one half of Major League Baseball.
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.
