Davenport River Rats T-Shirt (Premium Lightweight) - Vintage Defunct Baseball Teams - Iowa

Davenport River Rats T-Shirt (Premium Lightweight) - Vintage Defunct Baseball Teams - IowaThe Davenport River Rats, based in Davenport, Iowa, were charter members of the Illinois Indiana Iowa League in 1901, one of eight founding clubs in a circuit that would become one of the longest running minor leagues in the country. The nickname fit the geography: Davenport sits on the west bank of the Mississippi River directly across from Rock Island, Illinois, and the city's amateur teams had carried river themed names for years before organized

The Davenport River Rats, based in Davenport, Iowa, were charter members of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in 1901, one of eight founding clubs in a circuit that would become one of the longest-running minor leagues in the country. The nickname fit the geography: Davenport sits on the west bank of the Mississippi River directly across from Rock Island, Illinois, and the city's amateur teams had carried river-themed names for years before organized ball arrived. Davenport and Evansville, Indiana independently arrived at the same nickname for that inaugural Class D season, making them the only two clubs in the founding league to share a name. The 1901 River Rats finished 51-61 under manager Billy Smith, 9.5 games behind the first-place Terre Haute Hottentots.

The league reclassified to Class B in 1902, and the River Rats played through 1904 before folding. Davenport stayed in the Three-I under a string of other names through 1916, and those years produced a league championship in 1914 under the Blue Sox identity. Professional baseball returned to Davenport in 1946 with a Chicago Cubs affiliate that won the regular season pennant, featuring future major leaguers Roy Smalley Jr. and Rube Walker. Three years later the Davenport Pirates swept the Evansville Braves 3-0 to win the 1949 Three-I championship, with Vern Law on the pitching staff. Law won the Cy Young Award with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960.

Hall of Famer Jim Bunning pitched for the Davenport Tigers in 1951 at age 19, going 8-10 with a 2.88 ERA in his second professional season, before a major league career that included 224 wins, a perfect game in 1964, and later a seat in the United States Senate representing Kentucky.

The Three-I League (also known as the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League) was a Class B circuit that ran from 1901 through 1961, with pauses for World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. Though rooted primarily in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, the league also drew clubs from Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska, and Minnesota as its core membership contracted in later years.

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.