Minor League Caps

American Association All-Stars

(1939, maker unknown)

While baseball struggled during the Great Depression in the 1930s, its fortunes turned after WWII, when the sport experienced its greatest popularity. In cities throughout America, the minor leagues thrived in the late 1940s and early 1950s. By the mid-1950s, though, attendance had dropped off, and the minors began a slow fade as the major leagues expanded their reach into the Southeast and West Coast. Just as they did with major league teams, cap makers like Goldsmith, Rawlings, Spalding, Wilson, McAuliffe, New Era and others competed for the business of minor league teams. Perhaps even more so than their major league counterparts, minor league caps from the mid 20th century are tough to find today. Good luck locating another example of many of the caps shown here. Pictured below is a treasure trove of minor league caps, including Atlanta Crackers (late 1930s, Goldsmith, worn and signed by shortstop Buster Chatham), the Atlanta Crackers (likely 1940 or 1941, maker unknown, worn by pitcher Bill Kirkseick), Cedar Rapids Raiders (1938, Rawlings),

Asheville Tourists

(late 1960s, New Era)

Newark Bears (1942, Spalding), Rochester Red Wings (late 1940s, Spalding), Louisville Colonels (late 1940s, maker unknown), Flint Arrows (1949, maker unknown, worn by pitcher Kenneth Fleming), Kansas City Blues (c. 1950, maker unknown), Sioux City Soos (late 1940s, Spalding), Chattanooga Lookouts (c. 1950, MacGregor-Goldmsmith, worn by pitcher Dean Stone), the Marion (Ohio) Red Sox (c. 1950, maker unknown), Hollywood Stars (early 1950s, Wilson, worn by coach and scout Howie Haak, who famously scouted Roberto Clemente), Erie Giants (early 1950s, maker unknown), Fort Worth Cats (early 1950s, Rawlings, possibly worn by pitcher Rex Barney), Indianapolis Indians (early 1950s, McAuliffe), Augusta Tigers (early 1950s, New Era), York White Roses (1955, Coane, worn by catcher Leo Waszk), Almendares of the the Cuban Winter League (1950s, Wilson), Portland Beavers (c. 1956, Wilson), Houston Buffaloes (c. 1958, Stevens), Modesto Reds? (New Era, c. 1960), Rochester Red Wings (1956-60, New Era), San Diego Padres (1958-68, McAuliffe), Durham Bulls (1963, Wilson), Reno Silver Sox (1964, Wilson), Seattle Angels (1965-67, McAuliffe), Indianapolis Indians (McAuliffe, 1960s), Rochester Red Wings (1965-71, Rosenstein & Sons), Charlotte Hornets (c. 1970, KM Pro), Watertown (South Dakota) Expos (1970, New Era, worn and signed by manager Bobby Malkmus), Victoria Toros (1974 one-year team, New Era, worn by pitcher Dwight Bernard), Charleston Charlies (mid-1970s, New Era), Omaha Royals (early 1980s, New Era) El Paso Diablos (early 1980s, New Era), Syracuse Chiefs (mid-1980s, New Era) and a pair of Denver Bears caps from the early 1980s (both New Era).