The Tri-City ValleyCats are proud to continue to honor the proud industrial history of Troy, NY, with alternate home jerseys for the “Collar City Cats” returning for the season. 

 

Fitted Collar City Cats hats, shirts, jerseys, and hooded sweatshirts are available in SouthPaw’s Den for fans who want to join in.

 

Historically, Troy is home to the “detachable collar” and the “bishop collar”, which were crucial for worker safety during the Industrial Revolution. At the turn of the 20th century, an astounding 90% of collars made in the United States were produced in Troy, with 15,000 people working in the industry; 85% of whom were women. At the time, the riverfront was dotted with collar factories, many repurposed or redeveloped as part of the city’s rebirth.

 

On the field, professional baseball teams such as the Troy Haymakers (1871-72) and the Troy Trojans (1879-82) were some of the first professional baseball teams in the nation and called the Collar City home. In fact, the San Francisco Giants can be traced all the way back to the Trojans. 

 

Hall of Famer Johnny Evers (1946) played for the Trojans for one season before Frank Selee, manager of the Cubs, purchased Evers’s contract and soon made him Chicago’s starting second baseman. Evers helped lead the Cubs to four National League pennants, including two World Series championships. 

 

The Cubs traded Evers to Boston (NL) in 1914; that season, Evers led them to victory in the World Series and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. Evers continued to play for the Boston and Philadelphia through 1917. He then became a coach, scout, manager, and general manager in his later career. He died in 1947 at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany and is buried in Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Troy.

 

Overall, the Haymakers and Trojans had five Hall of Famers on their rosters, including Buck Ewing (1939), Roger Connor (1945), Dan Brouthers (1945), Tim Keefe (1964), and Mickey Welch (1973).

 

To recognize and honor these legacies, the ValleyCats annually wear the throwback “Collar City Cats” design with green lettering across the chest, green numbers on the back, and a cream-colored jersey with pants with green piping. The Collar City Cats logo also features interlocking collars with an alternate mark, including an iron to pay tribute to the city’s heritage. 

 

The uniforms were created with the ValleyCats friends at NOVUS jerseys and serve as an annual reminder of Troy’s baseball and industrial history.