Celebrate Philly baseball history with this vintage-inspired collection of Negro League hoodies, jerseys, and baseball caps for the culture
If City Connect jerseys didn't do it for you, local brand For the Culture celebrates Philadelphia's baseball history with a capsule collection of vintage Negro League sports apparel.
A Philadelphia apparel brand released a capsule collection this week of hoodies, jerseys, and baseball caps honoring the Philadelphia Stars, the city’s championship-winning Negro League baseball team.
For The Culture Clothing collaborated with Ebbets Field Flannels for five pieces of vintage-inspired sports gear, including a white hoodie with red, white, and blue stars, reminiscent of the team’s 1930s uniforms. The hoodie has a matching baseball cap. There are also red and black jerseys and baseball hats.
Baseball caps range from $39 to $65. Jerseys are $110. Hoodies are $120.
“The only time the Negro Leagues are celebrated is on Jackie Robinson Day,” said For The Culture cofounder Darryl Jones. “We hope that through this collaboration this piece of Philadelphia history will last more than one day, but forever.”
Vintage baseball is having a moment in Philly fashion. Brands from Shibe Vintage Sports to Homage are taking Phillies-inspired red-and-white pinstripes and stylized Ps and popping them on athletic wear, shouting out the teams of 1960s yesteryear and 1990s not-so-long-ago. Darrell Alston, founder of high-end sneaker brand Bungee Oblecení, debuted a collection earlier this month of cherry red shirts and jerseys in honor of 1980s Phillies Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton under the brand name Bungee USA.
The Philadelphia Phillies are selling branded vintage memorabilia online and in its apparel store.
Jarrod Wright, For The Culture co-owner, chalked up vintage MLB popularity to nostalgia and interest in Philadelphia’s Black history. “Fashion loops the past to the present,” Wright said. “We want these shirts to open up the dialogue about Black history and its place in baseball.”
The Philadelphia Stars were founded in 1933 as an independent team by then-veteran Negro League player Ed Bolden. The Philadelphia Stars played their home games in West Philly’s Penmar Park — known today as the 44th and Parkside ballpark — where For The Culture shot its advertising campaign, starring rapper and entrepreneur Eric “Chill” Moody.
The Philadelphia Stars roster included Biz Mackey, Jud Wilson, and Dick Lundy. In 1934, the Philadelphia Stars beat the Chicago American Giants in a controversial championship win led by 20-year-old pitcher Slim Jones. The team disbanded in 1952.
For The Culture is known for its collection of clever T-shirts that clap back at cultural appropriation. Its apparel is a not-so-subtle reminder that Philly culture, Black culture and, specifically, Black Philly culture should be respected and appreciated, not mocked and monetized. One of For The Culture’s best-known shirts was “End Jawntrification,” a dig at attorney John Morgan’s “I’m Jawn Morgan” 2022 billboard on the Vine Street Expressway near the 23rd off-ramp that hawked his Florida-based law firm.
Other popular For The Culture shirts include “I Went to Public School,” a statement on the importance of public education, and T-shirts in honor of late Philadelphia Eagles’ coach Buddy Ryan. For The Culture designed and manufactured the official T-shirt of Broadway’s The Lion King.
“We are a fashion brand that can react quickly to what’s happening in the world,” said Darryl Jones. “If something happens today, we can turn a shirt around quickly. We started out with sports, then moved on to hip-hop and now our niche is everything.”