ValleyCats to Unveil Collar City Cats Jerseys

-  The Tri-City ValleyCats are proud to present their 2024 specialty “Collar City Cats” jerseys. These alternates honor the rich history of Troy, NY, also known as the Collar City. These uniforms proudly represent the baseball lineage of the area that the ValleyCats call home. The ‘Cats will be wearing these jerseys on June 18th, July 12th, and August 10th. 

Fitted Collar City Cats hats are available now through this link. Additional merchandise for the Collar City Cats will be available in early June.

Specifically, Troy is home to the “detachable collar” and the “bishop collar”, which were central during the industrial revolution. The ‘Cats are paying homage to the impact that the collar industry had on Troy. At the turn of the 20th century, 15,000 people worked in the collar industry in Troy, 85% of which were women, and 90% of collars made in the United States at the time came from Troy. The riverfront was dotted with collar factories as well with many of those industrial buildings repurposed or redeveloped as part of the city’s rebirth.

Furthermore, professional baseball such as the Troy Haymakers (1871-72) and the Troy Trojans (1879-82) came to the Collar City in the late 19th century. The lineage of the San Francisco Giants can be traced back to the Trojans with the Giants returning their 2010 World Series trophy for an event at Joe Bruno Stadium to celebrate this history in 2011. The ‘Cats have honored Troy’s baseball heritage in the past as Hall of Famer Johnny Evers (1946) was a Troy native, and had his very own bobblehead in 2014. As a whole, the Haymakers and the Trojans sported five Hall of Famers in Buck Ewing (1939), Roger Connor (1945), Dan Brouthers (1945), Tim Keefe (1964), and Mickey Welch (1973).

The ValleyCats have crafted a throwback design with green lettering across the chest, green numbers on the back, and a cream colored jersey with pants that have 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. We are excited to don these NOVUS jerseys to recognize Troy’s baseball and industrial history.