What was life like when everything was grey?

I have had a few people ask me what the characteristics of the uniforms that the mill ball players wore. Of course black and white photography during the time period in which I am researching has left me wanting. So I decided to spend a few hours today looking online and making a few phone calls to see what I could uncover. What did they really look like? Did they very from mill to mill? What must it have been like to play in the thick cotton pants and the nylon stockings?

The three uniforms from the time period that I have felt are made of thick heavy cotton. Well no kidding you are saying, you are talking about cotton textile mill baseball teams!! That I am, still imagine a hot South Carolina day and you are playing a intense game in thick cotton jerseys and pants completed by a pair of stockings.

Surprisingly I have found that the uniforms did in fact contain color that differed from mill to mill. Victor Mill in Greer,SC is reported to have had a grungy yellow V on their black uniforms. Mills Mill of Greenville,SC provided their fans to a optical treat of blue pin striped uniforms with blue writing sheltered in red. 

MIllers Mill exhibit at the Upcountry History Museum 

I think it is safe to say that great pride was taking in the uniforms. By not only the players but the people of the mill themselves. The pride that must have ran through a mothers heart or the joy a older gentleman felt when they saw their team take the field in the mill colors. The colors that they worked so hard during the week to protect.  

Unforgivably the ill informed  have erased many of the uniforms from history. There are only a few remaining intact uniforms from the period in which I am focusing.  I hope that one day more can be uncovered so we can get a better idea of what they looked like.

A outtake from Milltown Pride(a movie about 1920's mill baseball)