Does your Cleveland Indians garb need an update?
Perhaps that T-shirt from the last time the team was in the World Series is showing the wear of nearly 20 years.
Two local T-shirt companies have you covered, and just in time for the World Series that starts Tuesday. Rubber City Clothing in downtown Akron and Social Dept., an Akron-based company that sells T-shirts on its website — www.thesocialdept.com — have new designs that you won’t find at the chain stores.
Rubber City Clothing, known for its Akron-centric offerings, has two new designs. The first says “Akron Loves Indians Baseball” and features a bat with an Indian head that resembles the famous wood-carved Indian on West Market Street. It also says “2016 world champs” at the bottom.
This is the second time the store has declared a Cleveland victory before it’s secured, with the earlier declaration for the Cleveland Cavaliers proving true.
“We’re 1-for-1,” Greg Kiskadden, Rubber City’s co-owner, said of his store’s Cleveland victory predictions. “We’re betting on it.”
The second design says “Field of Ducks” and shows seven yellow rubber duckies around a baseball diamond. It was inspired by a Beacon Journal story on Sunday that highlighted several Indians players who formerly played for the Akron RubberDucks, a minor-league affiliate of the Cleveland team.
The first design is available for preorder in the store, located at 18 N. High St., and via its http://rubbercityclothing.com. The second is available for preorder in the store and will be for sale through the website later this week.
The Social Dept., based in West Akron, also is offering several unique designs. These include one that says “Woohoo for Wahoo” and another that says “Hail to the Chief” and features the outline of the Indians’ mascot, Chief Wahoo. A third design declares, “It’s most definitely Tribe time!”
Both T-shirt stores also still have Cavaliers garb for sale for those excited about the new season that starts Tuesday.
Kiskadden said the shirt created after the Cavaliers’ championship victory that says “You’re Welcome Cleveland, Love Akron” could apply to the Indians as well, given the number of players who previously played for the RubberDucks.
The store’s “Akron Loves Indians Baseball” shirt is available without the “world champs” at the bottom.
“We’re flexible,” Kiskadden said.
“This is the one to get,” he continued, pointing to the design that includes the “world champs.” “For good karma.”
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @swarsmithabj and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/swarsmith.