Uniform & Team History
The expansion Seattle Pilots played only one season, relocating to Milwaukee in 1970 and becoming the Brewers. Tommy Harper, who stole a whopping 73 bases for the Pilots in 1969, went on to play and coach for the Red Sox. He settled in the Boston area after retiring.
Oldtime Game History
As a youngster growing up in Longview, Wash., Jim Caple was a fan of the Seattle Pilots. Caple, who would later emerge as a popular sports columnist for ESPN.com, flew from Seattle to Boston in 2006 to wear this uniform and play in the Oldtime Baseball Game. He used the occasion to write a story for ESPN.com on Jeff Maier, who as a child in 1996 became a national sensation when he defected a ball hit by the Yankees’ Derek Jeter in Game 1 of the ALCS into what was ruled a home run. Maier, later a standout third baseman at Wesleyan University, played in the 2006 game and naturally wore our Mickey Mantle home Yankees uniform.
Jim’s story on Maier and the 2006 Oldtime Baseball Game marked the first time our game received national media coverage. Jim, who remained a fan of our game over the years, died in 2023 following a courageous battle with dementia and ALS. To honor Jim’s memory, Jeff Maier was invited to play in the 2024 Oldtime Baseball Game, whereupon he asked to wear the 1969 Seattle Pilots uniform that Jim wore in 2006.
In 2005 this uniform was worn by University of North Florida pitcher Jeremy Paplebon, younger brother of Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. Jeremy, who joined his twin bother Josh in the 2005 game, was drafted by the Cubs in 2006.
Ryan Edell of the University of California/Irvine, who wore it in 2002, was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 2005. Patrick Bresnehan of Arizona State, who wore it in 2003, was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006. Matt Peré of Boston College, who wore it in 2011, was signed by the San Francisco Giants as a non-drafted free agent.
Also worn by:
Billy McGaffigan, Cambridge Cardinals, Greater Boston Men’s Senior Baseball League (’98); Steve McMann, Babson College (’99); Andy Sullivan, Boston College (’00); Matt McEvoy, Holy Cross (’01); Joseph Orlando, Virginia Wesleyan University (’04); Nick Serino, Malden Catholic High School (’07); Matt O’Brien, Boston College (’08); Nick Leva, Southern New Hampshire University (’09); Ben Mullin, Worcester State (’10); Sammy Evers, Emerson College (’13); Orazio Azzarello, coach (’15-19, ’21, ‘23); Tyler Wilson, Lynn Classical High School (’22).