|
The Islandian Times
Around the Town in the IPA
MIDWAY WOLVES
Owner: Midway Baseball Cooperative
GM/Manager: Cochise Chandler
Midway is a river town with 55,000 residents, founded on the banks of the Appian River in the central plains of Tycobbia. Midway gets its name because it is right in the middle of the country. Originally settled by the Kewanna Indians, as was most of the central plains area. The Kewannas called the area "place of the wolves". In many ways, a pack of wolves and a tribe of Indians have significant similarities. They both work for the greater good of the pack or tribe, they hunt for all to eat and are both led by a single leader. It isn’t surprising that because of these similarities, the Native Indians had a great respect for wolves and viewed them as a significant part of the world with which they lived harmoniously. In the Kewannan language the word for "wolf" is "Meed-whay". Subsequent English-speaking settlers, who emigrated in the 1870s understood it as "Midway". That is how the town name came to be.
Kewanna Indians still make up a large part of the town's population. The emigres and the Indians have always lived together in peace in Tycobbia. The emigres always treated the Natives fairly and did not take their land without proper payment.
Life has never been easy in Midway as it has to depend on the land for its livelihood. No rich mineral deposits, petroleum or forests are found here. No manufacturing. Just wheat, oats and corn as the staple crops. It also has a thriving dairy industry. There is one big employer in Midway, Nosyt Farms. In the Kewannan language "nosyt" is the word for "chicken". The company was started in 1895 by Joe Wolf and is still run today by his descendants. Nosyt Farms products are known for being grown naturally and are totally free of chemicals. This makes it a very popular brand name in the environment-conscious Islands.
Baseball got a late start in Midway. It was the 1920s before teams began to organize. It got its first impetus under the auspices of Nosyt Farms, which began a company league for employees. The company league was soon open to the town residents, too. By the 1940s Midway was competitive with the surrounding towns. It was one of the last town to get a franchise in the new Islandian Pro Alliance.
It is a community-owned franchise with over 5,000 stockholders. They chose the name "Wolves" because of the wolf's tough image and also because of its Kewannan connection and heritage. The Midway Wolves play at an old ballpark on the outskirts of town named in honor of Joe Wolf. It was built in 1928 and dedicated by Joe Wolf himself. It is located on Nosyt Farms and is maintained by the company as a community service.
Joe Wolf Park is not fancy, but it is functional and a good place to see a ballgame. Most modern day Kewanna Indians get their food like anybody else...at the supermarket. Only on special ceremonial days do they prepare tribal foods. So all you will find at the ballpark are the traditional hot dogs, cokes, beer, peanuts and crackerjacks... and of course, delicious Nosyt fried chicken... the best in the Islands.
Cochise Chandler is both the GM and manager of the Midway Wolves. In fact, he holds quite a few shares in the Midway Baseball Cooperative that runs the ballclub. Chandler was an accomplished ballplayer in Tycobbian baseball circles. He was a powerhitting outfielder and played until his mid-forties. Chandler has also been a successful manager, too.
Joe Wolf Park
Capacity: 7,775
Dimensions:
LF Line 335
LF 360
LCF 380
CF 401
RCF 380
RF 360
RF Line 335
|