OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Eagles Soar: A Story From The Aukland Association

chey · 06-11-2020, 12:40 AM

While I generally believe that the best way to learn about Aukland and it's baseball history is through the story that I've written, I do think it's probably worth providing a brief primer on the Aukland Association.

Made up of eight teams split into two divisions (the Byng and the Connaught, named for two of Aukland's Governors General who donated some of the baseball's earliest trophies), the Association was founded in 1951 in what turned out to be a successful attempt to clean up the game by formalizing professionalism. There had always been "amateur" players earning a salary under the table in the old days anyway -- this just kept things clean. There are also two minor leagues (Senior and Junior Minor), as well as innumerable university, high school, and amateur baseball teams across the country. The Association plays a sixty game season, kicking off in April and wrapping up in late June to take advantage of that early part of summer before the storms start to blow.

Without further adieu, the Original Eight! Please note that all population figures are per the 1971 Aukland Census, and of course none of the images are my original work.

Bonaventure Barons
Bonaventure, New Cambriol
Population: 329,400
Affiliates: Camborne Terriers (SMBL), Beeston Blue Sox (JMBL)

Bonaventure, nestled on the northern French Shore of New Cambriol, is the country’s only significant city with a majority French speaking population. A remnant of French colonial influence in the region, where France held exclusive fishing rights for centuries, the city is a cultural capital for the country’s Francophones — a little more than 10% of all Auklanders report it as their first language, nearly all of whom live along the French Shore. Once an old fashioned fishing hub, Bonaventure today is a growing centre of arts and finance.

The Barons are beloved by both Bonaventure residents and French ethnics across the country, carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire people group on their humble shoulders. Playing out of the aging Stade Langevin, the Barons have produced largely lacklustre results in front of wildly enthusiastic crowds. Six playoff appearances and two championships over 20 seasons, for a cumulative record of 583-620, .485. Their most famous hero was starting pitcher Ron Pedlar, who played almost his entire career in La Bonne Ville, winning 34 games for the Barons and earning six straight All-Star nods.

Les Barons today are a team at its apex; fresh off winning the championship in 1970, they’re built around a new superstar ace. Jose Zepeda, a rare Mexican import, recently joined the club as a free agent and posted the best season of his career as a thirty-seven year-old. Whether the low spending Barons can maintain this competitive run remains an open question, but nobody’s complaining today.

Erneston Crows
Erneston, New Cambriol
Population: 218,300
Affiliates: Strathearn Sailors (SMBL), Avon Spitfires (JMBL)

Erneston is a hard city, a lumber town perched on the Prince Ernest River in the Lowlands of New Cambriol. Its pulp and milling industries exploded after World War 2, driving massive population growth that saw it nearly double between 1931 and 1951 (79,200 to 144,000) and again between ’51 and ’71 (144,000 to 218,300). That growth has already clearly begun to slow, and with more and more of the country’s economy moving to more modern industries, it’s not clear what the future holds for this dreary metro.

The city’s ball club has largely mirrored its locale. The feisty Crows were ascendant in the 50s, winning each of the Association’s first three championship titles. Fueled by Hall of Famer Keagan Middleton (for whom the league’s positional batting awards are named), the Crows seemed unstoppable in those days, but they’ve cooled off since. After five straight playoff appearances from 1951-55, Erneston fell into the second division and, by and large, have stayed there. The next fifteen years saw the Crows make only five postseasons, although they did win it all one more time in ’68.

Nobody’s mistaking the current Crows club at Atlantic Lumber Park for the great Erneston squads of yesteryear. They’re not terrible — a 29-31 record last year could have easily been .500 if they’d gotten a bounce — but they’re also not good. They’re brightest star is SS William Humby, an unbelievably athletic twenty-eight year old who makes up for his light bat with a truly golden glove; he’s taken home the league’s Jon Fraser Medal as the best defensive shortstop in each of the last three years.

Kingsport Capitals
Kingsport, St. Elmo’s Island
Population: 181,500
Affiliates: Chatham Sugar Maples (SMBL), Cuper’s Cove Comets (JMBL)

Kingsport — The Royal City — is Aukland’s national capital, a concession made by the larger provinces to ensure that tiny St. Elmo’s Island joined the union in 1871. Despite the population generated by government employees and associated services, Kingsport is easily the smallest of any city with a major league ball club. It’s also among the saddest.

The Caps are one of only two teams who have never won a title, and their four playoff appearances are the fewest of any club. They’ve managed only six winning seasons in their history, giving the Kingsport faithful little reason to crowd into Dominion Grounds. If it weren’t for government pressure on behalf of season ticket holding parliamentarians, the league likely would have folded the team ten times by now; they were only granted a franchise in the first place after heavy lobbying from then-Prime Minister Eugene Mills. The biggest star they’ve had in Kingsport was Emilio Gonzales, a slugging Venezuelan first baseman who won two Dennis Pederson Trophies as the league’s most outstanding player before falling off — hard. He’s still on the team, and he’s only thirty, but he’s hasn’t hit .300 or double digit home runs since 1966. As first basemen go, he’s average at best.

The good news for Kingsporters? The team might actually be onto something right now. Two of their four playoff berths came in ’69 and ’70, and their star right fielder, Tom Dand, took home a Pederson Trophy of his own last season. He’s no spring chicken at 35 years old, though, and the Caps’ championship window may be closing in short order.

Ottewell Oaks
Ottewell, New Cambriol
Population: 480,600
Affiliates: Baie de Glace Fleurs (SMBL), Gordon Reds (JMBL)

Ottewell was once equal to Paradise in both population and prestige, but the capital of New Cambriol has had to watch as Paradise boomed while they fell to third. It’s still a major centre, though, built around forestry, shipping and shipbuilding. All of Aukland’s lumber, and most of the ships that carry them, come out of Ottewell before heading to either America or Great Britain. Nicknamed Hub City, Ottewell may not be a city on the rise anymore, but it still matters.

The Oaks had a slow start to their history, failing to make the playoffs even once in the league’s first eleven seasons, earning themselves the derisive nickname “Ottewell Jokes”. Their first playoff appearance was a doozy, though, as they won the whole thing in 1962 on the back of an incredible performance by seven-time All-Star pitcher Dave Howe. They’ve been competitive ever since, getting into the postseason in five of the eight years following, although they’ve never repeated as champs. Their all-time record is still mediocre, with a .475 winning percentage and only seven winning seasons.

Last year’s 34 wins earned the Oaks their third Byng Division title, and there’s no reason to think they won’t be right in the mix again in ’71. Star CF Sam Briggs is one of the league’s best hitters, and their Venezuelan ace Marcelino Funicello led the entire league in strikeouts last season. The Oaks aren’t a powerhouse, but nobody’s calling them the Jokes anymore.

Paradise Princes
Paradise, New St. Andrew’s
Population: 784,500
Affiliates: Macareaux Gulls (SMBL), Gap Town Tigers (JMBL)

Paradise is the cultural, economic and athletic centre of the country, home to more Auklanders (and more baseball fans) than any other city. It’s home to two ball clubs — the Princes and the Shrimpers — but the Princes are the real stars here. Little boys all over the country dream of growing up to wear the Green and Gold, of playing in front of thousands of cheering fans at Prince Of Wales Park in downtown Paradise. Both the ballpark and the team are named for the then-future King Edward VIII, in honour of his visit to Aukland in 1919.

The Princes’ six league titles are the most of any team in the Aukland Association, thanks to the extravagant spending of the wealthy Bolen family that has owned the team since its amateur origins half a century ago. No team wins more games or draws more fans than the mighty Princes, and that isn’t likely to change as long as Fred Bolen is alive. Dozens of superstars have played for the Princes over the years, and names like Darren Dugas, Nestor Castillo and John Overby have captured the imagination of children (and children-at-heart) for decades. The greatest Prince, however, is clearly Dennis Pederson, a ten-time All-Star for whom the league’s MVP award was renamed upon his retirement. Pederson played for four teams in his long career, but his best years were all spent in Green and Gold.

The Princes are coming out of a (relative) dry spell, and Fred Bolen has built them around star pitcher Jimmy McCollin. An American right-handed starter, “The McCollin Express” signed with the Princes for more money than American teams were offering, and has won two Paul Sanchez Awards as the league’s best pitcher. Both of those awards came in years the Princes ended up winning the league title, and the fans are already planning next year’s parade.

Paradise Shrimpers
Paradise, New St. Andrew’s
Population: 784,500
Affiliates: Londonderry Archers (SMBL), Point Patrick Seals (JMBL)

It isn’t easy playing second fiddle, but that’s just the hand that the Shrimpers have been dealt. While their cross-town rivals, the Princes, thrill thousands of fans in downtown Paradise, the Shrimpers play in front of smaller, blue collar crowds at Union Field on the city’s south end. Named for the shrimper’s union that founded the club, these underdogs have thrived in the shadow of their wealthier, flashier neighbours uptown. Three titles and seven playoff appearances might not impress the Princes, but the Shrimpers are the pride and joy of their south end faithful.

The Shrimper’s golden age came in the late 50s, as they went to the playoffs four times in a row, winning two titles. Things dried up after that, although a fluke run in ’66 saw them beat the heavily favoured Princes in the Qualifying Series before toppling Ottewell to take the league championship. Third baseman Mark Futral is the club’s biggest historic star, having spent his entire trophy-laden career at Union Field.

Today, the Shrimpers are a reliable contender that always seems to come up just short. Southpaw ace Neill “Whiff” Whimster strikes out more batters than almost anyone else, but the thirty-four year old has become disconcertingly injury-prone of late. He missed nearly half the season last year, and Shrimpers fans are vehement that he’d have taken them to the championship last season if he’d been able to stay on the mound.

Shelburne Eagles
Shelburne, New St. Andrew’s
Population: 276,400
Affiliates: Dorchester Goats (SMBL), Fool’s Bay Frogs (JMBL)

Queen’s Cape is a long, protruding peninsula jutting off of the east coast of New St. Andrew’s, a ragged stretch of land that experiences bitter winters and wicked summer storms. Shelburne is the region’s only significant settlement, a rough-and-tumble mining town that’s experienced both boom and bust over the years. The city’s population exploded from 22,600 in 1891 to 166,400 only ten years later, and the city’s fortunes have been tied closely to the coal industry ever since. Before the War, people expected it to usurp Paradise as Aukland’s largest city by the middle of the century; instead, Shelburnians have watched the country pass them by as modernization took its course. Still, the coal-stained citizens of Shelburne show up to War Memorial Stadium claw and scrape their way to the bottom of the standings.

Shelburne has never won a title, although they have been competitive enough for the last decade or so. Eight playoff appearances are nothing to sneeze at, even if they have been spread out over the course of twenty years. It doesn’t help that they’re stuck in the wildly competitive Byng Division: the Princes and the Sea Dogs have ten titles between them, and even Ottewell is experiencing an ascendancy lately. The Eagles keep finding themselves the poor stepchild of the division, and their .462 cumulative winning percentage reflects that. The team has few historic stars, as truly elite players typically leave for a Paradise paycheque before spending too long on the Cape. 2B Frank Vaillant had a fine, workmanlike career, and his loyalty to Shelburne endeared him to fans, but he’s nothing special as far as legends go.

Unfortunately for Eagles fans, the future is no brighter than the past. Their payroll is dead last in the league, barely half of what the Princes spend annually. After three competitive years from ’67 to ’69, Shelburne tumbled in the standings last season and finished with a dismal 23-37 record. The team is both old and bad, although twenty-six year-old starting pitcher Bill “Boss” Carter is a bright light of hope for a team dearly in need of one. Can the Eagles soar in their third decade?

St. Mary’s Sea Dogs
St. Mary’s, Amador
Population: 560,200
Affiliates: Hants Porcupines (SMBL), Foxhall Pharaohs (JMBL)

St. Mary’s is the capital and largest city of Amador, an isolated province to the northeast of the Aukland mainland which makes up New Cambriol and New St. Andrew’s. It’s also the second largest city in the country behind Paradise, a fact that’s responsible for a fierce rivalry between the Sea Dogs and the Princes. A bustling fishing town, the wharfs of St. Mary’s are constantly humming with the sound of old men arguing over last night’s Dogs game. The Dogs are the only major league franchise in Amador, and the entire province goes crazy when they win.

The Sea Dogs can’t match the success of the Princes, but they’re a close second. Ten playoff appearances and four national championships — including three straight titles from ’63 to ’65 — give the people of St. Mary’s plenty to brag about. And everybody in town loves Jason Jarrett, an aging American third baseman who was the cornerstone of all three titles. He’s slowed down considerably over the last few years, though, and since ’65 he’s spent more time on the injured reserve than on the field at Cambie Park.

Jarrett’s demise has mirrored the fate of the team as a whole, who haven’t had a single winning season since their last championship in 1965. Management is still looking for a replacement for Jarrett on billboard advertisements, with the leading candidate looking like Trevor Bryant, a line drive hitting infielder who can turn a double play better than anyone alive. He’s young still, and has yet to get more than a cup of coffee with the big club, but that hasn’t stopped Amadoran sports fans from daydreaming about his potential.

06-11-2020, 12:40 AM	#2
chey Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 282	A Brief Editor's Note While I generally believe that the best way to learn about Aukland and it's baseball history is through the story that I've written, I do think it's probably worth providing a brief primer on the Aukland Association. Made up of eight teams split into two divisions (the Byng and the Connaught, named for two of Aukland's Governors General who donated some of the baseball's earliest trophies), the Association was founded in 1951 in what turned out to be a successful attempt to clean up the game by formalizing professionalism. There had always been "amateur" players earning a salary under the table in the old days anyway -- this just kept things clean. There are also two minor leagues (Senior and Junior Minor), as well as innumerable university, high school, and amateur baseball teams across the country. The Association plays a sixty game season, kicking off in April and wrapping up in late June to take advantage of that early part of summer before the storms start to blow. Without further adieu, the Original Eight! Please note that all population figures are per the 1971 Aukland Census, and of course none of the images are my original work. Bonaventure Barons Bonaventure, New Cambriol Population: 329,400 Affiliates: Camborne Terriers (SMBL), Beeston Blue Sox (JMBL) Bonaventure, nestled on the northern French Shore of New Cambriol, is the country’s only significant city with a majority French speaking population. A remnant of French colonial influence in the region, where France held exclusive fishing rights for centuries, the city is a cultural capital for the country’s Francophones — a little more than 10% of all Auklanders report it as their first language, nearly all of whom live along the French Shore. Once an old fashioned fishing hub, Bonaventure today is a growing centre of arts and finance. The Barons are beloved by both Bonaventure residents and French ethnics across the country, carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire people group on their humble shoulders. Playing out of the aging Stade Langevin, the Barons have produced largely lacklustre results in front of wildly enthusiastic crowds. Six playoff appearances and two championships over 20 seasons, for a cumulative record of 583-620, .485. Their most famous hero was starting pitcher Ron Pedlar, who played almost his entire career in La Bonne Ville, winning 34 games for the Barons and earning six straight All-Star nods. Les Barons today are a team at its apex; fresh off winning the championship in 1970, they’re built around a new superstar ace. Jose Zepeda, a rare Mexican import, recently joined the club as a free agent and posted the best season of his career as a thirty-seven year-old. Whether the low spending Barons can maintain this competitive run remains an open question, but nobody’s complaining today. Erneston Crows Erneston, New Cambriol Population: 218,300 Affiliates: Strathearn Sailors (SMBL), Avon Spitfires (JMBL) Erneston is a hard city, a lumber town perched on the Prince Ernest River in the Lowlands of New Cambriol. Its pulp and milling industries exploded after World War 2, driving massive population growth that saw it nearly double between 1931 and 1951 (79,200 to 144,000) and again between ’51 and ’71 (144,000 to 218,300). That growth has already clearly begun to slow, and with more and more of the country’s economy moving to more modern industries, it’s not clear what the future holds for this dreary metro. The city’s ball club has largely mirrored its locale. The feisty Crows were ascendant in the 50s, winning each of the Association’s first three championship titles. Fueled by Hall of Famer Keagan Middleton (for whom the league’s positional batting awards are named), the Crows seemed unstoppable in those days, but they’ve cooled off since. After five straight playoff appearances from 1951-55, Erneston fell into the second division and, by and large, have stayed there. The next fifteen years saw the Crows make only five postseasons, although they did win it all one more time in ’68. Nobody’s mistaking the current Crows club at Atlantic Lumber Park for the great Erneston squads of yesteryear. They’re not terrible — a 29-31 record last year could have easily been .500 if they’d gotten a bounce — but they’re also not good. They’re brightest star is SS William Humby, an unbelievably athletic twenty-eight year old who makes up for his light bat with a truly golden glove; he’s taken home the league’s Jon Fraser Medal as the best defensive shortstop in each of the last three years. Kingsport Capitals Kingsport, St. Elmo’s Island Population: 181,500 Affiliates: Chatham Sugar Maples (SMBL), Cuper’s Cove Comets (JMBL) Kingsport — The Royal City — is Aukland’s national capital, a concession made by the larger provinces to ensure that tiny St. Elmo’s Island joined the union in 1871. Despite the population generated by government employees and associated services, Kingsport is easily the smallest of any city with a major league ball club. It’s also among the saddest. The Caps are one of only two teams who have never won a title, and their four playoff appearances are the fewest of any club. They’ve managed only six winning seasons in their history, giving the Kingsport faithful little reason to crowd into Dominion Grounds. If it weren’t for government pressure on behalf of season ticket holding parliamentarians, the league likely would have folded the team ten times by now; they were only granted a franchise in the first place after heavy lobbying from then-Prime Minister Eugene Mills. The biggest star they’ve had in Kingsport was Emilio Gonzales, a slugging Venezuelan first baseman who won two Dennis Pederson Trophies as the league’s most outstanding player before falling off — hard. He’s still on the team, and he’s only thirty, but he’s hasn’t hit .300 or double digit home runs since 1966. As first basemen go, he’s average at best. The good news for Kingsporters? The team might actually be onto something right now. Two of their four playoff berths came in ’69 and ’70, and their star right fielder, Tom Dand, took home a Pederson Trophy of his own last season. He’s no spring chicken at 35 years old, though, and the Caps’ championship window may be closing in short order. Ottewell Oaks Ottewell, New Cambriol Population: 480,600 Affiliates: Baie de Glace Fleurs (SMBL), Gordon Reds (JMBL) Ottewell was once equal to Paradise in both population and prestige, but the capital of New Cambriol has had to watch as Paradise boomed while they fell to third. It’s still a major centre, though, built around forestry, shipping and shipbuilding. All of Aukland’s lumber, and most of the ships that carry them, come out of Ottewell before heading to either America or Great Britain. Nicknamed Hub City, Ottewell may not be a city on the rise anymore, but it still matters. The Oaks had a slow start to their history, failing to make the playoffs even once in the league’s first eleven seasons, earning themselves the derisive nickname “Ottewell Jokes”. Their first playoff appearance was a doozy, though, as they won the whole thing in 1962 on the back of an incredible performance by seven-time All-Star pitcher Dave Howe. They’ve been competitive ever since, getting into the postseason in five of the eight years following, although they’ve never repeated as champs. Their all-time record is still mediocre, with a .475 winning percentage and only seven winning seasons. Last year’s 34 wins earned the Oaks their third Byng Division title, and there’s no reason to think they won’t be right in the mix again in ’71. Star CF Sam Briggs is one of the league’s best hitters, and their Venezuelan ace Marcelino Funicello led the entire league in strikeouts last season. The Oaks aren’t a powerhouse, but nobody’s calling them the Jokes anymore. Paradise Princes Paradise, New St. Andrew’s Population: 784,500 Affiliates: Macareaux Gulls (SMBL), Gap Town Tigers (JMBL) Paradise is the cultural, economic and athletic centre of the country, home to more Auklanders (and more baseball fans) than any other city. It’s home to two ball clubs — the Princes and the Shrimpers — but the Princes are the real stars here. Little boys all over the country dream of growing up to wear the Green and Gold, of playing in front of thousands of cheering fans at Prince Of Wales Park in downtown Paradise. Both the ballpark and the team are named for the then-future King Edward VIII, in honour of his visit to Aukland in 1919. The Princes’ six league titles are the most of any team in the Aukland Association, thanks to the extravagant spending of the wealthy Bolen family that has owned the team since its amateur origins half a century ago. No team wins more games or draws more fans than the mighty Princes, and that isn’t likely to change as long as Fred Bolen is alive. Dozens of superstars have played for the Princes over the years, and names like Darren Dugas, Nestor Castillo and John Overby have captured the imagination of children (and children-at-heart) for decades. The greatest Prince, however, is clearly Dennis Pederson, a ten-time All-Star for whom the league’s MVP award was renamed upon his retirement. Pederson played for four teams in his long career, but his best years were all spent in Green and Gold. The Princes are coming out of a (relative) dry spell, and Fred Bolen has built them around star pitcher Jimmy McCollin. An American right-handed starter, “The McCollin Express” signed with the Princes for more money than American teams were offering, and has won two Paul Sanchez Awards as the league’s best pitcher. Both of those awards came in years the Princes ended up winning the league title, and the fans are already planning next year’s parade. Paradise Shrimpers Paradise, New St. Andrew’s Population: 784,500 Affiliates: Londonderry Archers (SMBL), Point Patrick Seals (JMBL) It isn’t easy playing second fiddle, but that’s just the hand that the Shrimpers have been dealt. While their cross-town rivals, the Princes, thrill thousands of fans in downtown Paradise, the Shrimpers play in front of smaller, blue collar crowds at Union Field on the city’s south end. Named for the shrimper’s union that founded the club, these underdogs have thrived in the shadow of their wealthier, flashier neighbours uptown. Three titles and seven playoff appearances might not impress the Princes, but the Shrimpers are the pride and joy of their south end faithful. The Shrimper’s golden age came in the late 50s, as they went to the playoffs four times in a row, winning two titles. Things dried up after that, although a fluke run in ’66 saw them beat the heavily favoured Princes in the Qualifying Series before toppling Ottewell to take the league championship. Third baseman Mark Futral is the club’s biggest historic star, having spent his entire trophy-laden career at Union Field. Today, the Shrimpers are a reliable contender that always seems to come up just short. Southpaw ace Neill “Whiff” Whimster strikes out more batters than almost anyone else, but the thirty-four year old has become disconcertingly injury-prone of late. He missed nearly half the season last year, and Shrimpers fans are vehement that he’d have taken them to the championship last season if he’d been able to stay on the mound. Shelburne Eagles Shelburne, New St. Andrew’s Population: 276,400 Affiliates: Dorchester Goats (SMBL), Fool’s Bay Frogs (JMBL) Queen’s Cape is a long, protruding peninsula jutting off of the east coast of New St. Andrew’s, a ragged stretch of land that experiences bitter winters and wicked summer storms. Shelburne is the region’s only significant settlement, a rough-and-tumble mining town that’s experienced both boom and bust over the years. The city’s population exploded from 22,600 in 1891 to 166,400 only ten years later, and the city’s fortunes have been tied closely to the coal industry ever since. Before the War, people expected it to usurp Paradise as Aukland’s largest city by the middle of the century; instead, Shelburnians have watched the country pass them by as modernization took its course. Still, the coal-stained citizens of Shelburne show up to War Memorial Stadium claw and scrape their way to the bottom of the standings. Shelburne has never won a title, although they have been competitive enough for the last decade or so. Eight playoff appearances are nothing to sneeze at, even if they have been spread out over the course of twenty years. It doesn’t help that they’re stuck in the wildly competitive Byng Division: the Princes and the Sea Dogs have ten titles between them, and even Ottewell is experiencing an ascendancy lately. The Eagles keep finding themselves the poor stepchild of the division, and their .462 cumulative winning percentage reflects that. The team has few historic stars, as truly elite players typically leave for a Paradise paycheque before spending too long on the Cape. 2B Frank Vaillant had a fine, workmanlike career, and his loyalty to Shelburne endeared him to fans, but he’s nothing special as far as legends go. Unfortunately for Eagles fans, the future is no brighter than the past. Their payroll is dead last in the league, barely half of what the Princes spend annually. After three competitive years from ’67 to ’69, Shelburne tumbled in the standings last season and finished with a dismal 23-37 record. The team is both old and bad, although twenty-six year-old starting pitcher Bill “Boss” Carter is a bright light of hope for a team dearly in need of one. Can the Eagles soar in their third decade? St. Mary’s Sea Dogs St. Mary’s, Amador Population: 560,200 Affiliates: Hants Porcupines (SMBL), Foxhall Pharaohs (JMBL) St. Mary’s is the capital and largest city of Amador, an isolated province to the northeast of the Aukland mainland which makes up New Cambriol and New St. Andrew’s. It’s also the second largest city in the country behind Paradise, a fact that’s responsible for a fierce rivalry between the Sea Dogs and the Princes. A bustling fishing town, the wharfs of St. Mary’s are constantly humming with the sound of old men arguing over last night’s Dogs game. The Dogs are the only major league franchise in Amador, and the entire province goes crazy when they win. The Sea Dogs can’t match the success of the Princes, but they’re a close second. Ten playoff appearances and four national championships — including three straight titles from ’63 to ’65 — give the people of St. Mary’s plenty to brag about. And everybody in town loves Jason Jarrett, an aging American third baseman who was the cornerstone of all three titles. He’s slowed down considerably over the last few years, though, and since ’65 he’s spent more time on the injured reserve than on the field at Cambie Park. Jarrett’s demise has mirrored the fate of the team as a whole, who haven’t had a single winning season since their last championship in 1965. Management is still looking for a replacement for Jarrett on billboard advertisements, with the leading candidate looking like Trevor Bryant, a line drive hitting infielder who can turn a double play better than anyone alive. He’s young still, and has yet to get more than a cup of coffee with the big club, but that hasn’t stopped Amadoran sports fans from daydreaming about his potential. Last edited by chey; 06-11-2020 at 12:43 AM.