2. Forest City Firebirds (99-59) (1 Pro Cup - 2068)
The Firebirds pulled away from their main rivals Fort Benton and Colfax in the final two months of the season to nab the RU West comfortably by 10 games. Forest City has reached the RU Title Series for the last three years in a row. They have their sights set on the whole shebang this season. This could be the year. The Firebirds can do it all. Hit with power with 169 HRs (8th of 64 IPA teams), scored 726 runs (11th), .262 team BA (10th) and strong mound corps with a 3.06 ERA (5th) and a good defense with a .980 FA (13th). The Pro Cup outlook for Forest City is looking mighty fine.
FOREST CITY FIREBIRDS
(aka LUMBERJACKS 2001-2051)
Owner: Jackson Investments, Jackie Jackson II, President and CEO
General Manager: Rich Barstow
Forest City is the capital of Ruthlandia and the second largest town in the Islands with a population of 125,000. The town was settled by a group of American abolitionists from the North and the South, who foresaw the coming Civil War and decided to emigrate to Ruthlandia and Tycobbia and establish countries free from the rigors of slavery and religious intolerance. It was one of the earliest settlements because of the access to timber and its strategic location near the intersection of the Green River and the Silver River in the central part of the country.
The beautiful Green River emanates out of the Appian Mountains in the north near Far Mountain (ski resort), runs south throught Rocky Rapids (lumber, grain and transportation center) in the western foothills and plains, flows through Forest City, then winds its way past agrarian Middlefield and Sugar Valley in the fertile southern lowlands and finally empties into Belair Bay and the Southern Sea at the bayside resort and shipping center, Belair Beach.
The Silver River originates in its namesake, the Silver Mountains, which form the western border of Ruthlandia. It travels eastward through Volusia in the western foothills (silver mining and timber interests) and merges with the Green River at Forest City.
The Ruthlandian capital is an old town with buildings and homes that go back a hundred years or more. It is rare that the town planning commission allows much in the way of a modern building. It is noted for being the seat of the Federal government, for banking, commerce, railroads, steel, advertising, autos, paper and lumber industries and also the home of the Forest City Firebirds. The club updated its nickname from the Lumberjacks in 2060... Forest City was originally called the Lumberjacks to honor the forest industry, one of the first major industries in the Islands.
Forest City is in the Ruthlandian Union's West Division. The Firebirds play their games at old and quaint Riverside Stadium (circa 1915), right on the riverbanks with a wonderful view of the Silver River just beyond the left and center field fences. Across the river in the distance the fans can see the main part of town. Hot and freshly fried river catfish is a house speciality at Riverside, along with traditional ballpark fare.
Forest City is owned and operated by the Rob Jackson family. Jackson was also GM and Manager in the early years of the club. Jackson was a four-letter man in college, excelling in baseball, football, basketball and track. He played many years in the industrial league for one of the biggest banks in the Islands. When his playing days were over, he went to work for the bank, managed its company team, moved up in the banking ladder and eventually became its president and chief administrative officer. He then expanded to professional baseball and was one of the prime originators of the Islandian Pro Alliance. He joined with good baseball men like John Banson (IPA creator and commissioner), Manny Earl of the Sugar Valley Rattlers and Rip Calkin of the La Claire Lynx to create the first professional baseball league in the Islands.
Multi-millionaires also were involved and provided the needed finances to establish the league. Men like Jock Ewing of the Waleska Westerners, Brent Steiner of the Bayview Vikings, Jorge Trujillo of the Belair Beach Sunbirds, jazz great, Louis "Sugar Lips" Charles of the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers and rock 'n' roll superstar, Conway Birdie of the Cape Coral Hurricanes.
Jackie Jackson II is the current CEO of Jackson Investments and is in charge of team operations. He never played in the IPA. However, his father Jackie Jackson was a solid second baseman for Forest City Lumberjacks from 2023 to 2030. His last 10 seasons were spent with Colchester and Belair Beach. Yep, his dad Rob traded him when he demanded too much money. So much for family loyalty. Jackie Jackson retired as a player at age 35 in 2038 and became the Lumberjacks skipper in 2039. Jackson didn't have much success in his managerial role. He only had 2 winning years. As a player Jackson had a lifetime .284 BA with 2172 hits, 165 HRs, 1122 runs and 869 RBIs. His older brother Rob, Junior also played shortstop with the 'Jacks from 2022 to 2033 and had a modest career batting .248 with 53 roundtrippers and 397 RBIs.
After Jackie Jackson was demoted as manager and promoted to GM, Rich Barstow was the Forest City skipper from 2046 to 2067. Barstow toiled for a mediocre club for years and is the all-time leader in victories. Barstow put up a 260-295 record with a respectable 3.79 ERA. He played for the 'Jacks from 2027 to 2046. In his second season in 2048 Barstow led the Lumberjacks to the playoffs for the first time in 45 years. Their only other postseason appearance was way back in 2003 under Rob Jackson.
Randy Snow, a solid outfielder for the Firebirds from 2052 to 2064, succeeded Barstow in 2068 and enjoyed great success by amazingly winning the IPA Pro Cup in his first season. Snow batted .297 in his career with 301 homers, 1060 ribbies and 1003 runs scored. He has won 6 RU West division flags in his managerial career and one Pro Cup.
Riverside Stadium (1915)
Capacity: 14,780
Dimensions:
LF Line 332
LF 360
LC 388
CF 400
RCF 381
RF 350
RF Line 325