1890's: A Dark Chapter in SimNation's History
The 1890's had begun just how the 1880's had ended: with a Maxis City championship. But rival Sim City captivated SimNation in '91, finishing the season a blistering 18 games ahead of second-place Freeport at 81-39 for the franchise's first championship. Fans turned out in droves to watch the Caps play in their new ballpark. Their attendance of 228,000 fans in 1891 shattered the single-season record and was more than double that of any other team in history. Sim City's success on the field and on the financial ledger would be the blueprint for other teams throughout the decade.
Hoping to reach similar heights, new ballparks were constructed in Atlantis (McCray Field -- capacity 9,600), Dixie (Dixie Fields -- 8,800), and Bayouville (Bayou Bay Park -- 10,400). But the construction of those stadiums was tainted by the fact that they were built on the backs of slaves. A dark chapter in SimNation's history, the country used slavery to help rebuild the nation following the Revolutionary War.
There were no specific laws or rules that prohibited blacks or other minorities from the game, but the league was predominantly white in the 1800's Eng-Hee Chen is believed to be the first minority to have made it to the big leagues, compiling a 21-22 mark in five seasons with Dullsville and Maxis City.
Despite its deplorable stance on slavery and civil rights, the league was becoming increasingly profitable. The Sim City Capitols, bought in 1887 for a mere $150,000, had turned a profit of more than $155,000 in 1895. All teams, particularly those with new, larger ballparks, were making money. Attendance records were smashed on a yearly basis. Baseball had become the national pastime.
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