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jotro · 07-28-2012, 01:35 AM

National Flag of the Kingdom of New Hibernia. Designed in 1870 and adopted in 1873, it was designed to symbolically unite the nation's three main ethnicities under a common banner; green for the Irish majority, a St. Andrew's cross for the Scots, and a fleur-de-lis for the small yet significant French community.

In 1873, the British colonies of Newfoundland and Labrador won their independence from Britain after a three year revolution. A year of deliberation and referendum followed, after which the two colonies united to form the Kingdom of New Hibernia. Situated on the north-easternmost edge of the North American continent, New Hibernia holds the unique distinction of being the only independent kingdom in the Western Hemisphere.

Baseball was introduced during the Second World War. The Germans sought to gain a North Atlantic base from which their U-Boat fleet could disrupt allied shipping lanes. In early 1942, an Expeditionary Force of American and British troops was hastily assembled to occupy the neutral Kingdom before a German invasion could take place. The Americans would often play baseball in front of increasing numbers of New Hibernians who would gather to watch this foreign sport. The occupation ceased by 1946, but the Kingdom had become baseball mad. Gaelic sports and association football had long been the Kingdom’s main pastimes, but by 1950, almost every town had its own amateur baseball team and most schools were operating a baseball program.

The first New Hibernian baseball player to garner foreign interest was Finn Garrity, a young pitcher from Carbonear. Garrity attended Yale University from 1951-55 on a full athletic scholarship. His impressive college career earned him a tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers, with whom he signed a minor league contract upon his graduation from Yale. Garrity joined Brooklyn’s Montreal affiliate for the 1956 season and was the International League’s best pitcher for the first half of 1957 until an automobile accident put a premature end to his playing career. He returned home to Carbonear that year where he began teaching and coaching high school baseball.

In 1961, a group of businessmen from St. John’s asked for Garrity’s help in building a new semi-professional league from the existing amateur teams. Though his playing days were over, he was still seen as the popular face of New Hibernian baseball. Offered the role of League Commissioner, Garrity insisted on being made manager of his hometown Carbonear Caribou instead. By the spring of 1965, Garrity's Caribou and the 15 other teams of the New Hibernian Baseball League were set to begin play for their 150-game inaugural season.

Finn Garrity, the 31 year old manager of the Carbonear Caribou

1965 New Hibernian Baseball League

Code:

Cormac League
Northern Division				Southern Division
Lewisporte Lumberjacks				Labrador City Miners		
Gander Aces					Clarenville Knights
Cornerbrook Royals				Carbonear Caribou
Botwood Sailors					Bonavista Privateers

Fergus League
Northern Division				Southern Division
New Highlands Highlanders			Wabana Steelers				
Gambo Dolphins					St. John’s Whalers	
Dunville Railmen				Marystown Oilers
Bishop’s Falls Crusaders			Grand Bank Anglers

To be continued...

07-28-2012, 01:35 AM	#1
jotro Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 179 Blog Entries: 2	Baseball in the Kingdom of New Hibernia National Flag of the Kingdom of New Hibernia. Designed in 1870 and adopted in 1873, it was designed to symbolically unite the nation's three main ethnicities under a common banner; green for the Irish majority, a St. Andrew's cross for the Scots, and a fleur-de-lis for the small yet significant French community. In 1873, the British colonies of Newfoundland and Labrador won their independence from Britain after a three year revolution. A year of deliberation and referendum followed, after which the two colonies united to form the Kingdom of New Hibernia. Situated on the north-easternmost edge of the North American continent, New Hibernia holds the unique distinction of being the only independent kingdom in the Western Hemisphere. Baseball was introduced during the Second World War. The Germans sought to gain a North Atlantic base from which their U-Boat fleet could disrupt allied shipping lanes. In early 1942, an Expeditionary Force of American and British troops was hastily assembled to occupy the neutral Kingdom before a German invasion could take place. The Americans would often play baseball in front of increasing numbers of New Hibernians who would gather to watch this foreign sport. The occupation ceased by 1946, but the Kingdom had become baseball mad. Gaelic sports and association football had long been the Kingdom’s main pastimes, but by 1950, almost every town had its own amateur baseball team and most schools were operating a baseball program. The first New Hibernian baseball player to garner foreign interest was Finn Garrity, a young pitcher from Carbonear. Garrity attended Yale University from 1951-55 on a full athletic scholarship. His impressive college career earned him a tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers, with whom he signed a minor league contract upon his graduation from Yale. Garrity joined Brooklyn’s Montreal affiliate for the 1956 season and was the International League’s best pitcher for the first half of 1957 until an automobile accident put a premature end to his playing career. He returned home to Carbonear that year where he began teaching and coaching high school baseball. In 1961, a group of businessmen from St. John’s asked for Garrity’s help in building a new semi-professional league from the existing amateur teams. Though his playing days were over, he was still seen as the popular face of New Hibernian baseball. Offered the role of League Commissioner, Garrity insisted on being made manager of his hometown Carbonear Caribou instead. By the spring of 1965, Garrity's Caribou and the 15 other teams of the New Hibernian Baseball League were set to begin play for their 150-game inaugural season. Finn Garrity, the 31 year old manager of the Carbonear Caribou 1965 New Hibernian Baseball League Code: Cormac League Northern Division Southern Division Lewisporte Lumberjacks Labrador City Miners Gander Aces Clarenville Knights Cornerbrook Royals Carbonear Caribou Botwood Sailors Bonavista Privateers Fergus League Northern Division Southern Division New Highlands Highlanders Wabana Steelers Gambo Dolphins St. John’s Whalers Dunville Railmen Marystown Oilers Bishop’s Falls Crusaders Grand Bank Anglers To be continued... Last edited by jotro; 08-08-2012 at 10:58 PM.