[Eugene Church]

Islandian History

Islandia is composed of two countries, Ruthlandia and Tycobbia. They were originally quite remote and isolated and no one was very interested in them. That is, until the early 1850's. With the slavery question rapidly coming to a head in the United States, a group of abolitionists got together and decided to find a place where they could set up a country free of slavery and racial and religious intolerance. So this is how the two countries came into being.

Some farsighted citizens of the Northern United States and the Southern United States could see that the country was headed for civil war, which would soon tear their worlds apart. That is why they emigrated. They came to Ruthlandia and Tycobbia in peace and purchased their land and set up their society. Their points of entry were Beechwood in Ruthlandia and Bay St. Clair in Tycobbia. They also quickly went to the countries interiors and set up the capitals of Forest City and LaClaire. Up until their arrival the island had been a wild and lawless territory, filled with explorers and adventurers, who put down no roots.

As the years went by, civilization, law and government arose and expanded. And today Islandia is a properous island, where many ethnic groups and religions live in peace and harmony. In the late 1890's new settlers brought with them a new American game called baseball. Within ten years each town had it own amateur team and the game thrived.

By 1920, it had been embedded in the fabric of Islandian culture and its way of life. Baseball became so popular that activity and commerce in the towns practically shut down in the afternoons, so that the inhabitants could attend the local ballgame. Eventually towns would take a "baseball siesta" from 2 to 6 pm. This custom spread from town to town and now it is universal on the entire island. Baseball truly is the National Pastime here in Islandia.