The Around the Horn League (AtHoL)

[luckymann]

Another one of AtHoL's big names goes down for a bit.

[luckymann]

I mentioned earlier that Clay Buchholz from my CAG squad pitched a no-no in just his second IRL start for the BoSox in 2007.

He couldn't quite pull off the same feat for us in the AtHoL, but - after pitching 6 hitless in his first start before flagging a bit - he went pretty close in his second.

[luckymann]

A nice outing from Livan Hernandez after he had struggled in his first few starts.

[luckymann]

Another big name lost to injury, one the 2-10 Peppers can ill afford.

[luckymann]

Spare a thought for poor John D'Acquisto of the Newark Peppers, who gives up his first (and, as it turns out, only) hit of the game - a 2-run double - in the 6th, and then the game is called after 7 due to bad weather and he is forced to take a 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Monarchs.

As we say down here in the Land of Oz, "with luck like that, he ought to buy himself a lottery ticket...".

John's luck IRL wasn't any better, apparently. From BBRef Bullpen:

After his retirement, D'Acquisto became a registered investment adviser-banker, but had his license revoked and was sentenced to 63 months in prison over charges of misrepresentation and investment fraud. Later, it was found out through court subpoenas of documents that D'Acquisto was used in a scheme developed by V. Davide Siniscalchi and R. Jeffs Kollar of Sheraton Management, along with others, and was the victim of a set-up. All of the apparent stolen funds purported to have been stolen by D'Acquisto were found in the hands of Siniscalchi of Alliance Holdings and two others, all of whom served time in prison for fraud. D'Acquisto stated that he was not responsible for any purported fraud and his court documents spelled it out clearly.

Baseball-wise, John - who spent a decade in the bigs in the 70s and 80s, mainly for West Coast teams - was blessed with a plus-fastball but had control issues. In his piece "The Mighty Fastball" from the book The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers, Bill James wrote of John,

"In any five-year period, there are forty guys who are claimed by somebody to be as fast as Walter Johnson, or as fast as Bob Feller, or as fast as Nolan Ryan, as fast as whoever the standard is at the moment. People made the same exact sort of comments about Pete Broberg that they did about David Clyde. We have the same kind of quotes about Gary Gentry, claiming he was as fast as Ryan. The fastest known radar reading from that era, other than Nolan Ryan, was for John D'Acquisto.".

[luckymann]

Not seen anyone hit 3 trips in a game before. Loads of twos, never the third.

[luckymann]

Despite the low setting chosen, the long-term injuries to the league's quality players continue...

[luckymann]

Band named in honour of Curt Flood.

BUFFALO BLUES

Known colloquially as the BufFeds, the Blues were a member of the 1913-14 Federal League and went a combined 154-149 over the FL's two seasons. As such, they are the last major-league baseball team to have existed in Buffalo, NY. A proposed Continental League team (to be owned by future Buffalo Sabres owner Robert O. Swados) was slated for Buffalo in 1961, but the league folded before playing any games.

Blues alumni include "Prince" Hal Chase, Howard Ehmke, Harry Lord, Baldy Louden and Russ Ford.

BIG BATS: 1B Duffy Lewis; OF Wally Moses; OF Chuck Klein.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Red Munger.
SHOOTING STARS: OF Reggie Jackson.




CHICAGO AMERICAN GIANTS

The Chicago American Giants were the most dominant team in black baseball from 1910 until the mid-1930s. Owned and managed from 1911 to 1926 by player-manager Andrew "Rube" Foster, they were charter members of Foster's Negro National League, winning five pennants in that league, along with another one in the 1932 Negro Southern League.

Seven players from the American Giants are now in the Hall of Fame: Rube Foster, Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston, Cristobal Torriente, Bill Foster, John Henry "Pop" Lloyd, and Turkey Stearnes.

BIG BATS: 2B / OF Ben Chapman; SS Joe Sewell.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Ed Karger, RHP Livan Hernandez.
SHOOTING STARS: 3B Freddie Lindstrom.




DETROIT STARS

The Detroit Stars were a charter member of the Negro National League (NNL) in 1920 and played at historic Mack Park before moving to Hamtramck Stadium in 1930. The Stars had winning seasons every year but two, but were never able to secure any championships. After the collapse of the NNL at the end of 1931, the original Stars baseball team disbanded. They were replaced in 1932 by the Detroit Wolves of the East–West League. Turkey Stearnes also spent some time at the Stars.

BIG BATS: 2B Chone Figgins; 3B Pete Ward.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Fernando Valenzuela, RHP Dizzy Trout.
SHOOTING STARS: OF Lloyd Moseby.




KEOKUK WESTERNS

The Western baseball club of Keokuk, Iowa, played in the National Association in 1875, the last season of that first professional league. It was geographically the farthest west that major league baseball had progressed up to that time. The Westerns were managed by Joe Simmons and played their home games at Perry Park. Their record in that sole season of existence? 1-12. Their top hitter? Catcher Paddy Quinn, who went 14-for-43 for a batting average of .326.

BIG BATS: 1B Richie Sexson; 3B Alec Bohm.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Hal White.
SHOOTING STARS: C Dan Stearns, OF Chicken Hawks.




MINNEAPOLIS MILLERS

The name Minneapolis Millers has been associated with a variety of teams dating back to 1884 when the Northwestern League was formed. In 1894, another team calling itself the Millers was formed when Ban Johnson and Charles Comiskey revived the Western League in hopes of making it a second major league. Following the 1900 season (the league had by this time been renamed the American League), several cities were abandoned for bigger markets in cities recently vacated by the National League, including Minneapolis.

Several subsequent teams went by the nickname Millers, most prominently the team that won four American Association pennants during the 1910–23 tenure of "Pongo Joe" Cantillon and was later managed by Michael Joseph Kelley, one of the great figures of American Association history, who operated the team as club president until 1946. This club folded in 1960 to make way for the Minnesota Twins.

Future HOFers Ted Williams, Willie Mays and Carl Yastrzemski played for the Millers.

BIG BATS: OF Jack Voigt; C William Outen.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Pat Jarvis.
SHOOTING STARS: OF Carlos May, RHP Pop Williams.




TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

As the Toronto Canucks, the team left the Canadian League along with Hamilton to join the original International League, where it played from 1886 to 1890. It resurfaced in the original Eastern League in 1895, where it played through 1911. The Eastern League changed its name to become the International League, in which the Maple Leafs would continue as members for the next 55 years. Future Washington Redskins owner Jack Kent Cook owned them between 1951 and 1964.

15 future Cooperstown enshrinees played for the club at one time or another, including Nap Lajoie, Sparky Anderson, Dan Brouthers, Charlie Gehringer, Burleigh Grimes, Willie Keeler and Tony Lazzeri.

BIG BATS: C Tub Welch.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Doc Amole.
SHOOTING STARS: 3B Andy Carey, LHP Gio Gonzalez.

[luckymann]

Band named in honour of Alexander Cleland, one of the unsung leaders in the creation of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

CHATTANOOGA CHOO-CHOOS

The Chattanooga Choo-Choos were a member of the Negro Southern League, in which they fielded a team from 1940 until 1946. The Choo-Choos played their home games at Engel Stadium and were the first professional baseball organization for which Willie Mays played.

BIG BATS: 1B Mo Vaughn, OF Garry Maddox.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Storm Davis.
SHOOTING STARS: OF Sammy Sosa.




CINCINNATI TIGERS

The Cincinnati Tigers were founded in 1934 by DeHart Hubbard, who was the first African American to win an individual gold medal when he won the long jump during the 1924 Summer Olympics. After playing in the Negro Southern Leagues, from 1934 to 1936, the Tigers joined the new Negro American League in 1937 which elevated the club to major league status. In its lone season as a major league team, the Tigers finished the season second in the league's overall standings. The club, which played its games at Crosley Field, folded after the 1937 season.

BIG BATS: C Frank Fernandez, OF Juan Soto.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Frank Shellenback, RHP Jim Gardner.
SHOOTING STARS: 3B Piggy Ward.




CLEVELAND BUCKEYES

The Cleveland Buckeyes were established in 1942 as the Buckeyes Baseball Club and played from 1942 to 1950 in the Negro American League. The Buckeyes played in two Negro World Series, defeating the Washington Homestead Grays in 1945, and losing to the New York Cubans in 1947. They were based in Cincinnati for their first season and Louisville for their second-to-last season, returning to Cleveland for the first two months of the 1950 season before disbanding.

BIG BATS: C Gabby Hartnett, OF Joe Charbonneau.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Aaron Harang.
SHOOTING STARS: SS Wilmer Flores, RHP Satchel Paige.




COLUMBUS RED BIRDS

The Columbus (NC) Red Birds were a foundation club in the original South Atlantic "Sally" League, fielding teams on and off from 1904–1930 under nicknames such as the Skyscrapers, Gamecocks, Comers and Commies. The team would sporadically be known as the Reds from 1938 - when it became an affiliate of the MLB Cincinnati club - until 1961. They won two league playoff championships (1941; 1953) during their history, and alumni include HOFer Frank Robinson, as well as major-leaguers including Joe Adcock and Ted Kluszewski.

The AtHoL already had a Reds franchise lined up in Boston (see King Association Chandler Band, below), and the Washington Black Senators (see King Association Rickey Band, below), so I opted for "Red Birds".

BIG BATS: 2B Lew Drill, OF Scott Brosius.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Bill Bevens, RHP Hi Bithorn.
SHOOTING STARS: 3B Ned Williamson.




INDIANAPOLIS ABCs

Originally organised by the American Brewing Company (thus "A.B.C.s") in the early 20th century, the Indianapolis ABCs were among the most prominent early Negro League clubs.They claimed the western championship of black baseball in 1915 and 1916, and finished second in the 1922 Negro National League (NNL). In-fighting among the owners led to the club splitting into two rival ABCs organisations, a schism from which it never fully recovered before folding in 1925. Oscar Charleston, Ben Taylor (whose brother C.I. was part-owner of the franchise), Biz Mackey and Dicta Johnson all played for the ABCs at one time or another.

BIG BATS: 3B David Wright, SS Jimmy Rollins.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Mike Soroka, RHP Zach Wheeler.
SHOOTING STARS: OF Tris Speaker.




LOUISVILLE COLONELS

The Louisville Colonels played in the American Association (AA) throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891. After the AA folded in 1891, the Colonels joined the National League and played through the 1899 season. The 1889 Colonels were the first team in major league history to lose 100 games in a single season, but then became the first and only team to rise from last to first in one season when they won the 1890 pennant.

Their list of alumni is a veritable who's who of late 19th-century American baseball. It includes Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, Harry Davis, Deacon Phillippe and Rube Waddell, many of whom ended up at the Pittsburgh Pirates when owner Barney Dreyfuss acquired a majority interest in the club in 1900, marking the end of the original Colonels organisation and Louisville as a Major League Baseball host city.

BIG BATS: 1B Joey Meyer, OF Willie Kirkland.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Joe Page, LHP Scott Kazmir.
SHOOTING STARS: 1B Mike Marshall, 3B Whitey Kurowski.

[luckymann]

Band named in honour of Daniel Lucius "Doc" Adams, one of the game's early pioneers generally believed to have invented the shortstop position.

ATLANTA BLACK CRACKERS

The Atlanta Black Crackers (who would later briefly be known as the Indianapolis ABCs) played during the early-to-mid-20th century. They joined the minor league Negro Southern League (NSL) in March 1920, before embarking on an independent barnstorming tour from 1922-25.

This alternating schedule would go on for the rest of the decade and most of the next as the Depression held sway, before they were admitted into the newNegro American League. Their stay there, however, was short-lived. Unable to draw sufficient crowds in Atlanta, Harden took the team to Indianapolis following the 1938 season, and played as the fourth team to use the name "Indianapolis ABCs". At the conclusion of the 1939 season, the team disbanded due to low attendance.

BIG BATS: OF Josh Hamilton, OF Dode Paskert.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Dick Hughes, RHP Craig McMurtry.
SHOOTING STARS: OF Bernie Williams, OF Mack Jones.




BIRMINGHAM BLACK BARONS

The Birmingham Black Barons were active in various Negro leagues from 1920 to 1960, starting in the inaugural season of Rube Foster's Negro Southern League before making the leap to the larger Negro National League. After returning to the Southern League for three years, their re-entry into the National League in 1927 was marked by the emergence of star pitcher Satchel Paige, who led the Black Barons to the second half pennant. They lost the Negro National League title to the Chicago American Giants in four straight games.

The Black Barons had a successful stint in the Negro American League during the 1940s, winning back-to-back pennants in 1943-44, and a third in 1948 with the help of teenage outfielder Willie Mays, although they lost all three Negro World Series to fierce rivals the Homestead Grays. The club, which would eventually change its name to the Giants, played its last game in 1960.

BIG BATS: C Brian McCann, SS Herman Long, OF Ed Crane.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Fritz Ostermueller, RHP Brett Tomko.
SHOOTING STARS: 1B Elbie Fletcher.




JACKSONVILLE RED CAPS

The Jacksonville (FL) Red Caps played in the Negro American League from 1938 until 1942. They moved to Cleveland in 1939 and became the Cleveland Bears, before returning to Jacksonville as the Red Caps in 1941 for two seasons, dropping out of the NAL in July 1942.

BIG BATS: SS Fernando Tatis jr, OF Roberto Clemente.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Bill Dinneen, RHP Hank Robinson.
SHOOTING STARS: 3B Gary Gaetti, RHP Stump Weidman.




KANSAS CITY MONARCHS

The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of the Negro leagues. Owned by J. L. Wilkinson (more on whom later), they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1930. The Monarchs won ten league championships before integration, and triumphed in the first Negro League World Series in 1924. They had only one season in which they did not have a winning record and produced more major league players than any other Negro league franchise. These include Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, Bullet Rogan, Cristobal Torriente and Hilton Smith.

The club was disbanded in 1965.

BIG BATS: C Mike Grady, 1B Martin Powell.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Tom Hughes, RHP Max Scherzer.
SHOOTING STARS: 2B Josh Rutledge, OF Jason Kubel.




ST. LOUIS TERRIERS

The St. Louis Terriers, owned by ice magnate and future St. Louis Browns owner Phil Ball, played in the Federal League in 1914 and 1915. After a poor first-year campaign, the Terriers contended for the 1915 pennant until the last game of the season, finishing with an 87–67 record that left them just 1/10 of a percentage point behind the champion Chicago Whales, who finished 86–66 (.566). Notable alumni include Mordecai Brown, Eddie Plank and Fielder Jones.

BIG BATS: 3B Steve Braun, OF Jorge Soler.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Jeff Weaver, RHP Mike Krukow.
SHOOTING STARS: SS Willard Brown, OF Mel Ott.




TEMPLE BOLL WEEVILS

The Temple Boll Weevils played in the Texas League from 1905 to 1907. The team finished with a record of 71-59 in its debut season in 1905, just a half game behind the Fort Worth Panthers for second place in the league. However, the TL decided to drop the Boll Weevils in the middle of the following season. In 1907 the Texas League took on several teams from the South Texas League and resurrected another incarnation of the Boll Weevils. Due in part to poor performance and lacking fan support, this would prove the club's final season.

BIG BATS: 3B Dick Allen, OF OF Joc Pederson.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Tex Hughson, LHP Carl Weilman.
SHOOTING STARS: C Hank Berry, RHP Henry Thielman.

[luckymann]

Band named in honour of former Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley.

ATLANTIC CITY BACHARACH GIANTS

The Bacharach Giants club was founded when two African-American politicians moved the Duval Giants of Jacksonville, Florida, to Atlantic City in 1916 and renamed them after Harry Bacharach, the city's mayor. In 1923, they became a founding member of the Eastern Colored League (ECL), winning back-to-back pennants in '26 and '27 but losing the Negro League World Series to the Chicago American Giants both years. The team disbanded after the 1929 season.

BIG BATS: 1B Erubiel Durazo, OF Lenny Dykstra.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Bill Hill, LHP Rube Waddell.
SHOOTING STARS: SS Jonathan Villar, OF Michael Cuddyer.




BROOKLYN TIP-TOPS

The Brooklyn Tip-Tops played in the Federal League in both years of its existence. The team's name came from Tip Top Bread, a product of Ward Baking Company, which was also owned by team owner Robert Ward. On September 19, 1914, Tip-Top Ed Lafitte threw the only no-hitter in Federal League history, beating the Kansas City Packers 6–2. Had the FL lasted just one more season, night baseball might have been introduced two decades earlier, as the club had announced plans for the 1916 season to play some games at night.

On September 19, 1914, Tip-Top Ed Lafitte threw the only no-hitter in Federal League history, beating the Kansas City Packers 6–2. The club's alumni include Mordecai Brown, John McGraw, Solly Hofman, Hooks Wiltse and Jim Delahanty.

BIG BATS: 1B Mox McQuery, 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Bobby Madritsch, LHP Lefty Willis.
SHOOTING STARS: SS Billy Geer, OF Danny Moeller.




NEW YORK CUBANS

Derived from the Cuban Stars clubs from the turn of the century, the New York Cubans played in the re-formed Negro National League (NNL) in the mid-1930s and again from 1939-48. Despite its nickname, the team was not composed exclusively of Cuban players - there were players from other Hispanic nationalities and the United States as well, including Perucho Cepeda, father of HOFer Orlando Peruchin Cepeda.

With a team that included such notables as Luis Tiant, Minnie Miñoso and Martín Dihigo, the New York Cubans won their only Negro League World Series title in 1947, defeating the Cleveland Buckeyes. The club disbanded when the negro leagues folded after integration into the MLB.

BIG BATS: C Brad Ausmus, 3B Sal Bando.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Russ Ortiz, RHP Frank Sullivan.
SHOOTING STARS: OF Fred Warner, OF Fred Snodgrass.




NEWARK PEPPERS

The Newark Peppers, originally known as the Indianapolis Hoosiers, were another Federal League team. The club was disbanded when the FL went out of business after the 1915 season. Future Hall of Fame members Edd Roush and Bill McKechnie played for the Peps, as did major league pitchers Ed Reulbach and Cy Falkenberg.

BIG BATS: 3B Jake Lamb.
STRONG ARMS: RHP John D'Acquisto, LHP Larry Jaster.
SHOOTING STARS: 1B Keith Hernandez.




ROCHESTER RED WINGS

The Red Wings are, as far as I can tell, the only AtHoL club still active in one form or another. A member of the International League from 1912 until its dissolution last year, the Red Wings have been minor league affiliates of the Cards, O's, Twins, and Nationals (their current parent club).

Along with the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Wings hold the record for the longest professional baseball game, lasting a total of 33 innings and 8 hours, 25 minutes over the course of three different days. The game was held at Pawtucket's McCoy Stadium, beginning on April 18, 1981. It was suspended just after 4 a.m. the next morning, and Rochester lost, 3–2, when the game resumed on June 23.

BIG BATS: SS Henry Moore, OF J.D. Drew.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Jack Jones, RHP Jouett Meekin.
SHOOTING STARS: 2B Rance Mulliniks, RHP Jeremy Jeffress.




WALDEN HUMMINGBIRDS

After starting out in Newburgh, NY, the Hummingbirds moved to Walden during the 1946 North Atlantic League season. After drawing nearly 1,000 fans to their opener in their new home (impressive for a town of just 4,000 people), things quickly went pear-shaped as they lost 53 of their last 57 games (including their last 19 in a row) to finish the season deep in the NAL cellar at 27-89. The franchise ended up in nearby Kingston for the '47 campaign but folded at its conclusion.

BIG BATS: OF Lew Ford, OF Doc Miller.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Arlie Pond, RHP Brad Penny.
SHOOTING STARS: 1B George Scott, RHP Bill Vinton.

[luckymann]

Band named in honour of Branch Rickey, for reasons I'm sure I need not explain.

BALTIMORE TERRAPINS

The Baltimore Terrapins were one of the most successful teams in the Federal League, whose brief existence led to an important legal precedent in baseball. After struggling to attract fans despite a winning (84-70) 1914 campaign, the Terrapins signed Charles Bender to play for them in 1915. Sadly, this turned out to be the worst season of Bender's career, a performance mirrored by the club's dismal 47-107 record.

In the fallout of the FL shutting down, selected FL club owners were offered buyout money. When they failed to be included among these, the owners of the Terrapins sued unsuccessfully, in the process freeing baseball from the country's Antitrust laws.

Baltimore wouldn't see a Major League Baseball team again until the Browns moved there from St. Louis in 1954 and became the Orioles.

BIG BATS: OF Chet Laabs, OF Paul Meloan.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Ham Iburg, RHP Hank O'Day.
SHOOTING STARS: 1B Jack Bolling, LHP Joey Eischen.




NORFOLK TARS

The Norfolk (VA) Tars were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1906 to 1955. They played in the Virginia League from 1906 to 1918 and from 1921 to 1928, in the Eastern League from 1931 to 1932 and in the Piedmont League from 1934 to 1955, and from 1934 to 1955 they were affiliated with the New York Yankees.

The 1952 Tars were recognised as one of the 100 greatest minor league teams of all time.

BIG BATS: 1B Craig Wilson, 2B Harry Heilmann.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Rube Bressler, RHP Kevin Tapani.
SHOOTING STARS: 3B Ezra Sutton, OF Joe Hornung.




RICHMOND COLTS

The Richmond Colts played in various Virginia Leagues between 1894 and 1928, in the Eastern League in 1932, and in the Piedmont League from 1933 to 1953. They were affiliated with the Philadelphia Athletics from 1935 to 1936, and the New York Giants from 1937 to 1938, in 1940, and from 1944 to 1950. The club signed Whit Graves as its first black player in 1953, its final year of existence.

BIG BATS: 1B Jake Daubert, OF Johnny Rizzo.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Tim Keefe, RHP Jack Harper.
SHOOTING STARS: C Bill Schwartz, OF Cesar Cedeno.




WASHINGTON BLACK SENATORS

When the Washington Elite Giants moved to Baltimore, MD in 1938, the gap was filled in the Negro National League by the Black Senators, who went just 2–20. It was the only season they would play in the league.

BIG BATS: OF Javier Ortiz, OF Al Zarilla.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Dutch Leonard, RHP Jerry Cran.
SHOOTING STARS: 2B Mike Andrews, RHP Zack Greinke.




WILMINGTON QUICKSTEPS

The Wilmington Quicksteps (also known as the Quickstep Club of Wilmington) were an 1884 late-season replacement baseball team in the Union Association (UA). A horrendous record saw most of their roster leave for other clubs. One who stayed was pitcher Ed "The Only" Nolan, who went on to beat Washington for Wilmington's second and last victory. subsequently dropped out of the UA and folded, being replaced by the Milwaukee Brewers.

BIG BATS: 1B Skyrocket Smith, OF Cliff Heathcote.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Dave Pagan, RHP Charlie Guth.
SHOOTING STARS: 2B Edgardo Alfonzo, LHP Karl Spooner.




WINSTON-SALEM TWINS

The Winston-Salem (NC) Twins played in the Virginia-North Carolina League in 1905, the Carolina Baseball Association from 1908 to 1917 and the Piedmont League from 1920 to 1933 and again from 1937 to 1942. The current minor-league team now known as the "Dash" were derived from the ashes of this club, and the Twins name has reappeared several times in the years since the original club's demise.

BIG BATS: C Mickey Tettleton, 1B Walt Dropo, OF Rasty Wright.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Rube Marquard, LHP Jeff Francis.
SHOOTING STARS: 3B Mike Schmidt, OF Ron Northey.

[luckymann]

Band named in honour of Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, another person I'm pretty confident y'all have heard of.

BOSTON REDS

The Boston Reds (called the Boston Unions in some sources and owned by George Wright) were one of the last teams to join the Union Association (UA), in 1884. In that lone season, the Reds finished with the fifth-best record in the league at 58-51.

BIG BATS: OF Carmelo Martinez, OF Dick Johnston.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Al Gerheauser, RHP Orel Hershiser.
SHOOTING STARS: 1B David Ortiz, 2B Henry Easterday, RHP Joe Blanton.




HOMESTEAD GRAYS

The Homestead Grays (also known as Washington Grays or Washington Homestead Grays) club was formed in 1912 by the aforementioned Cumberland Posey, and remained in continuous operation for 38 seasons. After a few false-starts, Posey entered his Grays in the Negro National League (NNL) in 1935, and - thanks mainly to Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard - between 1937 and 1948 won nine consecutive (and a total of ten) NNL Championships and three Negro League World Series titles. The club disbanded in 1951.

BIG BATS: 2B Jim Baxes, OF Wes Covington.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Carl Druhot, RHP Kent Greenfield.
SHOOTING STARS: C Sherm Lollar, OF Gus Williams, LHP Dave McNally.




LEWISTON CUPIDS

The Lewiston (ME) Cupids (also Twins) played as members of various northeastern leagues between 1891 and 1930. Hall of Fame member Jesse Burkett managed the Lewiston Twins in 1928 and 1929. On August 7, 1915, Lewiston pitchers threw two no-hitters, with a no-hitter in both games of a doubleheader. The club has many well-know alumni, including Joe Judge, Jim McCormick, Cy Twombly and Louis Sockalexis.

BIG BATS: C Frank Chance, 3B Grady Hatton, OF Marty Cordova.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Ervin Santana, RHP Tom Henke.
SHOOTING STARS: C Lew Brown, RHP Corbin Burnes.




PHILADELPHIA KEYSTONES

The Philadelphia Keystones are another of the Union Association clubs and, like many others, failed to complete the 1884 season, finishing with a 21-46 record for the part they did play. They disbanded soon after.

BIG BATS: C Reese McGuire, 1B Buck Leonard, OF Wally Moon.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Hal Carlson, RHP Pete Schneider.
SHOOTING STARS: SS J.J. Hardy.




PITTSBURGH CRAWFORDS

The Pittsburgh Crawfords, popularly known as the Craws, were named after the Crawford Bath House, a recreation centre in the Crawford neighbourhood of Pittsburgh's Hill District. In 1931 businessman Gus Greenlee bought the Crawfords and founded what is known as the second Negro National League two years later. During the mid-1930s, the Crawfords were one of the strongest Negro league teams ever assembled. A host of superstars played for the Crawfords over the years, most most notably Satchel Paige, Oscar Charleston Josh Gibson Cool Papa Bell, and Rap Dixon. The club folded in 1940.

BIG BATS: OF Gavvy Cravath, OF Ival Goodman.
STRONG ARMS: LHP Jim Archer.
SHOOTING STARS: 1B Mark Teixiera, 3B Roy Howell.




TAUNTON HERRINGS

The Taunton (MA) Herrings was the primary name of the clubs that played as members of various minor leagues between 1896 and 1933. HOFer Christy Mathewson played for the 1899 Herrings. The club disbanded in 1915, although they did return for one final hurrah in the re-formed 1933 New England League.

BIG BATS: OF Chuck Hinton, OF Leon Roberts.
STRONG ARMS: RHP Old Hoss Radbourn, LHP Glenn Liebhardt.
SHOOTING STARS: SS Buddy Myer, RHP Greg Maddux, RHP Bret Saberhagen.

[luckymann]

So that gives you a bit of background info on the AtHoL Foundation Clubs. The 1947 season continues apace.

[CourtenayFish]

Originally Posted by luckymann

I was a massive party boy - club DJ AND stockbroker, so lived a full life. But gave it all up - including booze - to live as small as I can. I was the poster boy for social distancing before it all went Pete Tong.

We're in full lockdown here in Sydney, not that it changes my MO. My work is running two financial websites, all done from home. Haven't been off my property in 11 weeks.

Love what you do - and your passion for the game, but go for a walk, get outside, stretch your legs (or as we say in NZ "Spread your legs")

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by CourtenayFish

Love what you do - and your passion for the game, but go for a walk, get outside, stretch your legs (or as we say in NZ "Spread your legs")

Oh I do plenty of that - the stretching rather than the spreading, which I gave up in my 40s - just within the perimeter of my place of residence, which fortunately has plenty of space attached.

Appreciate the concern, though - hell of a first post!

G

[luckymann]

Just as IRL, Fernandomania continues to grow in the 1947 AtHoL timeline...

[luckymann]

... only to be outshone for a rare instance.

Not bad for a 19th-rounder (672nd overall...)!

[luckymann]

... at Wilmington's Union Street Park is an imposing sight indeed, especially for left-handed pull hitters.



Still, our Brian Asselstine manages to park one up there with one on in the 9th, sparking a rally that gets us from 0-3 to 3-3. Sadly, Johnny Grodzicki can't keep them quiet and they win it walkoff 4-3 in the home half.

[luckymann]

Nice little touch-up by the Tars, our 4th loss on the trot.



That 1st inning read like an early Steven King novel:

• 13 to the plate
• 3 walks
• 5 hits including a home run
• 2 errors by Ripple in CF
• 50 pitches
• 10 runs, 7 of which are unearned.

Gravity wins again...