ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

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Around the Town in the IPA

Map of Islandia

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Around the Town in the IPA

La Claire Lynx

Tycobbian Baseball Union

West Division

Owner: The Rip Calkin Sports Foundation and Enterprises
GM/Manager: Flash Devlin

La Claire is the capital of Tycobbia and its largest town with a population of 120,000, second largest in the Islands. It is located in the central section of the country on the meandering Appian River, which cuts through two thirds of the country, flowing from the Appian Mountains in the north near North Hills, southward to Hartsdale, through the capital, then down to Bay St. Clair and empties into the bay there.

The town was established in the 1850s by a group of American abolitionists from the North and the South, who saw the coming Civil War. They wanted to set up a country free from slavery and religious intolerance.

La Claire is an enchanting town of the old, mixed with the new. The State Capitol and governmental offices are in the center of Capitol Park, which is the center of the town. Lush greenery is everywhere, with the new modern section at the edge of town, which houses the movers and shakers of Tycobbia's business, financial, banking and automotive worlds.

La Claire is also home to the La Claire Lynx of the Islandian Pro Alliance. The Lynx play in the Tycobbian Baseball Union West Division. The club plays at Capitol Park Stadium, a charming old ballpark constructed in 1923. Spectators get a spectacular view of the State Capitol over the right field fence and can see the new developing part of town in the distance beyond the left field fence. Most of the food and drink at the ballpark are typical, except for the “Dippy Dogs”, a gourmet wiener, dipped in a maize/corn batter and fried. It is unique to State Capitol Park and is especially tasty, when the meal includes a refreshing cup of freshly-squeezed pink lemonade.

Before and after a Lynx game, fans can enjoy the fine restaurants, diners and shops on the shore of the Appian River. Movie theaters, old-fashioned soda fountains, concert halls and fashionable night clubs are in abundance, too. All within easy walking distance.

Rip Calkin, famed shortstop in his industrial league career, noted for rarely missing a game, started up the Lynx... the team is now run by the Rip Calkin Sports Foundation and Enterprises... the current head of team operations is Flash Devlin, one of La Claire's IPA Hall of Fame players... Devlin was a 13-time All-Star with a .317 career batting average... he had 3261 hits with 559 homers, 1779 RBIs and 1995 runs, playing 19 seasons in La Claire from 2013 to 2031... Devlin was voted into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2038.

Capitol Park Stadium (1923)

Capacity: 13,557

Dimensions:

LF Line 330
LF 350
LCF 374
CF 400
RCF 374
RF 350
RF Line 334

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Around the Town in the IPA

ST. JOHN CRUSADERS

Owner: The Brothers of St. John the Baptist
GM/Manager: Nicky Farrugia

St. John is an isolated college town of 79,000, located in the sparsely-settled southwestern part of Ruthlandia. It is in the Southern Lowlands about a 100 miles inland from Belair Bay and the Southern Sea. Originally established by the Brothers of St. John the Baptist as a monastery and religious retreat. It is now the home of St. John University, a center of learning and the country's elite academic institution and research center. The university is run by the St. John Brothers.

The school's academic specialties are educational, agricultural and medical research. The university is the site of the oldest and largest library in the country. It also houses the largest medical center and hospital in Ruthlandia.

The Sisters of the Holy Cross Convent is also in St. John. The nuns are active in nursing and education. Together the two orders supply many doctors, nurses and teachers for the Islands.

Another important industry run by the Brothers is the Crusader Wagon Company, the makers of top-of-the-line cars, trucks and tractors used throughout Tycobbia and Ruthlandia. The company was started in the 1860s and made wagons and buggies, expanding to automobiles in the early 1900s.

The picturesque and idyllic town is filled with parks and boulevards, all centered around the university and is a nice place to call home and raise a family.

St. John is also home of the St. John Crusaders of the IPA's Ruthlandian Union South Division, who play at lovely Cathedral Stadium on the university campus. The stadium has a great view of the revered gothic cathedrals that pervade the campus. The fans also get a great panoramic view of the downtown area in the distance. The outfield walls and buildings in left, center and right fields are made of white marble. The Crusaders are owned and operated by the Brothers of St. John. Spectators and fans at the stadium can feast on wonderful and delicious sandwiches made with bread from the monastery's famous ovens and sample exquisite wines from its classic cellars and delightful cheeses from its marvelous dairies. All available at nominal prices. Typical baseball fare is also offered at the concession stands.

Crusader fans are noted for being true sportsmen in the truest sense of the word. They never boo the umpires or utter a discouraging word toward their beloved team or the visiting clubs. They will even applaud a good play by opposing players. A visit to Cathedral Stadium is truly unique and enjoyable.

Clayton Luck is the general manager of the Crusaders. He was a Golden Glove outfielder for St. John for 18 years from 2005 to 2022, retiring with a .279 career average, 2200 hits, 182 homers, 1278 runs and 846 RBIs.

The current skipper is Nicky Farrugia, who took over in 1949... Farrugia was a standout outfielder for the Crusaders from 2034 to 2047, batting .321 lifetime (13th-best in IPA history) with 365 homers and 1204 RBIs... he was a 5-time All-Star and won the Ruthlandian MVP and Golden Bat Award in 2039... Farrugia was inducted into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2047.

Cathedral Stadium (1948)
Capacity: 7,450

Dimensions:
LF Line 360
LF 375
LCF 390
CF 400
RCF 390
RF 375
RF Line 360

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Around the Town in the IPA

WHITE RIVER RASCALS

Owner: Tycalco (Tycobbian Aluminum Company)
GM/Manager: Marty Blake

The city of White River, with 66,000 inhabitants, is situated in northwestern Tycobbia in the Appian Mountain foothills on the banks of the White River. Most of the time the river flows serenely, but there are occasional whitewater rapids. The river ends at Bayview on the western coast where it empties into the Kelnyck Ocean.

Prior to the mining business, this area was just wilderness. White River owes its existence and development to Tycalco. It is totally a company town. Its economy is dominated by the Tycobbian Aluminum Company, which was established in 1890. Bauxite, alumina and chemicals, found in abundance in the nearby Appian Mountains, are processed into a wide range of aluminum products and shipped to Bayview by water and Fairfax on Blue Lake to the south by rail for distribution. Tycalco’s towering corporate skyscraper can be seen from White River Park across the river in downtown White River. Architecture in the area is modernistic. However, the White River Rascals play at one of the lovely vintage and nostalgic ballparks in Tycobbia. It was built in 1924.

White River Park is a lovely old-time ball park with a scenic and wonderful view of its river namesake just beyond the centerfield fence. The 18-foot high aluminum wire fences down the left and right field lines make it a little more difficult for hitters to hit the ball into the stands, which are only 310 feet away. Tycalco originated company amateur leagues to provide the community and its employees and their families with recreational activities. When the Islandian Pro Alliance was established, the company purchased a franchise. The White River Rascals play in the Tycobbian Union North Division.

A trip to White River Park is something really special. Not only is it a baseball park, it is also a state-of-the-art amusement park. Before and after games amusement rides can be enjoyed by young and old, complete with good food, fun rides, fireworks and music concerts of all genres, all subsidized and underwritten in part by Tycalco,

The Rascals are administered and managed by former first baseman Marty Blake. He had a legendary career with White River with a .312 BA, 711 homers, 2125 RBIs and 2034 runs. Blake was one of the most prolific hitters in IPA history in his 23 years in the league, playing for four clubs from 2013 to 2035. Blake spent his first 18 seasons with White River. He was a 3-time Golden Glove first sacker and 7-time All-Star. Blake was voted into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2036. He ranks fifth on the all-time home-run list, fifth in hits, third in RBIs, ninth in scoring runs and 12th in walks.

White River Park (1924)

Capacity: 5,685

Dimensions:
Left Field Line - 310
Left Field - 340
Left Center - 370
Center Field - 410
Right Center - 370
Right Field - 340
Right Field Line - 310

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Around the Town in the IPA

WYNNAMAC SUNDOWNERS

Owner: Granger Co-Operative Association
GM/Manager: Jerry Meeks

Wynnamac is a town of 86,000 residents and can be found about 50 miles inland from the Valerian Ocean, which is near the eastern coast of Ruthlandia. It is located in the northeastern part of the country in the Central Plains, which spans east to west across it and is a well-known farming region, filled with seemingly endless fields of ripe golden wheat and rustic farms. It is the "Breadbasket of Ruthlandia". Settled by a diverse band of hearty and hardworking Canadian and Australian immigrants, who worked "sunup to sundown". They became known as "Sundowners" because of their great work ethic and love for the land...and for their love of baseball and the homestanding Wynnamac Sundowners. The area is also a center for meat packing and dairy industries.

Life hasn't changed much here for a hundred years and probably won't change much in the next hundred years. Wynnamac is a member of the IPA's Ruthlandian East Division. The club plays at Granger Field, which is built right next to a grain processing plant with huge silos and a water tower with a gigantic ear of corn on it...all visible from the ballpark. The Sundowners are owned by the Granger Co-operative Association, farmers banded together for the common good.

At the concession stands you get nothing fancy...just soda pop, hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, peanuts, crackerjacks and ice cream. No beer or alcoholic beverages are permitted at the stadium. It is against the law in Wynnamac county and strictly enforced.

Wynnamac's General Manager and Field Manager is Jerry Meeks, the famed Sundowner southpaw, who piled up a 313-214 record with an outstanding 2.93 career ERA... in 2013 he captured the Ruthlandian Most Valuable Player Award and also the RU Golden Arm trophy... Meeks played in Wynnamac his entire career from 2008 to 2028 and was named to the IPA Hall of Fame in 2029.

GRANGER FIELD

Capacity: 7,965
Dimensions:
Left Field Line - 355
Left Field - 375
Left Center - 415
Center Field - 404
Right Center - 375
Right Field - 350
Right Field Line - 325

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