Clubs League
In the few years since the arrival of baseball on the islands of Rockway, many amateur baseball teams had formed, and local competition in the informal tournaments and exhibition games was fierce. A number of sports clubs looked to find new ways to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals - and so professionalism arrived. The Johnstown Empire Club, based in the nation's capital, in 1885 became the first baseball team on Rockway to pay their players.
Many of their competitors cried foul, but soon those who could afford to - either thanks to wealthy benefactors, or to attracting large crowds to their games who they could charge to watch - followed in the Empire Club's footsteps. By the middle of 1886, there was an ever-increasing handful of professional teams routinely handing out thrashings to the amateur majority.
Before long, the growing opinion across the islands was that the one-sided contests would quickly become a blight upon the sport. Many were in favour of outlawing professional sports entirely - though just as many were concerned that such a move would simply mean payments were made on the sly. Finally, with the encouragement of the Rockway Government, the leading figures among the professional game came together in late 1886 with a single aim - an organised competition of professional baseball.
A series of meetings followed, until, on October 23rd 1886, a simple announcement was printed in the Rockway Times. It read:
Base Ball league for professional clubs agreed. Clubs League to begin play in early 1887.
Six teams from the northwest of Rockway Main had signed up to the new competition. Three further professional clubs, representing cities in the east had declined to participate, citing concerns about travelling costs. That meant that the competing teams in the first season of professional baseball competition on Rockway would be:
Ironfox Light Blues
Johnstown Empire Club
Johnstown Professionals
Moontree Moons
Stovepipe Mulligans
Tond Union Club
Organised professional baseball had arrived on Rockway.
Clubs League Teams
IRONFOX LIGHT BLUES
Ironfox, Cape Skowl
Koyuk River Park Grounds - 5,950 capacity
Founder members of the Clubs League, the Ironfox Baseball Club were one of the earliest adopters of professionalism on the island. Representing Rockway's third biggest city, the Light Blues, as the club is commonly known on account of their shirt colour, were formed in 1883. One of the first new clubs dedicated solely for the purpose of playing baseball following its arrival, the Light Blues have long enjoyed raucous support from a fanbase, made up chiefly by the city's many factory workers and labourers.
Manager: Billy Winner (42 years old, 1st season)
Despite huge popular support, the Ironfox club struggled mightily as the Clubs League began play in 1887, slumping to a league-worst 23-37 record in that first season, before sharing the cellar with the Professionals in 1888.
Ironfox town profile
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JOHNSTOWN INVINCIBLES
Johnstown, Capital District
The Empire Grounds - 7,400 capacity
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Johnstown, Capital District
The Empire Grounds - 7,400 capacity
Founder members of the Clubs League, the Empire Club became Rockway's first ever professional sports team when they began offering payment to baseball players in spring 1885. The Club itself was originally founded as a cricket, sports and recreation club almost 50 years previously in 1837 - its membership made up of many prominent Johnstowners, including those from the colonial government. As the baseball side began play in the Clubs League, the Empire Club was the largest - and wealthiest - members organisation in the whole of Rockway. Ahead of the 1889 season, the Club's baseball team officially adopted the "Invincibles" nickname that had been bestowed upon them by the island's newspapers during their historic 1888 campaign.
First CL season: 1887 - Overall Record: 84-36 - Championships: 2
Manager: Bill Jackson (56 years old, 3rd season, 84-36 career record, 2 championships)
As the Clubs League got under way in 1887, the historic Empire Club underlined their position at the top of the Rockway sporting tree. After a slow start the Club stormed to the inaugural pennant behind outstanding pitching from Bill Kinder and Hollis Kennedy, claiming the honours with a 36-24 record. Their 1888 season was even better, again claiming the pennant. Kennedy led the way with a 23-1 record, with the Club losing just 12 games all season, and putting together a 22-game win streak that earned them a new nickname - the Invincibles.
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Johnstown, Capital District
Osborne Road Field - 5,180 capacity
Founder members of the Clubs League, the Professionals were the most recently formed of those original six teams. Beginning play in the summer of 1886, the Johnstown squad had competed in just 16 games before their entry for the new competition was confirmed. During those contests, the Professionals set an unwelcome record when they became the last paid squad to be defeated by an amateur side. Dwarfed by the neighbouring Empire Club, the Professionals' fans have been drawn largely from among the capital city's working class districts.
First CL season: 1887 - Overall Record: 51-69 - Championships: 0
Manager: Elias van der Geest (45 years old, 3rd season, 51-69 career record)
In only their second year of competitive play, the Professionals started the inaugural league season strongly in 1887, before eventually fading down the stretch to fourth place and a .500 record. 1888, by contrast, was a disaster, as the Professionals slumped to a joint-worst 21-39 record. A change of ownership ahead of the 1889 season promised more investment in the playing squad.
MOONTREE MOONS
Moontree, Cape Skowl
North Park Fields - 3,120 capacity
Founder members of the Clubs League, the Moontree Moons turned professional in mid 1886. The club itself had been founded two years earlier as a baseball only club, and had achieved middling success in the amateur competition in the area. Though considered outsiders for success in professional competition against teams from the larger cities, the Moons regularly enjoyed solid local support - even with a ball field that could hold half the town, sell-out crowds have been a common occurrence for the club.
First CL season: 1887 - Overall Record: 54-66 - Championships: 0
Manager: Will Collins (39 years old, 3rd season, 54-66 career record)
The Moontree team struggled to be competitive during the first Clubs League season in 1887, finishing in 5th place, only ahead of Ironfox. 1888 went better for the Moons, as they improved to a respectable .500 record and third place.
STOVEPIPE MULLIGANS
Stovepipe, Cape Skowl
Mulligan's Grounds - 2,565 capacity
Founder members of the Clubs League, the Mulligans were early converts to the professional game, recruiting their first paid players in the winter of 1885. The baseball club was founded in 1884 by local businessman G. J. "Mulligan" Bartley, who was among the foremost pioneers of the organised game on Rockway. His team had proven a force in the semi-professionalised competitions of 1886, and, despite representing the smallest town in the Clubs League, Bartley's eccentric leadership and unbridled enthusiasm inspired many of his townsfolk to turn out and support the underdog team.
First CL season: 1887 - Overall Record: 65-55 - Championships: 0
Manager: Isaiah Mason (36 years old, 3rd season, 65-55 career record)
The 1887 season was a successful competitive debut for the Clubs League's smallest team, as Stovepipe finished strongly in third place with a 33-27 record, just three games behind the champion Empire Club. In 1888, another winning record was secured, along with second place in the standings - albeit some 16 games behind the dominant Johnstown side.
TOND UNION CLUB
Tond, New Wessex
Grand Cut Yards - 4,660 capacity
Founder members of the Clubs League, Tond were the second team on Rockway to pay their players, beginning in the summer of 1885. The Union Club - from whose members the baseball team was formed - was founded in 1860 by workers on the Rockway Western Railway Line, encompassing several different sports and recreations. With strong links to the workers' union maintained, the Tond club - though not the richest - could count on solid support from the hard working locals, and entered the Clubs League with a strong baseball pedigree and high expectations of challenging for honours.
First CL season: 1887 - Overall Record: 34-26 - Championships: 0
Manager: Mathew Stevens (43 years old, 3rd season, 62-58 career record)
Tond were disappointed to finish a strong second in the first Clubs League season in 1887, having led the standings for much of the way. Their 34-26 record was ultimately just two wins off the top spot. Despite high hopes for even better in 1888, the season didn't go to plan, as the club slumped to fourth, finishing 2 games below .500.
