Guelph Royals (baseball)
Encyclopedia
The Guelph Royals are a semi-professional
baseball team based in the downtown area
of Guelph, Ontario
, and are a member of the Southern Ontario
-based Intercounty Baseball League
. The club was founded in 1861
as the Guelph Maple Leafs, and after winning the "Canadian Silver Ball Championship" three times between 1869
and 1872
, went on to become world semi-professional
champions in 1874
, and hold brief membership in the International Association for Professional Base Ball Players during the 1877
season, rivalling National League
teams. In 1919
, they joined the Intercounty Baseball League
, and underwent a series of name changes (the Guelph-Waterloo Royals in 1954
; the Guelph Plymouths in 1957
; the Guelph Merchants in 1958
; the Guelph Royals in 1962
; the Guelph CJOYs in 1964
) before being officially renamed the "Royals". From 1861 to 1925
, the team divided its home games between various ballparks in the city, before the construction of a stadium in Exhibition Park led them to permanently play there. In 1986
, they moved into a new stadium, David E. Hastings Stadium
, also in Exhibition Park. In spite of only winning one Intercounty championship between 1932
and 1993
, the team has done well in recent years, winning four since. They currently hold nine Intercounty championships, behind the Kitchener Panthers
, with 12, and the Brantford Red Sox
, with 10, and are one of only two remaining charter franchises in the league, along with the Kitchener Panthers
.
, baseball
enthusiast A.S. Feast moved from Hamilton, Ontario
to Guelph
, and - being a professed fan of the Hamilton Maple Leafs, whose name was derived from the nascent national symbol - founded a new, semi-professional
club, the "Guelph Maple Leafs", in order to take advantage of the high popularity of the sport in 19th-century Southwestern Ontario
. The Maple Leafs began play the summer of that year, and their first game game wound up a 27-27 tie against a club from Flamborough, Ontario
, as the umpires
were unsure whether it would be permissible to continue the game beyond nine innings
.
Under the guidance of Feast, and helped by the substantial amount of talent in the region, the Maple Leafs soon became one of the most promising baseball clubs in Canada, and, in 1865
, nearly defeated the Woodstock Young Canadians to win the "Canadian Silver Ball Championship" - a loosely-knit tournament in which Canadian teams of the time participated - losing 36-29 in a tumultuous final wherein Guelph players endured threats of physical violence from the audience. During this time, Maple Leafs games frequently attracted attendance in the thousands, owing partly to a high-profile rivalry with the London Tecumsehs
, which had caused a schism in the Southwestern Ontario baseball community.
By 1869
, the Maple Leafs succeeded in winning the Canadian Silver Ball Championship, and proceeded to do so repeatedly until 1871
, when they were granted permanent possession of the coveted Silver Ball Trophy. Their status as Canadian champions quickly attracted the attention of George Sleeman, local owner of Sleeman Breweries
, who purchased the team then merged it with one he already owned, the Silver Creeks Baseball Club, and began funding the aggressive acquisition of American players, including Pete Gillespie
, Scott Hastings
, and a new pitcher
, William Smith. The Maple Leafs' high-profile acquisitions represented a first for Canadian baseball, and other clubs in the region soon followed suit.
The Maple Leafs' prestige increased significantly due to victories accumulated by their strengthened roster, and on July 1, 1873
, the Boston Red Stockings
, defending National Association
champions, played an exhibition game
in Guelph in front of an audience of over 10,000 and won 27-8. The match is fictionalized by legendary Western
writer Zane Grey
- whose brother, Reddy Grey
, played for the Boston Red Stockings at the time they competed against the Maple Leafs - in his short story published in 1920
, "The Winning Ball", in which Guelph defeats a professional team from Rochester
in spite of the opposing team's use of the "rabbit", a baseball made when a friend of the manager
's "removed the covers from a number of league balls and sewed them on rubber balls of his own making".
, George Sleeman received word of a world semi-professional championship being hosted in Watertown, New York, and - thinking the Maple Leafs had a shot - began readying the team. His hopes were validated later that year when a virtuoso performance by pitcher William Smith led the Maple Leafs to three straight victories over some of the best clubs in North America, including a 13-4 trouncing of a Ku Klux Klan
team from Oneida, New York
. Guelph's victory in this tournament bolstered their international reputation considerably, and may represent the zenith of the franchise's success.
The mid-late 1870s brought with them new challenges for the Maple Leafs. In 1875
, London, England-borne entrepreneur and oil refiner Jacob L. Englehart purchased the London Tecumsehs, and their subsequent acquisition of star pitcher and future Chicago White Stocking
Fred Goldsmith, along with catcher
Phil Powers
and fielder Joe Hornung
, challenged Guelph's status as the foremost Canadian baseball club. On May 24, 1876
in front of 6,000 fans in London
, the London Tecumsehs finally succeeeded in defeating the Maple Leafs 8-7 in ten innings for the Canadian championship, largely owing to Fred Goldsmith's "scientific pitching", which made use of his innovative "skew ball". Later that year, both teams became charter entrants in the Canadian Association of Base Ball, which was co-organized by George Sleeman, and played for only a few months before closing.
The Maple Leafs' exit from the Canadian Association of Base Ball left them without a formal league to play in, and this, coupled with the necessity of holding membership in one in order to field a competitive professional or semi-professional team in the post-National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
era caused them to begin searching aggressively. During this period, in late 1876, the St. Louis Brown Stockings
- a successful team in the upstart National League
, and the antecedents of the modern-day St. Louis Cardinals
- travelled to Guelph to play an exhibition match, and were defeated resoundingly.
The club's lack of a competitive league to play in was resolved in 1877
, when they, along with the London Tecumsehs, both joined the semi-professional International Association for Professional Base Ball Players, which featured both American and Canadian teams, and positioned itself as a rival to the increasingly dominant National League. The Maple Leafs' first season of play, however, was less than successful, as they went 4-12, second lowest in the league only to the subsequently disbanded Lynn Live Oaks, and at cessation withdrew from it. The London Tecumsehs played on for the following season, but closed their doors at its conclusion in 1878
, citing a shortage of funds.
In the 1880s, the Maple Leafs continued to play at a high level locally, but increased player salaries, coupled with the club's lack of a strong league affiliation, meant baseball in Guelph had begun to flounder. Worsening matters was the team's releasing of key prospect Bud Fowler - a marquee pitcher, and the first ever African-American to play professionally - to the Petrolia Imperials, due to racial discomfort, as well as George Sleeman's lessened involvement in the club's affairs affairs due to the relinquishing of his business assets to his son. In 1886
, a promising Maple Leafs team - featuring the likes of Lou Bierbauer
, George Bradley
, Mike Jones
and Ed Kent
- lost money, and was placed on hiatus.
, when a new-look team featuring third baseman
Jim Cockman
and right fielder
Bunk Congalton
finished the season in a reorganized Canadian League with a .667 record. The following three seasons were less successful, as the Maple Leafs consistently ranked between .400 and .500, however, they did manage to acquire several excellent players, including Babe Doty
and Joe Kostal
.
Baseball had its ups and downs until 1919 - the Maple Leafs defeated the St. Louis Browns in an exhibition match in 1876 and in 1894, under a new board of officers, won the semi-pro championship of Canada - when the Inter-County League was established.
Guelph beat Galt for the Inter-County title the first three years of the new league then had the roles reversed the next three. All told, Royal City teams won four league titles and were runners-up six times before the Second World War.
In 1932, the Guelph Maple Leafs won the Ontario Baseball Association senior title. It was the only time in Guelph history that happened.
Professional baseball came to Guelph in 1911, when a Canadian league was formed by George 'Knotty' Lee. Guelph teams played a total of four seasons.
In 1930 Lee brought pro ball back to Guelph with the Biltmores, who played in the Class D Ontario League along with teams from London, St. Thomas, Brantford, Hamilton and St. Catharines. Jim O'Connor, who was the Inter-County batting champion in 1928, was the only local player to make the Biltmores.
In July of that year, just two months after the league began, it folded. St. Catharines, the top team in the league, started the trend on July 21 and the rest of the teams followed suit the next day.
For the next 30 years, Guelph's Inter-County team went through an extended dry spell. The Guelph Royals won the regular-season pennant in 1962 but the Brantford Red Sox went on to take the playoff title.
The Guelph C-Joys won back-to-back pennants starting in 1966 but didn't break through to win in the playoffs until 1970.
That was the last playoff victory for the local franchise until the Guelph Royals won the 1993 championship.
The Royals also won the 1997 Inter-County title and lost in the league final on two other occasions, including an infamous ninth-inning collapse that gave the Stratford Hillers the 1994 crown.
A number of Guelph players have gone on to the pro ranks during the city's history.
Currently, three Guelphites are playing professionally. Jeremy Ware spent seven seasons in the Montreal Expos organization before moving to the Cleveland Indians earlier this year while Shawn Pearson (Toronto Blue Jays) and Jamie Pogue (St. Louis Cardinals) are also playing in the minor leagues.
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
baseball team based in the downtown area
Downtown Guelph
Downtown Guelph is the heart of the city of Guelph, Ontario. It is bordered by Wellington St. E. to the south, Woolwich St. to the East, Dublin St. to the west and Norwich St. to the North. Downtown Guelph is known for its distinctive limestone architecture and heritage buildings.-History:John...
of Guelph, Ontario
Guelph, Ontario
Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
, and are a member of the Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
-based Intercounty Baseball League
Intercounty Baseball League
The Intercounty Baseball League is a semi-professional baseball organization located in the Canadian province of Ontario. The league was formed in 1919....
. The club was founded in 1861
1845 to 1868 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the years 1845 to 1868 throughout the world.-Events:*1845 September 10 — A baseball game is played that is described the following day in the New York Morning News....
as the Guelph Maple Leafs, and after winning the "Canadian Silver Ball Championship" three times between 1869
1869 in baseball
-Champions:*National Association of Base Ball Players: Atlantic of Brooklyn-Events:* March 15 - The first professional baseball club is formed as the Cincinnati Red Stockings....
and 1872
1872 in baseball
- Champions :* National Association: Boston Red Stockings- National Association final standings :-Statistical leaders:- January–March :* March 4 – At its annual convention being held in Cleveland, the NA adopts a rule change to allow the use of the wrist in the pitching delivery.- April–June :*...
, went on to become world semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
champions in 1874
1974 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*1974 World Series: Oakland Athletics over Los Angeles Dodgers ; Rollie Fingers, MVP*All-Star Game, July 23 at Three Rivers Stadium: National League, 7-2; Steve Garvey, MVP-Other champions:...
, and hold brief membership in the International Association for Professional Base Ball Players during the 1877
1877 in baseball
-Champions:*National League: Boston Red Caps*International Association: London‚ Ontario‚ Canada Tecumsehs*League Alliance: Indianapolis Hoosiers & Lowell Ladies' Men *New England Association: Lowell Ladies' Men...
season, rivalling National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
teams. In 1919
1919 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:Chicago White Sox players accused of throwing World Series, resulting in the Black Sox scandal.-Champions:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Chicago White Sox -MLB statistical leaders:-Headline Event of the Year:...
, they joined the Intercounty Baseball League
Intercounty Baseball League
The Intercounty Baseball League is a semi-professional baseball organization located in the Canadian province of Ontario. The league was formed in 1919....
, and underwent a series of name changes (the Guelph-Waterloo Royals in 1954
1954 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* World Series: New York Giants over Cleveland Indians * All-Star Game, July 13 at Municipal Stadium: American League, 11-9-Other champions:* Caribbean World Series: Caguas Creoles [Criollos de Caguas]...
; the Guelph Plymouths in 1957
1957 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Milwaukee Braves over New York Yankees ; Lew Burdette, MVP*All-Star Game, July 9 at Busch Stadium: American League, 6-5-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Marianao *College World Series: California...
; the Guelph Merchants in 1958
1958 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Milwaukee Braves ; Bob Turley, MVP*All-Star Game, July 8 at Memorial Stadium: American League, 4-3-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Marianao *College World Series: USC...
; the Guelph Royals in 1962
1962 in baseball
The 1962 season is perhaps most notable for the dismal 40–120 record of the New York Mets, the third-worst winning percentage and the record for most games lost since 1900.-Major League Baseball:...
; the Guelph CJOYs in 1964
1964 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over New York Yankees ; Bob Gibson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 7 at Shea Stadium: National League, 7–4; Johnny Callison, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Minnesota...
) before being officially renamed the "Royals". From 1861 to 1925
1925 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Washington Senators *Negro League World Series: Hilldale Daisies over Kansas City Monarchs -Awards and honors:*League Award** Roger Peckinpaugh, Washington Senators, SS** Rogers Hornsby, St...
, the team divided its home games between various ballparks in the city, before the construction of a stadium in Exhibition Park led them to permanently play there. In 1986
1986 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Mets over Boston Red Sox ; Ray Knight, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marty Barrett*National League Championship Series MVP: Mike Scott...
, they moved into a new stadium, David E. Hastings Stadium
Hastings Stadium
Hastings Stadium is a baseball park located at Exhibition Park in Guelph, Ontario and home the Guelph Royals of the Intercounty Baseball League and the home of the Guelph Silvercreeks....
, also in Exhibition Park. In spite of only winning one Intercounty championship between 1932
1932 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: New York Yankees over Chicago Cubs *Negro League World Series: Pittsburgh Crawfords over Monroe Monarchs -Awards and honors:*MLB Most Valuable Player Award** Jimmie Foxx, Philadelphia Athletics, 1B...
and 1993
1993 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Philadelphia Phillies ; Paul Molitor, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series MVP: Curt Schilling...
, the team has done well in recent years, winning four since. They currently hold nine Intercounty championships, behind the Kitchener Panthers
Kitchener Panthers
The Kitchener Panthers are an independent, minor league baseball team of the semi-pro, Intercounty Baseball League based in Kitchener, Ontario. They play their home games at Jack Couch Baseball Park.-History:...
, with 12, and the Brantford Red Sox
Brantford Red Sox
The Brantford Red Sox are an independent, minor league baseball team of the, semi-pro, Intercounty Baseball League based in Brantford, Ontario. They play their home games at Arnold Anderson Stadium.-History:...
, with 10, and are one of only two remaining charter franchises in the league, along with the Kitchener Panthers
Kitchener Panthers
The Kitchener Panthers are an independent, minor league baseball team of the semi-pro, Intercounty Baseball League based in Kitchener, Ontario. They play their home games at Jack Couch Baseball Park.-History:...
.
(1861-1873) A.S. Feast, George Sleeman, and the Guelph Maple Leafs
In 18611845 to 1868 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the years 1845 to 1868 throughout the world.-Events:*1845 September 10 — A baseball game is played that is described the following day in the New York Morning News....
, baseball
Origins of baseball
The question of the origins of baseball has been the subject of debate and controversy for more than a century. Baseball and the other modern bat, ball and running games, cricket and rounders, were developed from earlier folk games....
enthusiast A.S. Feast moved from Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
to Guelph
Guelph, Ontario
Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
, and - being a professed fan of the Hamilton Maple Leafs, whose name was derived from the nascent national symbol - founded a new, semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
club, the "Guelph Maple Leafs", in order to take advantage of the high popularity of the sport in 19th-century Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario, centred on the city of London. It extends north to south from the Bruce Peninsula on Lake Huron to the Lake Erie shoreline, and east to south-west roughly from Guelph to Windsor. The region had a population...
. The Maple Leafs began play the summer of that year, and their first game game wound up a 27-27 tie against a club from Flamborough, Ontario
Flamborough, Ontario
Flamborough is a former town near, and a current community in, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada....
, as the umpires
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
were unsure whether it would be permissible to continue the game beyond nine innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
.
Under the guidance of Feast, and helped by the substantial amount of talent in the region, the Maple Leafs soon became one of the most promising baseball clubs in Canada, and, in 1865
1845 to 1868 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the years 1845 to 1868 throughout the world.-Events:*1845 September 10 — A baseball game is played that is described the following day in the New York Morning News....
, nearly defeated the Woodstock Young Canadians to win the "Canadian Silver Ball Championship" - a loosely-knit tournament in which Canadian teams of the time participated - losing 36-29 in a tumultuous final wherein Guelph players endured threats of physical violence from the audience. During this time, Maple Leafs games frequently attracted attendance in the thousands, owing partly to a high-profile rivalry with the London Tecumsehs
London Tecumsehs
The historic London Tecumsehs were a professional men's baseball team in London, Ontario, Canada, that were first formed in 1868 — a merger of the Forest City Base Ball Club and the London Base Ball Club — which, according to George Railton's 1856 London directory, consisted of officers J.K. Brown,...
, which had caused a schism in the Southwestern Ontario baseball community.
By 1869
1869 in baseball
-Champions:*National Association of Base Ball Players: Atlantic of Brooklyn-Events:* March 15 - The first professional baseball club is formed as the Cincinnati Red Stockings....
, the Maple Leafs succeeded in winning the Canadian Silver Ball Championship, and proceeded to do so repeatedly until 1871
1871 in baseball
-Champions:*National Association : Philadelphia Athletics*National Association of Amateur Base Ball Players: Star of Brooklyn, 30–13*National Association of Junior Base Ball Players: Fly Aways-National Association final standings:...
, when they were granted permanent possession of the coveted Silver Ball Trophy. Their status as Canadian champions quickly attracted the attention of George Sleeman, local owner of Sleeman Breweries
Sleeman Breweries
Sleeman Brewery Ltd. is a brewery located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. John H. Sleeman originally began brewing beer in 1834. By 1933 the Sleeman brewery had ceased operations when their liquor licence was revoked for bootlegging, specifically, smuggling beer into Detroit, Michigan. The brewery was...
, who purchased the team then merged it with one he already owned, the Silver Creeks Baseball Club, and began funding the aggressive acquisition of American players, including Pete Gillespie
Pete Gillespie
Peter Patrick Gillespie , was a Major League Baseball player who played outfielder from -. He would play for the New York Giants and Troy Trojans....
, Scott Hastings
Scott Hastings (baseball)
Winfield Scott Hastings was a major league baseball player and manager in the late 19th century. Primarily a catcher and outfielder, Hastings also appeared as a first baseman, second baseman, and shortstop over the course of his career.-Early career:Born in Hillsboro, Ohio, Hastings made his...
, and a new pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, William Smith. The Maple Leafs' high-profile acquisitions represented a first for Canadian baseball, and other clubs in the region soon followed suit.
The Maple Leafs' prestige increased significantly due to victories accumulated by their strengthened roster, and on July 1, 1873
1873 in baseball
-Champions:*National Association: Boston Red Stockings-National Association final standings:-Statistical leaders:-January–March:*March 3 – For the first time, the NA adopts a standardized ball to be used in all league games.-April–June:...
, the Boston Red Stockings
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, defending National Association
National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
champions, played an exhibition game
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
in Guelph in front of an audience of over 10,000 and won 27-8. The match is fictionalized by legendary Western
Western fiction
Western fiction is a genre of literature set in the American Old West frontier and typically set from the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century. Well-known writers of Western fiction include Zane Grey from the early 1900s and Louis L'Amour from the mid 20th century...
writer Zane Grey
Zane Grey
Zane Grey was an American author best known for his popular adventure novels and stories that presented an idealized image of the Old West. Riders of the Purple Sage was his bestselling book. In addition to the success of his printed works, they later had second lives and continuing influence...
- whose brother, Reddy Grey
Reddy Grey
Romer Carl "Reddy" Grey was a professional baseball player. He played one game in Major League Baseball in 1903 for the Pittsburgh Pirates.- Baseball career :...
, played for the Boston Red Stockings at the time they competed against the Maple Leafs - in his short story published in 1920
1920 in literature
The year 1920 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Agatha Christie publishes her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, introducing the long-running character detective, Hercule Poirot....
, "The Winning Ball", in which Guelph defeats a professional team from Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
in spite of the opposing team's use of the "rabbit", a baseball made when a friend of the manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
's "removed the covers from a number of league balls and sewed them on rubber balls of his own making".
(1874-1895) World semi-professional champions, on hiatus
In 18741874 in baseball
-Champions:*National Association: Boston Red Stockings-National Association final standings:-Statistical leaders:-January-March:*January 29 - Albert Spalding arrives in England to set up a tour for the Boston Red Stockings and Philadelphia Athletics to demonstrate American baseball to the...
, George Sleeman received word of a world semi-professional championship being hosted in Watertown, New York, and - thinking the Maple Leafs had a shot - began readying the team. His hopes were validated later that year when a virtuoso performance by pitcher William Smith led the Maple Leafs to three straight victories over some of the best clubs in North America, including a 13-4 trouncing of a Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
team from Oneida, New York
Oneida, New York
Oneida is a city in Madison County located west of Oneida Castle and east of Canastota, New York, United States. The population was 10,987 at the 2000 census. The city, like both Oneida County and the nearby silver and china maker, takes its name from the Oneida tribe...
. Guelph's victory in this tournament bolstered their international reputation considerably, and may represent the zenith of the franchise's success.
The mid-late 1870s brought with them new challenges for the Maple Leafs. In 1875
1875 in baseball
-Champions:*National Association: Boston Red Stockings-National Association final standings:-Statistical leaders:-April-June:*May 3 - The Hartford Dark Blues are caught using an illegal bat which had been whittled nearly flat on one side and painted black to conceal the altering...
, London, England-borne entrepreneur and oil refiner Jacob L. Englehart purchased the London Tecumsehs, and their subsequent acquisition of star pitcher and future Chicago White Stocking
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
Fred Goldsmith, along with catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Phil Powers
Phil Powers (baseball)
Philip J. Powers was a major league baseball catcher from 1878 to 1885.He was used mostly as a backup for five different teams in the National League and American Association.-External links:*...
and fielder Joe Hornung
Joe Hornung
Michael Joseph Hornung was an American baseball player and one the greatest fielders of the 19th century...
, challenged Guelph's status as the foremost Canadian baseball club. On May 24, 1876
1876 in baseball
After a tumultuous six-year existence, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , folded following the season. The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs was formed in Chicago, Illinois by businessman, and owner of the Chicago White Stockings, William Hulbert, for the...
in front of 6,000 fans in London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, the London Tecumsehs finally succeeeded in defeating the Maple Leafs 8-7 in ten innings for the Canadian championship, largely owing to Fred Goldsmith's "scientific pitching", which made use of his innovative "skew ball". Later that year, both teams became charter entrants in the Canadian Association of Base Ball, which was co-organized by George Sleeman, and played for only a few months before closing.
The Maple Leafs' exit from the Canadian Association of Base Ball left them without a formal league to play in, and this, coupled with the necessity of holding membership in one in order to field a competitive professional or semi-professional team in the post-National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
era caused them to begin searching aggressively. During this period, in late 1876, the St. Louis Brown Stockings
St. Louis Brown Stockings
The St. Louis Brown Stockings were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri from 1875 to 1877.-History:Joining the National Association in the final season of that league, the Brown Stockings were the first team to represent St. Louis in a professional baseball association . The...
- a successful team in the upstart National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, and the antecedents of the modern-day St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
- travelled to Guelph to play an exhibition match, and were defeated resoundingly.
The club's lack of a competitive league to play in was resolved in 1877
1877 in baseball
-Champions:*National League: Boston Red Caps*International Association: London‚ Ontario‚ Canada Tecumsehs*League Alliance: Indianapolis Hoosiers & Lowell Ladies' Men *New England Association: Lowell Ladies' Men...
, when they, along with the London Tecumsehs, both joined the semi-professional International Association for Professional Base Ball Players, which featured both American and Canadian teams, and positioned itself as a rival to the increasingly dominant National League. The Maple Leafs' first season of play, however, was less than successful, as they went 4-12, second lowest in the league only to the subsequently disbanded Lynn Live Oaks, and at cessation withdrew from it. The London Tecumsehs played on for the following season, but closed their doors at its conclusion in 1878
1878 in baseball
-Champions:*National League: Boston Red Caps*International Association: Buffalo Bisons*Pacific Coast: San Francisco Athletics Inter-league playoff: Boston and Buffalo each won 1 game in 2 game series.-National League final standings:...
, citing a shortage of funds.
In the 1880s, the Maple Leafs continued to play at a high level locally, but increased player salaries, coupled with the club's lack of a strong league affiliation, meant baseball in Guelph had begun to flounder. Worsening matters was the team's releasing of key prospect Bud Fowler - a marquee pitcher, and the first ever African-American to play professionally - to the Petrolia Imperials, due to racial discomfort, as well as George Sleeman's lessened involvement in the club's affairs affairs due to the relinquishing of his business assets to his son. In 1886
1886 in baseball
-Champions:* World Series St. Louis Browns 4, Chicago White Stockings 2*National League: Chicago White Stockings*American Association: St. Louis Browns-National League final standings:-American Association final standings:...
, a promising Maple Leafs team - featuring the likes of Lou Bierbauer
Lou Bierbauer
Louis W. Bierbauer was a German-American professional baseball player who was a second baseman in Major League Baseball during the late 1880s and 1890s...
, George Bradley
George Bradley
George Washington Bradley , nicknamed "Grin", was an American Major League Baseball player who was a pitcher and infielder. He was 5'10.5" and weighed 175 lbs. Bradley was born in Reading, Pennsylvania.-Baseball career:...
, Mike Jones
Mike Jones (1890s pitcher)
Michael Jones was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He made three starts for the American Association champion Louisville Colonels in , earning the win in two of them. He also had four hits and two walks in his eleven career plate appearances.-Sources:...
and Ed Kent
Ed Kent
Edward C. "Ed" Kent was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played from with the Toledo Blue Stockings. He batted and threw right-handed.Kent was born in 1859 in New York, and it is unknown when and where Kent died.-External links:...
- lost money, and was placed on hiatus.
(1896-1932) Into the Intercounty League, out of limbo
After an extended lull, the Maple Leafs regained their footing in 18961896 in baseball
-Champions:*Temple Cup: Baltimore Orioles defeated Cleveland Spiders, 4 games to 0*National League: Baltimore Orioles-Statistical leaders:*Batting: Jesse Burkett .410*Home Runs: Ed Delahanty & Bill Joyce 13*Wins: Kid Nichols 30*ERA: Billy Rhines 2.46...
, when a new-look team featuring third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Jim Cockman
Jim Cockman
James Cockman was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Highlanders in 1905. He stood at 5' 6" and weighed 145 lbs.-Career:...
and right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Bunk Congalton
Bunk Congalton
William Millar "Bunk" Congalton was a Major League Baseball right fielder. A native of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, he stood 5'11" and weighed 190 lbs....
finished the season in a reorganized Canadian League with a .667 record. The following three seasons were less successful, as the Maple Leafs consistently ranked between .400 and .500, however, they did manage to acquire several excellent players, including Babe Doty
Babe Doty
Elmer L. "Babe" Doty was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played one game for the Toledo Maumees in 1890, giving up just one run in nine innings.-Sources:...
and Joe Kostal
Joe Kostal
Joseph William Kostal was an American Major League Baseball player who pitched two games for the Louisville Colonels. He pitched a total of two innings, gave up four runs, zero earned runs, and was charged one error. Kostal was born in Chicago, Illinois, and died at the age of 57 in Guelph,...
.
Baseball had its ups and downs until 1919 - the Maple Leafs defeated the St. Louis Browns in an exhibition match in 1876 and in 1894, under a new board of officers, won the semi-pro championship of Canada - when the Inter-County League was established.
Guelph beat Galt for the Inter-County title the first three years of the new league then had the roles reversed the next three. All told, Royal City teams won four league titles and were runners-up six times before the Second World War.
In 1932, the Guelph Maple Leafs won the Ontario Baseball Association senior title. It was the only time in Guelph history that happened.
Professional baseball came to Guelph in 1911, when a Canadian league was formed by George 'Knotty' Lee. Guelph teams played a total of four seasons.
In 1930 Lee brought pro ball back to Guelph with the Biltmores, who played in the Class D Ontario League along with teams from London, St. Thomas, Brantford, Hamilton and St. Catharines. Jim O'Connor, who was the Inter-County batting champion in 1928, was the only local player to make the Biltmores.
In July of that year, just two months after the league began, it folded. St. Catharines, the top team in the league, started the trend on July 21 and the rest of the teams followed suit the next day.
For the next 30 years, Guelph's Inter-County team went through an extended dry spell. The Guelph Royals won the regular-season pennant in 1962 but the Brantford Red Sox went on to take the playoff title.
The Guelph C-Joys won back-to-back pennants starting in 1966 but didn't break through to win in the playoffs until 1970.
That was the last playoff victory for the local franchise until the Guelph Royals won the 1993 championship.
The Royals also won the 1997 Inter-County title and lost in the league final on two other occasions, including an infamous ninth-inning collapse that gave the Stratford Hillers the 1994 crown.
A number of Guelph players have gone on to the pro ranks during the city's history.
Currently, three Guelphites are playing professionally. Jeremy Ware spent seven seasons in the Montreal Expos organization before moving to the Cleveland Indians earlier this year while Shawn Pearson (Toronto Blue Jays) and Jamie Pogue (St. Louis Cardinals) are also playing in the minor leagues.
Players
| Number | Name | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trentt Copeland, Jr. | INF |
| 3 | Kyle Langille | INF |
| 4 | Mark Allen | 1B |
| 7 | Elliot Shrive | OF |
| 8 | Andrew Karkoulas | INF/P |
| 9 | Matt Mann | INF/OF/C |
| 10 | Matt Fortuna | C |
| 11 | Ryan Hart | P |
| 12 | Mark Shepherd | INF/OF |
| 15 | Geoff McCallum | INF |
| 17 | Jeremy Ware | OF |
| 19 | Frankie Hare | OF |
| 22 | Sean Reilly | OF |
| 23 | Adam Reynolds | P |
| 25 | Kevin Hinton | DH |
| 29 | Jamie Pogue | C |
| 30 | Mickey Cassidy | P |
| 31 | Brett Lawson | P |
| 33 | Craig Fairfull | P |
| 35 | Matt Wilson | P |
| 37 | Duane Fagel | P |
| 40 | Dexter Souter, Jr. | P |
| 42 | Mark McDonald | P |
| 46 | Mike Walker | INF |
| 49 | Dan Zehr | P |
| 77 | Craig Hawkins | P |
Staff
| Number | Name | Job |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Schroeder Nichols | Coach |
| 32 | Dino Roumel | Coach |
| 21 | Paul Ante | Coach |
| 25 | Kevin Hinton | Manager |
See also
- List of baseball teams in Canada
- Lester B. PearsonLester B. PearsonLester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
- played one summer with the then Guelph Maple Leafs