Northern Territory Buffaloes was a baseball team from the Northern Territory

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...

 that competed in the Australian national Claxton Shield

Claxton Shield

The Claxton Shield was the name of the premier baseball competition in Australia held between state-based teams, as well as the name of the trophy awarded to the champion team...

 competition from 1981 until 1988. The Buffaloes enjoyed little success during its eight year admittance winning only 1 game, in 1987, against South Australia

South Australia (Baseball Team)

South Australia compete in the Claxton Shield Baseball Championship in Australia. They were one of the founding teams of the Claxton Shield in 1934 and competed until 1988 where the Claxtion Shield was thereafter awarded to the winner of the Australian Baseball League until 1999 when they were...

. Despite their poor on-field results, the Buffaloes did manage to play a few competitive games.

• At the 1983 Claxton Shield, the Buffaloes tied the game 2 all against Western Australia
  Perth Heat
  The baseball team Perth Heat is a team in the current Australian Baseball League and a foundation member of the now-defunct Australian Baseball League...
  
  , after Bill Fryar doubled down the left field line with the bases loaded
  Bases loaded
  In the sport of baseball, the bases are loaded when there is a runner on each base . This presents a great scoring opportunity for the batting team, but it also presents an easy double play opportunity for the defense. Causing the bases to become loaded is called loading the bases...
  
  . Despite a strong pitching performance by Vic Stanfield, they could not add to their score and eventually lost 5 - 2.

• At the 1984 Claxton Shield, the Buffaloes scored 11 runs against South Australia in the 1st inning, but lost the game in extra innings, 12 - 11. Bill Hutcheson became the first Territorian to hit a home run, against Victoria.

• At the 1985 Claxton Shield, the Buffaloes held a 15 - 0 lead against New South Wales after 5 innings, only to lose the game 16 - 15.

• At the 1987 Claxton Shield, the Buffaloes win their first (and only) game against South Australia. Buffalo player Brad Kerr wins "Rookie of the Year", the only Territory player to win any award at a Claxton Shield.

• At the 1988 Claxton Shield, Buffalo teenager Scott McCormack pitched 10 strong innings against Victoria
  Victoria Aces
  The Victoria Aces are an Australian baseball team who compete in the Claxton Shield Baseball Championship. One of the founding teams of the Claxton Shield in 1934, they competed until 1988. Thereafter the Claxton Shield was awarded to the winner of the Australian Baseball League until 2002...
  
  , only to lose the game in extra innings 3 - 2.

Bill Hutcheson, a 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...

 from originally Tennant Creek

Tennant Creek, Northern Territory

Tennant Creek is a town located in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the fifth largest town in the Northern Territory and it is located on the Stuart Highway, just south of the intersection with the western terminus of the Barkly Highway....

 and later Darwin

Darwin, Northern Territory

Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...

, was the only player to play in all 8 Claxton Shields for the Territory. He was followed by Bill Fryar, a first baseman

First baseman

First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...

/outfielder

Outfielder

Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...

, who played in 5 series. Several players played in 4 series.

Northern Territory Buffalo's roster
1981 Team roster
	Pitchers 10 Jeff Hyde 17 Wayne Longstaff 20 David McKeon 22 Tony Prescott 6 Lance Schmidt 21 Victor Stanfield 7 Steve Tarte Catchers 12 Bill Hutcheson 3 Tim Hyde		Infielders 8 Doug Alderson 15 Robbie Decet 4 Bill Fryar 14 Fred Kovoloff 5 Graeme Masters		Outfielders 13 Lyn Bradshaw 11 Jeff Goodworth 18 Leigh Halprin 9 Lindsay Heaver		Manager 1 John Tarca Coaches 2 Graham Shaw Roster 1981 to 1988 → Claxton Shield