Autumn Years Summer 2024

Semi-pro teams The historical records of the county’s early teams are vague when it comes to whether a team was purely amateur or semi-pro. In January 1902, The Evening Record newspaper reported that “It is not likely that there will be tolerated any more semi-professional business,” as the public prefers to see “home talent of which there is a plentiful supply.” How ever, opportunities to make money—to pay not only for a field and equipment, but also the best players—were a strong incentive for teams to become semi-pro. Early semi-pro teams included the Rutherfords, the Carlstadts and the East Rutherford Independents. The Lodi Baseball Club was known as a good semi-pro traveling team that, according to news reports, “played with science.” In October 1916, a syndicate of Bergen County fans was hoping to organize a big semi-pro baseball team to go on the road three times a week. Later in 1921, an entrepreneur from Ridgefield Park leased the “beautiful baseball field in

There were so many that, by 1921, the Hacken sack Industrial League was created. Teams were fielded by Wil liam Campell’s Wallpa business teams

Knickerbocker baseball team of Closter, c.1882-1900

per Company, New York Telephone (which provided local phone service), The Borden Milk Company, the Post Office and the local police. Public Ser vice (the utility) even had two teams. Local companies also engaged teams from far away. The Hackensack Wallpa per team hosted the Imperial Wallpaper team of Glens Falls, New York, at the Oritani Field Club. One of the very earliest industrial teams came from Saddle River, which once had a thriving industrial sector. A company called W.H. Packer & Son pro duced 150 styles of wagons, carriage and sleighs. The men in the factory’s foundry started a team in 1870 called the Trip hammer Base Ball Club of Saddle River (known simply as the “Triphammers”).

Wallington Acme Athletic Club. The field was enclosed by a fence, and men were not admitted to the game. Women who worked in Lodi’s United Piece Dyeworks mills started two teams in 1911. The women from Mill A played the women from Mill B. After watching the girls practice, The Evening Record reported that the local men better “get busy or they might lose their places on the Lodi Athletic Club team.” The game was open to the public, and the foremen at the mills promised the winning team an outing with lots of ice cream. Industrial leagues Companies long ago figured out that baseball unites people and is a great way to encourage teamwork and give the staff something to feel proud about outside of work. In the 1800s, local employers knew this, and company teams were organized. Companies competing in the same indus try would often play one another in base ball. In 1886, the Rubber Works of Passaic played the Rubber Works of Englewood. The baseball team of Mahwah’s largest employer (with over 1,000 workers), the American Brake Shoe and Foundry Com pany, won the 1915 championship series against Jersey City’s Communipaw team. The Mahwah team also played against the Paterson Nationals, Ridgewood’s Town Club team and the C.M.S. team of Hack ensack—to name a few.

JOHN ZINN

Borden’s Milk Company team.

41

SUMMER 2024 I AUTUMN YEARS