The Delco League’s rich history studded with stars
When the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria, generally regarded as the trigger for WWI in Europe, took place on June 28, 1914, the Delco Baseball League already had six full seasons under its belt. Founded in 1908, Delaware county’s most venerable sports institution began its 1914 campaign, with Media capturing the league title.
In April of 1915, the use of chlorine gas became one of the most feared horrors of WW I. At the same time, the Delco League was beginning a most successful season with the arrival of future baseball Hall of Fame player Frank “Home Run” Baker. Due to a contract dispute with ownermanager Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics, Baker decided to leave the majors and play for Upland in the Delco League – thereby giving the league a measure of national exposure thanks to the efforts of owner John Crozer. It came as no surprise when the majors’ leading home run hitter in 1911 through 1914 became the Delco League’s best hitter, leading Upland to the championship.
When tanks developed by Britain and France were first being used in combat by the British in September of 1916, the Delco league was finishing its ninth season, with another former major league player having made his Delco League debut that year.
Bris Lord, who played in three World Series for the Philadelphia Athletics, played for Upland after an eight-year major league career which included being traded for in 1910 for the “Field of Dreams” star Shoeless Joe Jackson.
In 1917, Germany adopted a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare and the U.S. Congress, on April 4 of that year, declared war on Germany. During that same time, the Upland club of the Delco League began negotiations with a young Babe Ruth, who, at the time, was a pitcher with the Boston Red Sox. Upland’s manager Frank Miller, armed with a satchel full of John P. Crozer’s money, told the Babe that he would receive the same salary that Boston would pay and he would only have
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to pitch once a week. Upland’s deal to land Ruth never did come to fruition, but it did give the Delco League plenty of national exposure. The 1917 season ended with another former A’s and future Hall of Famer, Alber Charles “Chief” Bender, leading the Chester franchise to the league championship.
Another notable local player during that 1917 season was Chester High School and Swarthmore College graduate, and future major league pitcher, John Ogden. Much later in his stellar career, he was the scout that signed Richie Allen to a Phillies contract.
On March 4, 1918, as the United States became more involved in WW I, Delco League president J. Borton Weeks made the following public statement: “The Delaware County Baseball League newsroom@delcotimes.com
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has fallen victim of the Great War. Because so many of the young ball players have been drafted into the armed forces and the older players are being employed in war defense jobs, it has therefore been decided that the league will suspend operations for the 1918 season.”
The signing of the Treaty of Versailles in June of 1919 marked the end of the war in Europe and the Delco League was back in business. Six teams made up the league in 1919, with one of the more notable players being Media’s Jack Krausse, the father of former major league pitcher Lew Krausse, himself a WW II veteran, and grandfather of former major league pitcher Lew Krausse Jr.
Truly, the World War I years were important in the development of the Delco League. Today, the league is still flourishing, having just celebrated its
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110th anniversary in 2017.
As a postscript to this essay, it must be noted that there is a WW I veteran and Delco League alumnus who is entirely worthy of Hall of Fame induction in Cooperstown, and that is Jimmy Dykes. During his career, Jimmy batted over .300 five times, played in three World Series, and, after his playing career was over, became a major league manager. In fact, Dykes is the only person in major league baseball history to have both played and then managed for over twenty years in each capacity, for a total of more than 40 years in Major League baseball!
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