Memories of the Game

Timeline For Talkin' Baseball in Humboldt County

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Parent Category: Medley

Category: Memories of the Game

Timeline For Talkin' Baseball in Humboldt County

1839 - Baseball is "invented" from the game of "rounders."

1869 - First professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stocking, tour the country, winning every game.

1874 - Rohnerville started the 1st baseball club in the county. Shortly after other towns started theirs clubs. A very interesting & exciting game was played in Ferndale between the Ferndale Baseball Club & the Baseball Club of Rohnerviller which resulted in an easy victory for the Rohnerviller Club by a score of 60-29.

1920's - Humboldt County League becomes an important part of the Humboldt scene in California and the west. Players start to move from Humboldt County to the Bay Area (Pacific Coast League) and back. The teams in the league were Arcata, Scotia, Eureka & Samona ( who played at Rohner Park in Fortuna)

1930's - Local baseball leagues remain strong. Many of the players who were involved in the formation of the Humboldt Crabs are playing in the Humboldt/Redwood County League. Teams were the Scotia Lumberjacks. Eureka Merchants, (Samoa) Arcata Blues & the Fortuna Merchants.

1945 - Formation of the Humboldt Crabs, the most famous semi-pro team to come out of Humboldt County. The nucleus od this team had played for several years together as the 1942 ETC (Eureka Tallow Co.) and 1943 CBI (Chicago Bridge & Iron). For a short while in 1945-46 they were known as the Paladini Humboldt Crabs.

2004 - Humboldt Crabs celebrated their 60th year.

A few books for baseball fans:
Runs, Hits, And an Era - The Pacific Coast League 1903-1958 by Zingg & Medeiros, University of Illinois Press

If I Never Get Back by Darryl Brock, Crown Books. (This is a fictional account of the 1869 Red Stockings

The Unforgettable Season (National League 1907) by G.H Fleming, Fireside Books by Simon & Schuster.