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The Islandian Times
Tuesday, May 22, 2001
Around the Town in the IPA
WALESKA WESTERNERS
Owner: Ewing Enterprises, Jock Ewing, President
GM/Manager: McGraw Johnson
Waleska is in the southwest part of Ruthlandia near the Silver Mountains and has about 113,000 inhabitants. The town name comes from the Waleska Indian phrase meaning "I don't understand", which was the reply given by the Indians, when the White Man first encountered them and asked them who they were. The Whites mistakenly took the phrase to mean their name.
The High Plains area was settled originally by ranchers to raise purebred Hereford cattle. After the ranchers came the railroad workers to build the railroad for easy transportation of the cattle to market. This attracted many wealthy men from the eastern United States and Europe, who brought with them their impeccable social amenities, culture and high society. Many cattle barons spent their summers in Waleska and winters in Europe. They created the Waleska Social Club, a lavish club furnished on a scale equal to the finest gentleman's clubs in England.
Residents enjoyed a social life, which was unique in the western part of Ruthlandia and on par with more cultured Ruthlandian towns in the east and south. Among the earliest settlers were the ancestors of the Jock Ewing family, the owners of the Waleska Westerners of the Ruthlandian Union. The club plays in the South Division. Oil was soon discovered on the ranch lands and the rich got richer, creating a financial empire that also expanded to railroad, meat packing and processing, banking and finance.
The Ewing Family is a powerful force in the history of the Islands and its baseball development. They have three franchises in the league in Waleska, South Fork and Ozarka.
The Westerners play their games at historic Westerner Stadium (circa 1902), the oldest ballpark in the Islands. The Ewings renovated it in 1980, but kept the beautiful old brick wall that runs around the entire ballpark. It was named in honor of the tough men and woman, who braved the harsh and hostile frontier environment to establish a thriving and prosperous town. One of the big events of the year is the Frontier Days celebration, a week long event that features a world class rodeo, country music concerts and a spotlight on the good things of western life. A country band entertains the crowds at Westerner Stadium during the games, complete with steel guitar, bass fiddle and twin fiddles. What a treat to hear twin Texas fiddles play "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and see the buckaroos and their little darlings do line dances and boot-scooting boogies during the game. One of the very special treats at Westerner Stadium is the mouthwatering steak sandwiches that are grilled right in front of your eyes and noses on a huge charcoal grill. And of course, an ice cold bottle of imported Lone Star beer ("Brewed in the Heart of Texas") comes with it, too.
Westerner owner, Jock Ewing, was very instrumental in the IPA's coming to be. He and several other multi-millionaire cohorts,like shipbuilder Brent Steiner of Bayiew, Jorge Trujillo (former dictator, now exiled) of Belair Beach, and wealthy entertainers Louis "Sugar Lips" Charles of Bay St. Clair and Conway Birdie of Cape Coral, conceived, financed and tried to contrive the league in their image and control.
But with the "help and guidance" of talented baseball owners like Manny Earl of Sugar Valley, Rob Jackson of Forest City and Rip Calkin of La Claire, the latter more than held their own in the smoke-filled rooms of debate and won a great concession: they got John Banson installed as commissioner with almost absolute control of the IBA, a necessity considering the history and practices of the power mongers. Charles and Birdie love baseball more than money and they acted a mediators to bring the IPA into fruition.
Waleska's club operations are run by the legendary McGraw Johnson, a baseball pioneer and innovator. He was the first manager to platoon players and to use a closer.
Westerner Stadium (1902)
Capacity: 12,850
LF Line 330
LF 375
LCF 410
CF 390
RCF 410
RF 375
RF Line 330
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