[Nick Soulis]

THE CHRONICLE
Edition 2.1

League Expands To 12 Teams
Three National League Teams Relocate

Flying off the success of an very good showing in 1871, the National Players League will expand for 1872 from 10 teams to 12. The two new franchises will be the Brooklyn Eckfords and the Washington Nationals. The fact that the league expanded to two cities that already have franchises says much about the confidence and popularity of the league. The Eckfords will play at Union Grounds and their manager will be the first manager of color as Shamar Pate takes the helm at 49 years of age. The Washington club will play alongside the champion Olympics team. The Nationals will be lead by 37 year old Angelo Wynn who hopes his name means something. In truth neither of these clubs will compete any time soon as an expansion draft saw them build rosters from the discarded names of the other clubs.

The league also experienced relocation, some forced and some voluntary. First off the Chicago club will be forced to uproot itself after the devastating Chicago Fire this past April. Chicago has vowed to return to Chicago in the near future but for the upcoming season will make its home in Middleton Ohio.

The Rockford club is looking for a bigger market and has up and moved to Baltimore and will be known as the Canaries. The baseball madness in the region has reached a fever pitch and the new ballclub in the heart of Maryland should be a very popular addition.

Finally the Brooklyn Atlantics have joined the league and helped it legitimize. The Atlantics and their name of course is one of the most prominent in baseball lore and the Athletic club will field its own team with most all the players carrying over from the now extinct Fort Wayne team. Some of the most fanatical persons will make their way to the famous Capitoline Grounds to watch the likes of Davy Force and George Bechtel play.

First Ever League Amateur Draft Takes Place
Forty Four Players Selected For Upcoming Season

The even out the talent around the league and keep a strong competitive balance, league officials implemented the radical decision of incorporating an amateur draft that all clubs will take part in every off season. The idea was to allow each team a chance at the outstanding talent that is coming forth in post war America and avoids cities like Boston and Philadelphia hoarding all the talent. The clubs with the worst records will have first choice at the talent that could come at any age and from any part literally of the world.

Teams gathered for this inaugural event with the new expansion clubs also taking part. The anticipation for the draft can often be more exciting then a game itself. This particular time, after their 12 win season in Rickford, the new Baltimore Canaries had the first pick in the draft.

With the pick, twenty one year old second baseman from Bridgeport Connecticut was chosen, Mr. Jim O'Rourke. Orator Jim is what he is known as in his parts for his intellect and ability to put together great quotes and conversation. Jim is an excellent fielder with quick hands and has one of the very best eyes at the plate one has seen. His addition just adds greatly to the anticipation of the new season.

Other notable picks included short stop Jim Holdsworth going to Cleveland and 16 year old Paul Hines joining the Middleton club straight out of grade school. Boston went with a second excellent arm in Jim Britt even with Albert Spalding on the roster. The champions chose outfielder Frank McCarton at only 17 years of age. New York brought in a pitcher by the name of Candy Cummings who has shown off a new pitch, called the curve. Here are the first round results:




First Pick Jim O'Rourke