Home Run Baker, who went on to the big-league Baseball Hall ofFame in Cooperstown, played for Upland. He led that team to the leaguechampionship in 1915 over Media. According to one clipping, Baker refused to sign a major league contract until his summer commitment with the Delco League was finished.”

To fully understand the history of this league, we must go back to thebeginning. Early in February, 1908, J. Borton Weeks and William L. Buck,acting as an organization committee, met with representatives from Aldan,Collingdale, Folsom, and Colwyn to consider organizing a baseball league.The meeting was held in Rutledge and Weeks was elected chairman with Buck being selected secretary.

A week later, a meeting of the managers was held in Holmes, and at that time the committee decided to set up a code of rules. The following week, another meeting was held in Holmes, and in addition to the representatives of the teams present, the managers of Primos and Darby attended and submitted their applications for membership.

The proposed rule, which provided that the standing of the league should be strictly amateur, caused some problems. Finally, the managers accepted a modified amateur status. This provision stated, “That under no circumstances shall any player participating in a league game be paid for his services either directly or indirectly during the championship season. However, after the close of the championship season, to divide its entire profits or any part of the profits, if any, among its players. In such cases, each player shall receive a pro rate amount according to the number of games he has been on the list and appeared in on the playing field in uniform.”

In the first week of March, the formal organization meeting took place in Aldan, at which time the constitution and rules were signed by the managers. They also decided upon an official name for the organization. It would be called the “Delaware County Christian Endeavor Baseball League”, and later changed to the Delaware County Baseball League.

There were six teams that first season. The managers and teams during that inaugural season included: William J. Glenn, Aldan; George W.Childs, Colwyn; J.B.Weeks, Rutledge; William McDonnell, Folsom; George John, Collingdale; and H. Donald Doak, Darby.

On Saturday, May 9, 1908, the baseball season opened, and the first Delaware County League games were played. The opponents on opening day were: Rutledge at Folsom, Collingdale at Aldan, and Darby played at Colwyn. The teams each played a twenty game schedule. However, it was not until the last day of the season that the championship was actually decided. On that date, Collingdale beat Folsom in both games of a doubleheader, while Aldan clinched the championship by beating Rutledge in ten innings. Aldan finished the season with a record of 15-5.

In his research project “The History of the Delaware County Baseball League”, West Chester State’s Jack Houtz wrote, “At different times during the campaign, three teams occupied first place. Aldan started fast and remained at or near the top during the entire campaign. Collingdale occupied the top spot for a short period of time and were replaced by Folsom. “At a banquet held shortly after the end of the 1908 baseball season, it was agreed by the managers, officials, and players that the league was a great success and assured them of a much stronger organization for the coming season. The pennant was presented to the Aldan Baseball Team by the president of the league, J. Borton Weeks.”

The second annual meeting of the league was held in Rutledge in January, 1909. At that time, important changes were made in the circuit for the next season. Folcroft and Norwood were admitted in place of Colwyn and Darby. The franchise of the Rutledge team was transferred to Morton with the consent of the Board of Managers, and the Folsom team was given permission to change its name to Woodlyn.

Shortly after the opening of the 1909 season, a Baltimore Pike League, composed of four teams, was organized and adopted the “Delaware County League” as its name. It became the only incorporated semi-professional or amateur league in the state of Pennsylvania. The article relating to the purpose of the league, according to a copy of the charter stated, “The said corporation is formed for the purpose of maintaining a society for the maintenance of public or private parks and facilities for skating, boating, baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, and other innocent and athletic sports.”

The Delco Baseball League played a decidedly better class of baseballduring the 1909 season. The league schedule was increased from twenty to twenty-five games, which allowed each team to play one another five times during the year. At the close of the 1909 season, Woodlyn and Morton were tied for first, and it was necessary to play a post-season series to determine thechampionship.

Woodlyn won the first game, 3-0, in one of the most interesting games seen in the league that year. The game was completed in a remarkably short time of fifty-three minutes. It was a real pitcher’s dual between Roberts and Morrow. Woodlyn made a third game unnecessary by easily beating Morton, 15-1, in the second game, therefore winning the championship. There were quite a few changes for the 1910 season. Folcroft voluntarily withdrew and Collingdale along with Aldan were dropped from the league at a special meeting. Glenolden filled the vacancy created by Folcroft and Pembroke and Sharon Hill picked up the franchises of the Aldan and Collingdale clubs. Morton withdrew from the league because of internal problems, and Clifton Heights was added.

After a managerial change where George P. Morrow was replaced by Jack McFetridge, an old retired Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, Glenolden stayed in first place for the first six weeks of the campaign. Morton was unable to keep pace with the other teams in the league and withdrew their franchise in early June. Media was admitted and assumed Morton’s record.

In “The History of the Delaware County Baseball League” written by Jack Houtz, he wrote, “Clifton Heights and Media were probably the oldest and most intense rivalry in the county and every time they met on the diamond the towns people would invariably show their support for their respective teams by going to the ball park. If the Clifton teams were playing in Media, the borough of Clifton would take on the appearance of a ghost town. Businessmen and shops would close for the day and everyone in the borough would use any transportation available to get to the game. It was his rivalry that helped to make the Delaware Baseball League such a huge success.”

Media won the 1910 championship on the last day of the regular season when they nosed out second place Woodlyn, 6-2. Brinton, Media’s star pitcher, finished the season with a 15-3 record and won the “Shettsline Cup” as the outstanding pitcher in the league. Brinton was very unique in the history of the league because not only was he the leading pitcher, but he was also Media’s captain and manager. Media received their pennant at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia on November 4, 1910.

The presentation of other awards was held at the second annual banquet on January 29, 1911, at the Walton Hotel in Philadelphia. Houtz wrote, “William J. Shettsline, Business Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, awarded the cup presented in his name to Brinton of the Media club as the outstanding pitcher of the 1910 season. Thomas D. Richter, Associate Editor of Sporting Life Magazine, acting as the personal representative of Connie Mack, presented the handsome silver cup, awarded by the leader of the World Champion Philadelphia Athletics to Jack Kelly of the Media club as the league’s leading hitter. Sabe Wilkinson of the Pembroke club was awarded the “Dooin Trophy” by Paul D. Johnson on behalf of the Philadelphia Phillies as the outstanding fielder during the 1910 season.

The prominence of the many men, who held high official posts in the American and National Leagues, indicated the prestige attained by the league in only three short years. In 1911, Media, Pembroke, and Upland took turns holding onto first place during the first ten weeks of the season. However, it was Upland that finally captured the championship as the season ended. Upland led the league in hitting, and Connell of Upland won the batting title (Connie Mack Cup), while his teammate Hanby captured the Shettsline Cup as the leading pitcher. Schartz of Pembroke brought home the Eddie Collins Cup as the league’s best base runner.

The 1912 campaign began with Chester being admitted to the league in place of Glenolden. Also, on July 8th, the Prospect Park club withdrew from the league because of financial problems. Filling in for them was The Philadelphia Electrics which played their games in Llanerch. Chester and Upland went into the last game of the season with identical records, and Upland captured their second consecutive championship when they were victorious in their final game. Pembroke’s inability to keep pace with the rest of the league caused them to withdraw at the end of the season, while The Philadelphia Electrics and the Clifton Heights clubs merged.

There were only four teams in the league in 1913, but 4,000 fans were on hand to watch the first game of the season between Media and Upland. The Chester club started very fast and was the only team in the history of the league to start off in first place the first day of the regular season and occupy that position for the entire year. There were teams that threaten to knock them out of that top spot, but they prevailed and clinched the championship.

At the annual banquet, Charles H. Ebbets, President of the Brooklyn Dodgers, was the main speaker. Also, Connie Mack spoke about an attack on the integrity of major league baseball and many sportswriters in attendance thought it was the most notable address Mack had ever made.

At the conclusion of the 1913 Delco League Baseball season, it was stated that if any player was to be eligible for any honors, he must have participated in at least fifteen games. Greenwell of the Chester club qualified and was awarded two cups for being the outstanding pitcher and hitter in the league. John Ogden of Media led the league in stolen bases with 12 in 24 games.

The 1914 campaign began with Chester, Media, Upland, and Clifton Heights comprising the circuit. They staged one of the tightest races in the history of the league before Media captured the title. In spite of the closeness, Media had won its first game and did not relinquish first place for the entire season.

The 1915 season was the most successful in the eight year history of the league. It started with the same four teams, but Chester withdrew on July 26th, because of financial problems. The J.C.Brill club of Philadelphia was elected to replace Chester. One of the reasons for the league’s success was the arrival of major league player, Frank “Home Run” Baker. Because of a falling out with his manager, Connie Mack, Baker decided to play for Upland in the DelcoLeague.

On February 17, 1915, Baker said he was quitting baseball because he was tired of traveling, but he still had two years remaining on a three-year $20,000 contract. However, he told Mack before he signed that contract in 1912 that he wanted to include an option that would allow him to retire after the 1914 season. A few days later, he decided that he might return to the Athletics if Mack would give him more money. However, Mack refused to give him asalary increase and would not trade or sell him either. On March 2, 1915, the Yankees offered Mack $25,000 for Baker, but Mack said he wanted $50,000. The Yankees said no, and the deal never came to fruition. Baker had now become a “hold out”.

Just before opening day, he was very tempted to return to the game he loved, so he met privately with Mack. At that time, he decided to leave the majors and play for Upland in the Delco League. Mack said he would not blacklist Baker for leaving, but said he was through with him and would not sell him for $1 million. So, on April 25, 1915, “Home Run” Baker made his debut in the Delco League with Upland. With “Homerun” Baker playing, the Delco league would now get some national exposure. You must remember, Baker was not your average major leaguer at that time. In 1911, he had become part of the legendary $100,000 infield that Mack had put together. In fact, it was Baker who was responsible for that tag being put on the A’s infield. He was hitting real well that year with a .334 average and nine home runs. In “Baseball’s All-Time Greats,” by Mac Davis, one Philadelphia sportswriter said to Mack, “What would you do if you were offered $100,000 for your infielders, intact as a unit?” “I would turn it down,” Mack said as he looked fondly at his brawny third baseman, “I wouldn’t take a $100,000 for my infield.”

It is probably a mystery to most modern day fans why a man who never hit more than 12 home runs in a season would be nicknamed “Home Run” Baker. I think he really won that name for the quality, more than the quantity, of his homers.

In “Baseball’s All-Time Greats,” Davis wrote, “Playing against John McGraw’s vaunted New York Giants in the World Series of 1911, Baker won two successive games for the Philadelphia Athletics with his timely homers. They formed the margin of the A’s four-games- to-two Series victory. And since the home runs were clouted against two of the most superb pitchers the game ever saw, Christy Mathewson and Rube Marquard, fans and writers alike hailed a new hero.

“But actually the name wasn’t that far off for Frank Baker. In an era of the dead ball, he topped the American League in home runs for four successive seasons, beginning in 1911. He hit nine that year, got 10 the next year, 12 in 1913 and eight in 1914. In those days that was clouting.” So, with Baker playing for Upland, they were able to win both halves of the league and capture the championship. Baker was the leading hitter with a .377 average, and teammate Morgan was the top pitcher with a 12-1 record for a .932 winning percentage. C. Johnson of Upland was also the leading fielder with a remarkable 1.000 percentage in twenty-three games.

After the season, quite a few major league teams contacted Mack for either a trade or sale of Baker. The Yankees, White Sox, and Browns were all interested in the Home Run King. After constant daily rumors about his future, the Yankees finally purchased Baker for $37,500, on February 16, 1916.

After that 1915 season, the Delco Baseball League would never be the same. It had gone from a league known locally to national recognition, all because of the future Hall of Famer. Due to his influence on the league as a player, it was decided by league officials to inaugurate the Frank Baker Trophy, which would be given to the leading hitter in the league.

The 1916 season would start without Baker, but his influence, direction, and leadership, would impact the league for a long time. The circuit increased to six teams in 1916, with Chester and Clifton Heights back in the league. Media defeated Upland to win the first half championship, and maintained that lead for the remainder of the second half to capture the title. J. Neild of the J.C. Brill club was given the first Frank Baker Trophy with a .464 batting average. Vernon Touchstone of Media captured the outstanding pitcher award with a 13-5 record, and C. Johnsonfielded a perfect 1.000 for the second consecutive season.