Troy Trojans, MLB

Above is a monument in Knickerbacker Park, Lansingburgh to commemorate the Troy Trojans MLB team. 

This may come as a surprise to young residents of Troy in particular, but Troy was once home to a Major League Baseball team- the Haymakers.  The Haymakers were originally apart of the National Association of Base Ball Players (NAPBBP) from 1860-1870.  In 1871 the Haymakers joined the first professional league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP), and played for only 1 season since they went bankrupt in July of 1872¹.  After the Haymaker's bankruptcy, another MLB teamed formed in their place- the Troy Trojans.  This MLB team competed in the National League for approximately 4 seasons from 1879-1882².  

During the Troy Trojan's short 4 season stint, they amassed a large number of losses and didn't prove very successful.  Their overall Wins-Losses record of 134-191 is what ultimately caused the Trojans to be booted from the National League³.  Although the Trojans were booted from the National League, many of the players went on to play for the New York Gothams in 1883.  During the Gotham's first season in 1883, they went 46-50 and finished 6th in the National League⁴.  Three short years later, the New York Gothams changed their name to the New York Giants.  The New York Giants became one of the most successful professional baseball teams and has had many notable players.  Despite their success, the New York Giants relocated to San Francisco in 1958 where they became known as the San Francisco Giants.  

Pictured above is part of the baseball monument in Knickerbacker Park

Troy is seemingly very proud of their relation to the San Francisco Giants, though I'm slightly skeptical at their claim to be the birthplace of the San Francisco Giants.  Though Troy did produce some  baseball players who went on to play for the New York Giants, by the time the San Francisco Giants were established in 1958 there were obviously no players from the original Troy Trojans still playing.  With this being said, Knickerbacker Park is a great location for the baseball monument since it used to be home to the baseball fields for the Haymakers and the Trojans.  

Though Troy's connection to the San Francisco Giants is a bit of a stretch, there is no denying that Troy help produce some highly decorated baseball players.  In fact, five baseball players from the original Troy Trojans were added to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.  These players include: Dan Brouthers in 1945, Roger Connor in 1976, Buck Ewing in 1939, Tim Keefe in 1964, and Mickey Welch in 1973⁵.   

Although Troy no longer has a Major League baseball team, this baseball monument and the Troy High School Trojans (school mascot) will serve as reminders of the glory days of baseball.  






¹ Karmik, T. (Feb 6). Troy Haymakers. Retrieved from https://baseballhistorydaily.com/tag/troy-haymakers/
² Troy Trojans Team History & Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TRT/index.shtml
³ Fenty, J. (2019, March 3). Troy Trojans: A Forgotten Part of New York's Pastime. Retrieved from https://nosebleedsports.com/a-forgotten-part-of-new-yorks-pastime/
⁴ 1883 New York Gothams Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYG/1883.shtml
⁵ Home. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://baseballhall.org/