1920 – 1940
Between the Wars: A County League Flourishes

What made a countywide league flourish in the Depression Years? It was great entertainment that did not cost a lot of money, and transportation from town to town became easier as automobiles and trucks became more commonplace. Still, baseball already had a history in Saratoga County, and old rivalries were being played out in fields from Saratoga Springs to Stillwater. These were the glory years of local baseball.

Teams from Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, Stillwater, Corinth, Round Lake, Mechanicville, Middle Grove, Greenfield, and Halfmoon played regularly scheduled games, and there was a County Championship. In the late 1930s, Ballston Spa and Mechanicville shared the title, although Saratoga Springs players dominated the All-Stars roster. The International Paper Team from Corinth and the Mechanicville Westvacos (West Virginia Paper Company) were two county teams sponsored by local industry. These teams were built around local talent and some well-known college players. Comstock Prison fielded its own team -- it only played home games -- managed by the prison’s chaplain.

As in earlier years, county teams played teams from the region, including the Mohawk (Colored) Giants, a professional team from Schenectady, and such scene-stealing traveling teams as the House of David from the mid-west. Other leagues were formed during this time, including the New York-Vermont Twin City League, which Schuylerville belonged to, and the Twilight League.

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