Rockford, IL

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Rockford, located in northern Illinois on the Rock River 60 miles northwest of Chicago, IL, was a hotbed of early baseball. Al Spalding claimed that when he arrived there as a child in 1863, baseball was already being played. By 1865 there were three clubs. By 1866, Spalding, Ross Barnes and Bob Addy were playing ball there. The Forest Citys did an eastern tour in 1869. Rockford fielded a team as part of the National Association in its inaugural season, in 1871, and while the team did not continue in later years, there were other teams under the name "Forest City" who played after that in Rockford.

Source: Rockford Forest Citys

Teams that have played here[edit]

Persons who were born here[edit]

Persons who died here[edit]

Educational institutions located here[edit]

Further Reading[edit]

  • Joey Pollizze: "Rockford celebrates 30 years of 'A League of Their Own'", mlb.com, July 3, 2022. [1]