Troy Trojans

Note: This page refers to the team that played in the National League from 1879 to 1882. For the minor league teams of the same name that also played in Troy, NY, click here, and for the one that played in Troy, AL, click here.

Ballparks: Putnam Grounds (May 28-September 20, 1879), Haymakers' Grounds (May 18, 1880-September 30, 1881), Riverside Park, Albany, NY (September 11, 1880, June 15, 1881, September 10, 1881, May 16-18, 1882, May 30, 1882), Troy Ball Clubs Grounds (May 20-August 26, 1882)

The Troy Trojans played in the National League from 1879 to 1882. They were admitted to the League at the urging of President William Hulbert even though the population of Troy, NY was below the minimum of 75,000 specified in the league constitution. Hulbert had connections to Troy dating back to the days of the National Association.

Troy was one of the shakier teams in the National League for its entire existence, and after Hulbert's death, other owners decided to expel them after the 1882 season, making way for placing a team in New York, NY. Because of that coincidence, and because the New York team quickly signed the biggest stars from the defunct Trojans, a number of sources cite them as the ancestors of today's San Francisco Giants, but there is in fact no direct connection.

A number of major stars of the 19th Century made their debut with Troy, including Ps Tim Keefe and Mickey Welch, 1B Roger Connor and 3B Buck Ewing (who later became a catcher). All four signed with the New York Gothams after Troy's demise, while 2B Bob Ferguson, who was already 37, moved to another new franchise, the Philadelphia Quakers.

Further Reading

• Peter Filichia: Green Cathedrals: The Ultimate Celebrations of All 273 Major League and Negro League Ballparks Past and Present, Addison Wesley Publishing Company, March 1993.
• Jeffrey Michael Laing: The Haymakers, Unions and Trojans of Troy, New York: Big-Time Baseball in the Collar City, 1860–1883, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2015. ISBN 978-0-7864-9493-4
• Jeff Laing: "The Windy City-Collar City Connection: The Curious Relationship of Chicago’s and Troy (NY)’s Professional Baseball Teams (1870–1882)", in Stuart Shea, ed.: North Side, South Side, All Around Town, The National Pastime, SABR, 2015. ISBN 978-1-93359987-8