Haymakers, Unions and Trojans: Big-Time Baseball in Troy, New York, 1860-1883

This is the story of the Troy Haymakers, a pioneer baseball team legendary for their exploits on and off the field. Formed in 1860 in Troy, New York - an industrial city experiencing rapid growth - the team was embraced by the tough-minded Trojans as emblematic of their vigorous boomtown, which rivaled larger, better-established communities. The Haymakers were a strong amateur club before becoming a charter member of baseball's first major league, the National Association, and subsequently being awarded a franchise in the National League. Reflecting the working-class nature of the city, team rosters were filled with characters and scalawags along with talented players, including four future Hall of Famers. After losing its National League franchise in 1882, Troy fielded minor league teams for 34 years - with a wistful eye to Haymaker history.