LIVERPOOL TROJANS BASEBALL CLUB
est 1946
Home of the Liverpool Trojans & Liverpool Twojans
TROJANS HISTORY
The longest running Baseball Club in the UK
The Trojans were originally formed in 1946 by a group of newly demised ex-servicemen, recently home from six years of war. They were first based in a pub in West Derby village called the "The Halton Castle" and the team soon adapted the name "The Halton Trojans". The pub manager was elected as team manager and an American ex-Liverpool Giant professional player, Eddie O'Melia, was asked to be player/coach.
The title "Trojans" has a unique origin ...the brewery Higsons sold a brand of beer called "Trojan Beer" and this was the favorite drink of most of the team. The local barmaid was given to referring to us collectively as "The Trojans in the back room". When a name was to be decided upon. It was unanimous that it should be "The Trojans". Our home ground was Everton Football Club's training ground at Bellefield.
After a year of heavy defeats, more experienced players were invited to join the team and the Trojans went on to be one of the leading teams in the Northwest. This team survived until 1958, when through sheer apathy the team disbanded. Urgent calls from the manager and committee throughout the winter off-season were ignored by the players, including the founding member Norman Wells, and because of the financial position all the kit was sold and the team disbanded. There was uproar from the players then, but it proved to be too late.
In 1964 the team was re-formed as the "Liverpool Trojans", and with a few of the original team but mostly with younger players. From that time onwards, the Trojans have achieved success at all levels of British baseball. They first become prominent nationally in 1959, when they reached the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CUP FINAL. Being beaten by one run after 11 innings by Watford Sun Rockets. There was every reason to believe that the Watford team used illegal U.S. Naval players.
In 1976 Trojans won their first major title, winning the British Championship by 5 runs to 4 against an All-American team,"The Spirit of 76". The game was played at the home of London Welsh RFC, Rosslyn Park. The Trojans were to win the British Championship twice more. beating Crawley Giants by 14 runs to 12 at Hull in 1978 and in 1980 beating Hull Aces by 12 runs to 1. They appeared in three other national finals but ended up as runners-up.
The Trojans also lay claim to a British record : winning their own North West League for nine consecutive years, terminating in 1984. After that time, although never winning the North West title, they were never out of the top three. That is until 1991, when they again won the North West Championship and gained promotion into the newly formed Premier League. Unfortunately because of work commitments, the Trojans were unable to complete their first season in the newly formed league. In 1993 the ruling baseball authority, the British Baseball Federation, disbanded all local leagues and formed conferences across the UK The Trojans were placed in the Northern Conference, which they went on to win once more to gain promotion in to the Premier League.
NOTE : It may be of interest to followers of the game, and to Everton F.C. supporters, to know that the Trojans and Formby Cardinals were the last two teams to play baseball at Goodison Park. This was in the Lancashire Cup Final in 1948.
NORMAN WELLS
1921 - 2016
A Legend of British Baseball
As a young 18 year old, Norman Wells, having served three years in the merchant navy, decided to spend some time at home in 1939. During this time Norman and his pal Bert Maude began supporting the Liverpool professional ice hockey team, which was formed with several imported Canadians. Among them were Jack Richie and Al Hanley, both of whom played for the Great Britain baseball team that won the first ever World Amateur Championship in 1938.
At the close of the ice hockey season Norman found that most of these Canadians played for the Liverpool Giants Baseball team who played in the John Moores Northern Pro-League. So, the two pals decided to take in the baseball game at Church Road, Wavertree, Liverpool. And so started a love of baseball that has existed right up to the present day. During that season Norman also watched the legendary Dixie Dean playing for the Liverpool Caledonians. Norman also took part in organising and playing in 'Sand-Lot' baseball.
However, at the end of the 1939 season a more serious combat started and Norman and his pal Bert joined the Royal Navy until the end of hostilities. He was able to watch a limited number of games, one in Canada with the US service team and even a local league match played at Goodison Park, home of Everton Football Club. On demobilisation, all the local West Derby village lads returned home and the nearby pub The Halton Castle was their adopted meeting place. As fate would have it, this little pub was also the assembling point for several baseball clubs who played their games at Everton F.C. training ground Bellfield. Everton manager at the time was Theo Kelly and was a keen supporter of baseball and even had a team playing in the Liverpool league formed by Everton players. An Everton scout, Mr Pickering, was the liaison officer for baseball and would often frequent the Halton Castle pub. During the course of one evening, after a game, Norman, with a modicum of liquid support, challenged the local team, The Liverpool Robins, to a match. The Robins were the best team on Merseyside, having signed some of the ex-Giants pro team, including Jack Richie and Al Hanley. Their manager, the legendary Alan Robertson, accepted the challenge. The bets were recklessly thrown about, and the game was arranged. Needlessly to say, the pub team were easily outclassed having only Norman and one or two other players who had played the game before. Alan Robertson thought that enough promise had been shown, and suggested that these de-mobees should form a team.
Norman was then part of the squad who created the Halton Trojans in 1946. The name Trojans was a nickname pinned on these lads by a barmaid who served them their favourite beer..Higson's Trojan. Norman played with the Trojans as a catcher and shortstop until the late 1950's when the team failed to join the 1958 season due to lack of interest.
In 1964 Norman decided to take his son (also Norman), aged 15 to see a game at the English Electric ground. There he was 'besieged' by the members of the Merseyside Executive who persuaded him into re-forming the Trojans. Again, he was re-united with his pal Bert Maude and with several members of the original squad. The Trojans were back, this time as the Liverpool Trojans. Norman took on the responsibility of catcher until his son 'Young Norm', was ready to take over. The Trojans re-entered the Liverpool league in 1965.
Norman has served the Trojans from that day up until now. He is currently Club President and co-ordinator. His career has been as a player, coach and manager and now into his 80's Norman must be the oldest active member of the BBF still involved in the game. Added to his commitment to the Trojans, Norman was secretary of the Merseyside league and the North-West league for 15 consecutive years. For a time, he was one of the BBF executives as a registrar. He also served on the Executive of the Baseball/Softball League.Norman has achieved the status of international scorer and was once the recipient of the National Scorers Award. Another feather in his 'baseball cap' was that he was once elected as Great Britain team manager for an international tournament.
To this day Norman is still working with his team manager, coaches and the young players to ensure that the Trojans have a good future and continue to survive as the oldest team in the UK. If we had more people as committed as Norman Wells, then baseball would be lifted from being a minority pastime to a major national summer sport.
2012 Club President Norman Wells Carries the Olympic Flame
Norman Wells has been an active baseball player, coach and volunteer since 1946 as a founder member of the Liverpool Trojans and he is still involved as a scorer and avid spectator. His leadership, determination and drive helped re-form the Trojans after the club struggled in the late 1950s.
Norman's vision, and the quality of baseball on Merseyside, led the club to five consecutive national finals and three British championships between 1976 and 1980 and the club continues to compete regularly at national finals.
His enthusiasm and passion for the club sees him still involved as Honorary President and at the age of 91 he scored the opening game of the Trojans' season in 2012.
This year, Norman's efforts have been recognised with Lifetime Achievement Awards presented by Sefton Borough Council in October and at the Merseyside Sporting Champions dinner in Liverpool on November 4.
His service to baseball has also been recognised by his peers through the highest accolade in his sport when he was inducted into the inaugural class of the British Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.
BASEBALL ON MERSEYSIDE
Mersey History
Although two North American Major League teams (Chicago White Sox & New York Yankees) had played an exhibition game at Goodison Park in the twenties, the first mention of American - style baseball was made in the Liverpool Echo on July 4th 1933, when an English code baseball team, the Liverpool Amateurs, challenged a Japanese ship, the Lima Maru , to a game under American rules. This game drew an "unusually large crowd" and was won by the Japanese by 12 - 9 with three home runs separating the sides. However, a year later the Amateurs won the return match. The Japanese pitcher Sikiyama, must qualify as the first official winning pitcher in Liverpool. A similar game had been played in the early twenties versus a Canadian ship, but there are no records for this game. From this information, it would appear that the Liverpool Amateurs were the first side to play American Baseball in Liverpool.
On July 20th 1933, appeared the first mention of an American style Baseball League. At this time, the game was already established in London and had existed for about 11 years under the banner of the Anglo-American Baseball Association. Teams such as the London Americans, the London Canadians and the London Japanese all competed.
On July 11th 1933, Mr. John Moores ( of the Littlewoods Pools family) chaired a meeting of all the baseball fraternity in Liverpool, which at this time was predominantly English Baseball. During this time, there was some dispute between the English Baseball Association and the English Baseball Union. The meeting was held at the Law Associations rooms, Cook St. Liverpool, Mr. Moores asked for the co-operation of the English Leagues, offering assistance for anyone who would change codes, additionally he offered £100.00 for teams to change to American code. He warned that, should they refuse his offers, then he would go ahead and form an American League without their co-operation. Seven teams from the EBU came forward to accept his offer, with Mr Moores already having acquired players and officials from the States and Canada. On Monday, 21st of August 1933, the first recorded American rules baseball match played between English teams took place at Priory Rd, Liverpool, between Liverpool Amateurs and Oakfield Social. Two days later an exhibition game was played with trained American rules players at the Littlewood Sports Ground, Picton Rd.
