Baseball

Baseball. . In the early 1920s baseball was becoming America's game, and the small towns of West Virginia were no exception. Little boys throughout the area dreamed of being the next Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig while playing with baseballs made from paper and tape. Beginning each spring lasting all summer, the crack of wooden bats and the roars of cheering fans echoed throughout the mountains of the coalfields. Eventually, it became so popular that leagues were formed across the area, each with a regular season schedule, playoffs, and a championship game. Many of the teams were sponsored by coal companies. , Almost every mining town in the region had its own baseball team, including Helen which was a member of the Raleigh County League. Other leagues which sprang up around the area include the Black Diamond League, the United Mine Workers League, and the Tri-County League. , Everyone in town found themselves involved in these spirited games in one way or another, whether it be on the field playing or cheering from the stands. These games meant a lot not only to the players, but to the residents of each town as well, who took much pride in their teams. That pride was shown in full force as teams such as the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles often toured the coalfields and took on the local teams, with the locals coming out with a victory many times.