A Short Lived West Coast League

    On March 27, 1898 the six club Pacific States League began play. The league played only last a short time however its legacy is felt today. The day before, the six club California League resumed play after a break of four seasons. Both leagues covered the same territory in Northern California.

   It quickly became obvisious that both leagues had too many clubs in the area. A month later on April 27th a merger between the two leagues was made. A single 8 club league was created. The Oakland Club of the PSL was dropped. It is not clear how the three San Francisco clubs went though the merger. It is believed that two of the clubs merged together and the third club that was originally named the Olympics but were renamed the Athletics went through. Two clubs were dropped at the end of the season, the moves left one club in San Francisco. The sole club is currently playing in the Pacific Coast League at Fresno as the Fresno Grizzlies, the AAA farm club of the World Champion San Francisco Giants. The San Jose Club from the PSL folded in August 1899. The Sacramento Club folded after the 1906 season. The Santa Cruz club later moved to Stockton. In January of 1901 the league was looking to expand by two clubs and include a club from Los Angeles. Having 12 clubs hit the playing field just 3 years before the league could not find a sixth club. The Stockton Club was voted out and the Los Angeles Club was voted in. That club is about to start playing its first season in Tucson as the Tucson Padres with hopes of moving in a year or two to the suburbs of northern San Diego. The club was moved from Portland, Oregon. It is hard to believe that a small four club league that played only a month has an impact today.

    The answer to yesterdays trivia question is 2 South Korean born players have played in the National Hockey League. They are Jim Paek and Richard Park, both of whom were born in Seoul. Paek played 3 seasons with the Pittsburgh Peguins, split a season between the Los Angeles Kings and the Penguins, he spent a final NHL season at the age of 27 with the Ottawa Senators. He bounced around in the minors and had some playing time in Great Britian before retiring at the age of 34. Park began his career with the Penguins in the 1994-95 season playing in one game. In his career, he has played with the Penguins, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, the Minnesota Wild, the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Islanders. He played last year with the Islanders and has not played with anyone this season.

   The NHL is not the only major sports league with players from South Korea. All four major sports organizations now have excellenet track records with players from all over the world. The National Basketball Association has had one South Korean born player and the National Football League has had two. The real champion in South Korean born players is Major League Baseball with 13 players.

   Todays trivia question is who is the only major league baseball player ever to be born in Tempe, Arizona. The answer in tomorrows daily blog where we will take a look at two basketball feats involving the three point shot. Have a great week everyone!!