Theo Kelly And Baseball

[Louis]

Former Everton secretary and manager Theo Kelly was a baseball enthusiast and in 1945, he helped establish a team called Halton Trojans (named after a nearby pub and the team's favourite drink, Higson's Trojan) who would play their games at Bellefield during the summer months. The team lasted until 1958.

 

Apparently Everton had their own baseball team who played at Goodison Park but in 1948 they changed their home venue to Bellefield after a sub-committee of Everton board decided they didn't want Goodison hosting any more baseball games.

 

They played in a final at Goodison Park in the 1948 Lancashire Cup Final against a team known as Formby Cardinals. The Everton Chairman during the second World War, Bill Giddins was also keen on baseball. He allowed Goodison to host a baseball league during the where locals took on American soldiers who were stationed in Liverpool. The home plate was located in the corner between Gwladys Street and Bullens Road.

 

Everton Chairman and owner during the sixties, Sir John Moores attempted to establish a professional league in the 1930s but it didn't work because the media support wasn't there. Dixie Dean, who played for a team called Liverpool Caledonians during that era once represented England at White City Stadium vs. an All-American team (1936).

 

In 1914, England played Wales at baseball at Goodison in front of 4,000 people.