Riverrun Twins - 1912-1920
Dave Norlander, GM
Franchise #18
History
Brief: The Franchise #18 team was
based south of the border in Mexicali for nearly 65 years, beginning in
1902. However, in 1911, needing time off to pursue his pharmaceutical
studies, Al Keefer signed a 10-year caretaker agreement with Dave
Norlander, heir to a Swedish fur-trapping monopoly fortune. The team was
moved north to Minnesota for a 10-season run beginning in 1912, returning
to Mexicali in 1921. In 1975, San Francisco empresario Frank Tedeschi
swapped his ownership in Franchise #10 for Keefer's share of Mexicali and
moved the franchise to California, hoping to cash in big on the Latino
appeal. After four years of disappointing attendance, the franchise was
sold and moved to Boston, where it eventually came under the control of
Marty Fiehl. After moving to Scranton, Franchise #18 grew into the mightiest
franchise in TCBA history, retaining its Latin flavor as the Spanish
Flies.
In 1975, Keefer used his
pharmaceutical knowledge to inject Franchise #10 with new energy, building Evanston into one
of the most popular TCBA teams ever. Like the Mallards of Mexicali once
did, the Bees of Evanston
continued to play to capacity crowds.
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