Chesapeake Regnads – 1936-1942 & 1943-1950

Steve Lyon, GM

Franchise #15 & #2

 

History Not-So-Brief: Franchise #15 has been one of the less stable franchises in TCBA history. It is one of just two franchises that played home games in Canada; Franchise #15 moved north of the border twice!

Franchise #15 began TCBA play as the Hereford Highlanders until 1920, when the EH’s were born, operating a quality franchise from their home base in Newmarket, Canada, under the guiding hand of Ed Hebscher, who retained control until 1925. In 1926, Casey Lyman moved the team back to the USA, setting up operations in Portsmouth as Pubdwellers until 1935. With war looming, Lyman left TCBA Franchise #15 in the hands of Steve Lyon, whose Franchise #15 Regnads lived dangerously in the Chesapeake region from 1936 until 1942.

In 1943, Steve Lyon assumed control of Franchise #2/Fortney, taking command from Don Mahley, who had enlisted in the US Army following the 1937 season. Lyon moved the team operations to his Chesapeake area, releasing his hold on the unstable Franchise #15. Transferring the Regnads name to the new franchise, Chesapeake supported a TCBA team until 1950. Lyon retired from TCBA activities for 61 seasons before reappearing, rejuvenated and ready for the race in 2012, at the head of Franchise #14, locating the team in the Hereford meadows.

Meanwhile, Jim Beeman had taken over the orphaned Franchise #15, moving the team to Covington in 1943, where the Buccs played until 1952. Casey Lyman, flush with cash from two wars, repurchased the team and moved it back to Portsmouth until 1962. With assassinations, Cuba crises, protests and a growing military involvement in Southeast Asia, attendance began to drop, forcing Lyman to sell his share of Franchise #15 to Ed Hebscher, who immediately moved the team back to Canada for the 1963 season. After 42 years and much history, the team had returned back from whence it came.

But the tumultuous 1960’s and 70’s would take its toll on Hebscher and his EH’s. A labor strike by Canadian postal workers drove Newmarket deep into debt, forcing the team’s sale and move to Jim Lafargue in Norwood, MA. The Naturals lasted just two seasons before The Founder dumped the franchise after the 1974 season. Things were so bad in the mid-70’s that the franchise lay fallow for the entire 1975 season.

Bi-centennial zeal brought a renewal of hope, as Bob Morrison bought the Franchise on the cheap and played a season as the Grandview Stars. However, Morrison also ran the team on the cheap and the lights went out after a single season. In 1977, Doug Meyer’s furniture manufactory purchased the ailing franchise and moved it to Northeast Connecticut. The Numen, as they were known, hung on from 1977-1983, before collapsing in a pile of sawdust. Once again, the franchise was idle for a season (1984) before being claimed at a foreclosure auction by Ron Wentzel. He moved the team to Midlothian, where the Mariners played for four seasons (1985-1988). That ship sunk, with few interested in what lay at the bottom of the pool. Combative Joe Shabot was always on the look-out for a bargain, so he scooped up the Midlothian remnants and pretended to present a TCBA-worthy product. All it took was three seasons for the seams to rip on that fabric. A NY debt broker was all that was interested in the franchise at the time; but even they gave up after two seasons.

Finally, in 1995, a savior arrived. Another son of Connecticut, Michael Mancini brought back the stability that had been so long missing from Franchise #15. Since 1994, Franchise #15 has played to consistently packed crowds in Farmington, hauling in 8 division crowns and 2 league championships through the 2017 season.


Nick Danger, PI 

 

League Champions

1940

 

Division Champions

1950 1948 1944 1942

1941 1940

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All-Time Record

W

L

1098

1211

 

 

 

·  All-Time Batting Statistics

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Team Season Records

1950

99

55

1

Brown

 

DC

 

1949

85

69

2

Brown

 

 

 

1948

89

65

1

Brown

 

DC

 

1947

29

125

4

Brown

 

 

 

1946

71

83

4

Brown

 

 

 

1945

71

83

3

Brown

 

 

 

1944

82

72

1

Brown

 

DC

 

1943

73

81

3

Shiloh

 

 

 

1942

85

69

1

Shiloh

 

DC

 

1941

88

66

1

Shiloh

 

DC

 

1940

88

66

1

Shiloh

 

DC

LC

1939

50

104

4

Shiloh

 

 

 

1938

42

111

4

Shiloh

 

 

 

1937

71

83

2

Shiloh

 

 

 

1936

75

79

3

Shiloh

 

 

 

 

Franchise #15 Season Records

City

Team

Year

Won

Lost

Place

Division

Playoffs

Farmington

River Rats

2017

78

83

4

Atlantic

 

 

 

Farmington

River Rats

2016

88

74

3

Atlantic

 

 

 

Farmington

River Rats

2015

65

97

6

Atlantic

 

 

 

Farmington

River Rats

2014

61

101

6

Atlantic

 

 

 

Farmington

River Rats

2013

74

88

4

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

2012

91

71

2

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

2011

92

70

1

Atlantic

DC

Farmington

River Rats

2010

71

91

3

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

2009

76

86

2

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

2008

76

85

4

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

2007

62

100

6

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

2006

110

52

1

Atlantic

DC

LC

Farmington

River Rats

2005

85

77

4

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

2004

63

99

4

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

2003

99

63

1

Atlantic

DC

Farmington

River Rats

2002

97

65

1

Atlantic

DC

Farmington

River Rats

2001

100

61

1

Atlantic

DC

LC

Farmington

River Rats

2000

106

56

1

Atlantic

DC

Farmington

River Rats

1999

108

53

1

Atlantic

DC

Farmington

River Rats

1998

99

63

1

Atlantic

DC

Farmington

River Rats

1997

72

88

3

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

1996

67

95

3

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

1995

62

100

4

Atlantic

Farmington

River Rats

1994

64

98

4

Atlantic

New York

Daredevils

1993

76

86

2

Atlantic

New York

Woodchoppers

1992

72

90

2

Atlantic

Village

Bluenotes

1991

84

77

1

Atlantic

DC

Village

Bluenotes

1990

85

77

3

Atlantic

Village

Bluenotes

1989

61

101

5

Central

Midlothian

Mariners

1988

77

85

5

Central

Midlothian

Mariners

1987

79

83

5

Central

Midlothian

Mariners

1986

75

87

4

Central

Midlothian

Mariners

1985

93

69

2

Central

WC

Northeast

Numen

1983

62

72

4

Western

Northeast

Numen

1982

74

88

2

Eastern

Northeast

Numen

1981

89

73

2

Eastern

Northeast

Numen

1980

42

120

6

Eastern

Northeast

Numen

1979

82

80

3

Eastern

Northeast

Numen

1978

56

106

6

Eastern

Northeast

Numen

1977

61

93

5

Eastern

Grandview

Stars

1976

51

103

6

Western

Norwood

Naturals

1974

99

63

1

Shiloh

DC

Norwood

Naturals

1973

84

78

3

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1972

76

82

2

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1971

94

66

1

Shiloh

DC

LC

Newmarket

EH's

1970

80

81

2

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1969

65

97

3

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1968

93

69

1

Shiloh

DC

Newmarket

EH's

1967

94

67

1

Shiloh

DC

Newmarket

EH's

1966

67

95

3

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1965

45

112

4

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1964

72

86

3

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1963

93

67

2

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1962

74

87

3

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1961

71

77

3

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1960

67

86

4

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1959

80

69

1

Shiloh

DC

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1958

85

69

2

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1957

76

77

2

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1956

78

75

1

Shiloh

DC

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1955

100

54

1

Shiloh

DC

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1954

79

75

1

Shiloh

DC

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1953

63

87

4

Shiloh

Covington

Buccs

1952

73

81

2

Shiloh

Covington

Buccs

1951

76

78

2

Shiloh

 

 

 

Covington

Buccs

1950

81

73

1

Shiloh

 

DC

 

Covington

Buccs

1949

76

78

2

Shiloh

 

 

 

Covington

Buccs

1948

81

73

2

Shiloh

 

 

 

Covington

Buccs

1947

66

88

4

Shiloh

 

 

 

Covington

Buccs

1946

71

83

4

Brown

 

 

 

Covington

Buccs

1945

90

64

1

Brown

 

DC

 

Covington

Buccs

1944

 

 

 

Brown

 

 

 

Chesapeake

Regnads

1943

73

81

3

Shiloh

 

 

 

Chesapeake

Regnads

1942

85

69

1

Shiloh

 

DC

 

Chesapeake

Regnads

1941

88

66

1

Shiloh

 

DC

 

Chesapeake

Regnads

1940

88

66

1

Shiloh

 

DC

LC

Chesapeake

Regnads

1939

50

104

4

Shiloh

 

 

 

Chesapeake

Regnads

1938

42

111

4

Shiloh

 

 

 

Chesapeake

Regnads

1937

71

83

2

Shiloh

 

 

 

Chesapeake

Regnads

1936

75

79

3

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1935

44

105

3

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1934

51

102

4

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1933

85

69

1

Shiloh

DC

LC

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1932

104

48

1

Shiloh

DC

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1931

98

53

1

Shiloh

DC

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1930

91

64

2

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1929

77

77

2

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1928

55

99

4

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1927

47

105

4

Shiloh

Portsmouth

Pubdwellers

1926

79

75

1

Shiloh

DC

Newmarket

EH's

1925

74

80

2

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1924

97

57

2

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1923

93

60

1

Shiloh

DC

Newmarket

EH's

1922

78

75

3

Shiloh

Newmarket

EH's

1921

50

104

4

Shiloh