It's easy to understand why baseball is the top sport in our community. Auburn was a charter member of two minor leagues in 1870. The Auburn Maroons played in the New York State League in the 1890s.
After the turn of the century, the city spent time in three minor leagues before joining the New York-Pennsylvania Class A League in 1958.
The current Auburn Doubledays, winners of four consecutive pennants in The NY-P League, continue to keep pro baseball alive and successful..
Basketball was also a topnotch sport in Auburn during the 1900s.The first team to gain popularity was the Great Union Five that carried the name of Auburn to the pinnacle in pro basketball.
Probably the greatest team to ever represent the city on the hardwood was the famous Owasco Canoe Club team of 1919. I can remember my father telling me about this terrific team and in later years I got to know most members of the team.
Johnny Shields, former sports editor of The Citizen and later the Associated Press wire editor, was the publicity director for the Paddlers. He often told me about this fabulous team, composed of entirely local athletes and how it defeated the best road professional teams.
Rated as pros, despite not receiving a salary, the Canoe Club cagers were coached by Tommy Bergan, a native Auburnian, who was the city engineer.
Coach Bergan collected a talented group of local dribblers, headed by Bobby Davis, who was Auburn's top-notch all around athlete.
Davis was equally as clever on the baseball diamond. He was affiliated with the William E. Bouley Construction Company. Bouley was a well-known sportsman and strong supporter of all sports in the community.
Davis' sidekick was Louie King, another stalwart of all sports, particularly basketball. He was with the Dunn & McCarthy Shoe Company.
Another sharpshooter on the team was Elmer Ogden, a sales executive for the Columbian Rope Company. His close friend, Sid Aubin, was the team captain and a tower of strength off the boards. Sid was connected with the banking and bond brokerage business.
Handling the pivot position was Frederick (Swede) Harrop. His regular job was head draftsman at the American Locomotive plant.
Then came the two popular Williamsons - William H, better known as “Dutch” and Percy B. or “Pud” -both clever ballhandlers. Dutch was a top executive for the International Harvester Company while Pud was sales manager for the Bowden Products
Other regulars were Joe Tobin, a stellar ballplayer, and Clyde (Freight) Monroe, who was all his name implied as he could dash down the court or the gridiron.
The Canoe Club cagers defeated such powerful teams as the Buffalo Lincolns, Rochester Centrals, Syracuse Y.M.H.A., the traveling Celtics of Boston, New York Renaissance and the Syracuse Collegiates
The business management for the Canoe Club included Bradley Smith, Thomas C. Richardson, William Bryson and Fletcher W. Slee.
The current Auburn Doubledays, winners of four consecutive pennants in The NY-P League, continue to keep pro baseball alive and successful..
Basketball was also a topnotch sport in Auburn during the 1900s.The first team to gain popularity was the Great Union Five that carried the name of Auburn to the pinnacle in pro basketball.
Probably the greatest team to ever represent the city on the hardwood was the famous Owasco Canoe Club team of 1919. I can remember my father telling me about this terrific team and in later years I got to know most members of the team.
Johnny Shields, former sports editor of The Citizen and later the Associated Press wire editor, was the publicity director for the Paddlers. He often told me about this fabulous team, composed of entirely local athletes and how it defeated the best road professional teams.
Rated as pros, despite not receiving a salary, the Canoe Club cagers were coached by Tommy Bergan, a native Auburnian, who was the city engineer.
Coach Bergan collected a talented group of local dribblers, headed by Bobby Davis, who was Auburn's top-notch all around athlete.
Davis was equally as clever on the baseball diamond. He was affiliated with the William E. Bouley Construction Company. Bouley was a well-known sportsman and strong supporter of all sports in the community.
Davis' sidekick was Louie King, another stalwart of all sports, particularly basketball. He was with the Dunn & McCarthy Shoe Company.
Another sharpshooter on the team was Elmer Ogden, a sales executive for the Columbian Rope Company. His close friend, Sid Aubin, was the team captain and a tower of strength off the boards. Sid was connected with the banking and bond brokerage business.
Handling the pivot position was Frederick (Swede) Harrop. His regular job was head draftsman at the American Locomotive plant.
Then came the two popular Williamsons - William H, better known as “Dutch” and Percy B. or “Pud” -both clever ballhandlers. Dutch was a top executive for the International Harvester Company while Pud was sales manager for the Bowden Products
Other regulars were Joe Tobin, a stellar ballplayer, and Clyde (Freight) Monroe, who was all his name implied as he could dash down the court or the gridiron.
The Canoe Club cagers defeated such powerful teams as the Buffalo Lincolns, Rochester Centrals, Syracuse Y.M.H.A., the traveling Celtics of Boston, New York Renaissance and the Syracuse Collegiates
The business management for the Canoe Club included Bradley Smith, Thomas C. Richardson, William Bryson and Fletcher W. Slee.
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