Old Eastern Shore Baseball League Presentation

The Eastern Shore has embraced America’s pastime from the earliest days of the game. In small towns across Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, teams played to enthusiastic, sold-out crowds. On Delmarva, game days were celebrations that provided a respite after a long day in the field or on the water. Stands were often packed with men, women, and children in volumes that outnumbered a town’s entire population. Baseball was the center of community life on Delmarva since the game began. Small-town teams gave way to professional leagues and several Eastern Shore natives became major league stars.

The Eastern Shore Baseball League was a class D minor league baseball league that operated on the Delmarva Peninsula for parts of three different decades. The league’s first season was in 1922 and the last was in 1949, although the years were not consecutive, and featured teams from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. The first incarnation lasted from 1922 to mid-1928 (disbanded in July), the second from 1937–41, and the third from 1946–49. The level of play was competitive, and many future major leaguers gained experience in the ESBL.

On Tuesday, June 6 at 7:00PM at the Federalsburg Heritage Museum, local baseball historian and author, Mike Lambert will be giving a presentation on the old Eastern Shore League and introducing his new book, “Eastern Shore League Extra Innings”. The museum is located at 100 Covey-Williams Alley behind the Town Office. Admission is free and the museum is handicap accessible. For more information, please contact  federalsburgmuseum@comcast.net or 443-434-3114.