It's two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The new Capital District (insert name here) baseball team is ahead by one run. The opposing team has a runner on third and second. A single could lose the game. The crack of the bat lets loose a ground ball down the line at third.

Joe "The Dollars" Bruno dives to his right, scoops up the ball, and while on his knees fires off to the stretched glove of Joe "The Pres" Buono to end the game. Just another day at Haymaker Stadium.

Far Fetched? Maybe not. If Senator Bruno's proposed baseball stadium is realized, he will be bringing back a sport and tradition to Troy that began back in the middle of the 19th century.

It was 154 years ago that the first organized baseball game was played at Elysian Fields, in Hoboken, New Jersey, on June 19, 1846. The New York Base Ball Club defeated Alexander Cartwright's New York Knickerbockers 23-1 in four innings.

By the mid to late 1850's, places like Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, and Troy all had local baseball teams.

By 1856, ten years after it was introduced by Alexander Cartwright, not Abner Doubleday, the New York Clipper announced on December 15th that "the game of Base Ball is generally considered the National game amongst Americans."

On January 10th, 1857, the first of several "leagues" was formed -The National Association of Base Ball Players. By 1860, sixty-two teams including the Victory's of Troy were members. The next year saw Troy combining two teams, the Priams of Troy and the National Club of Lansingburgh into the "Unions of Rensselaer County." This team was short lived and folded at the outbreak of the Civil War.

In 1866, after the war, the team reorganized as the Unions of Lansingburgh and played most of their games at Rensselaer Park (between 108th and 110th Streets) for five seasons. A bleacher was built especially for the team in the middle of the park's race track. During those five seasons, the Unions won most of their games.

During a game between the Unions and New York Mutuals in 1867, in which the Unions won, one of the Mutuals players expressed his disbelief at loosing to a bunch of upstate "haymakers." The 'Haymakers' name stuck.

On March 17, 1871, another league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was formed in New York City. Nine teams, including the now "Troy Haymakers," paid the $10 membership fee. This team however lasted less than two years. Not able to pay their players, or bills, the team dissolved on July 24, 1872. Troy baseball was not dead yet.

On February 2, 1876, yet another league was organized at New York City's Grand Central Hotel - the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs (present day National League).

Three years later, on January 26th, 1879, the Lansingburgh Haymakers were granted National League membership and changed their name to the Troy Trojans (also known as the Troy Cities).

The Trojans did not fare well. Their 1879 debut season placed them in the cellar with a 19-56 record, 35 1/2 games behind the first-place Providence Grays. The next year they finished in fourth place with a 41-42 record. The 1881 season had them 39-45 in fifth Place. Finally, in 1882, their last year, they came in seventh place with a record of 35-48. In total they won 134 games and lost 191.

However, the Trojans did set a record which has never been broken. On September 22, 1881, the Trojans set an attendance record in a rain drenched game against the Chicago White Stockings. Only twelve fans showed up. The Trojans beat the White Stockings 10-8.

The year 1882 was the last year for professional baseball in Troy. The newly formed American Association (League) was giving the National League a run for the money. The National League decided to throw out their small market clubs - Troy and Worcester (Mass). The Trojans ended the 1882 season by beating Worcester, 10-7. This was the last National League game played in Troy.

On December 6, 1882, at the National League's annual convention, the Troy Trojans and Worcester Brown Stockings were cut from the league in a 6-2 vote. However, to take out the sting, both Troy and Worcester were granted honorary membership in the National League. To this day, Troy is a honorary member of the National League.

The Trojans were disbanded after the 1882 season, but New York Tobacco tycoon John Day bought the rights to the Trojans and shipped many of the players to his New York Metropolitans of the American Association, and the Gothams (Giants) of the National League. Five of these Trojans players would end up in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. The San Francisco Giants, with their roots here in Troy, continue to play.

Next week. Troy's Hall of Famers.