List of Teams in 1936
List of Teams 1937
The 1938 Concord Weavers Board of Directors.
Front row, left to right: L. A. Fisher, head of Concord Light and Water Department; J. Eris Cassell, high school principal and insurance executive; Alex Howard (1937-38 team president), Cannon Mills executive; Archie Cannon, businessman, Cannon family member; Ed K. Willis (team vice president), owner of Willis Hosiery Mill.
During the Great Depression, baseball thrived in small textile mills throughout North Carolina. Each mill had its own team. In 1935, a number of mill owners saw an opportunity to promote the town's favorite pastime as well as the possibility of making money in hard times. The owners formed the Independent Carolina Baseball League, hereafter known as ICBL, in 1935.
Francis Garrou, Sr. (1877-1937) came with the Waldensians, who immigrated from Italy to Valdese, North Carolina in the 1890s. Garrou’s nephew was Albert Francis Garrou (1893-1978).
Owners of the Valdese Manufacturing Company, the two men helped organized the Valdese Textiles, who played in the Independent Carolina League.
The 1936 Valdese Textiles, Carolina League Playoff Champions
Front row, sitting, left to right: Selby Keller (CF), Tolar Ransome (3B), Julius Parise (batboy), Chuck Nalbock (2B), Cline Lee (2B). Second row, kneeling: Louis “Babe” Viau (SS), Bob Hall (P), Coyt “Red” Murray (C), Woodrow “Woody” Rich (P). Back row, standing: “Buzz” Phillips (P),Ory Brannon (OF), “Pick” Biggerstaff (OF, MGR), Claude Crapps (1B), Mack Arnette (3B), Ernest “Red” Evans (P), Jim Lyle (P).
“Mitch” Church was a Valdese businessman and a member of the Valdese Textile Baseball team's Board of Directors. Church also owned a recreation parlor in Valdese that offered bowling, pool, and a sandwich shop.
Aubrey Hoover was the owner of Hoover Hosiery Mills, and President of the Concord Weavers in 1935. In the summer of 1935, Hoover realized the monetary potential behind leaving the Textile League and creating and independent league. Famous for his role in the "kidnapping" of young pitcher Carl Doyle in 1935, while he was on his way to report with the Philadelphia Athletics. Sadly, Hoover died before seeing his dream of come to fruition.
Some were textile owners,some lawyers, and others who had made their money in furniture, but all were men of influence in their community. They were united in their love for baseball as long as it was profitable.
Combining their business skills with their desire for a winning team, the owners managed to attract some of the most interesting and talented men in baseball to come south and become an “outlaw.” The owners wisely hired managers with long experience in baseball. Some of the managers played alongside the men they hired.