People in town are "crowing" about the Univeristy of South Carolina's baseball team. Did you know that baseball has been a popular sport in Columbia since 1904?

At that time, we played as part of the Southern Atlantic League (known as the Sally League). Columbia's first team was called the Columbia Skyscrapers.

The first league baseball field was located off of Elmwood Avenue, where Logan Elementary School is today. Shoeless Joe Jackson and Ty Cobb even played at Elmwood Field, but on the opposing team.

The Columbia team went through several name changes early on. We were known as the Gamecocks, the Commies and the Comers. The Commies and Comers were named after the Commisioners who governed the city.

The Comers went on to win Sally League championships and were much beloved by the Columbians of the day.

Find out more about the history of baseball in Columbia in the book, Baseball in Columbia by Mark Bryant. Also, visit the Local History Room on the third floor to look through our newspaper clippings.