Hamilton EH's

History Brief

This Franchise #1 team was originally settled in Wilderness, playing before spirited crowds who called the players Wraiths, partly due to their ghostly white uniforms. The team stayed in the Wilderness until 1908, when the team was sold to Canadian distiller Ed Hebscher, moving to London, Ontario. Following the 1919 season, the team disbanded. One year later, original Franchise #1 owner Gary Sibley claimed “finders keepers,” snatching the franchise from a garbage heap near Buffalo and racing back to the Wilderness. The team stayed in the Wilderness until 1972, when they made a sudden, and still unexplained, move to Ashburn. The Hot Rocks, despite a very talented roster, did not draw well, and Sibley reluctantly released control of the franchise to Dick Gorney in 1975. Gorney quickly became legend, winning the league crown in the very next season, his first of seven post season appearances with the Combers. However, in 1990, after a contentious TCBA Rules battle, Gorney sold the franchise back to Sibley and retired from active managing. Gary initially located the team in Birdsnest before moving the franchise to Rapidan in 1997, where the team celebrated the move to their new home with a league championship. At the conclusion of the 2020 season, Gary announced his retirement, releasing control of his Rapidan Rapids. League-wide response was immediate, with well-wishes coming from all quarters. Gary’s quiet, calm nature and sweet Sibley smile would surely be missed.