The Trojans were originally formed in 1946 by a group of newly demised ex-servicemen, recently home from six years of war. They were first based in a pub in West Derby village called the "The Halton Castle" and the team soon adapted the name "The Halton Trojans". The pub manager was elected as team manager and an American ex-Liverpool Giant professional player, Eddie O'Melia, was asked to be playe
r/coach. The title "Trojans" has a unique origin ...the brewery Higsons sold a brand of beer called "Trojan Beer" and this was the favorite drink of most of the team. The local barmaid was given to referring to us collectively as "The Trojans in the back room". It was unanimous that it should be "The Trojans". Our home ground was Everton Football Club's training ground at Bellefield. After a year of heavy defeats, more experienced players were invited to join the team and the Trojans went on to be one of the leading teams in the Northwest. This team survived until 1958, when through sheer apathy the team disbanded. Urgent calls from the manager and committee throughout the winter off-season were ignored by the players, including the founding member Norman Wells, and because of the financial position all the kit was sold and the team disbanded. There was uproar from the players then, but it proved to be too late. In 1964 the team was re-formed as the "Liverpool Trojans", and with a few of the original team but mostly with younger players. From that time onwards, the Trojans have achieved success at all levels of British baseball. They first become prominent nationally in 1959, when they reached the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CUP FINAL. Being beaten by one run after 11 innings by Watford Sun Rockets. There was every reason to believe that the Watford team used illegal U.S. In 1976 Trojans won their first major title, winning the British Championship by 5 runs to 4 against an All-American team,"The Spirit of 76". The game was played at the home of London Welsh RFC, Rosslyn Park. The Trojans were to win the British Championship twice more. beating Crawley Giants by 14 runs to 12 at Hull in 1978 and in 1980 beating Hull Aces by 12 runs to 1. They appeared in three other national finals but ended up as runners-up. The Trojans also lay claim to a British record : winning their own North West League for nine consecutive years, terminating in 1984. After that time, although never winning the North West title, they were never out of the top three. That is until 1991, when they again won the North West Championship and gained promotion into the newly formed Premier League. Unfortunately because of work commitments, the Trojans were unable to complete their first season in the newly formed league. In 1993 the ruling baseball authority, the British Baseball Federation, disbanded all local leagues and formed conferences across the UK The Trojans were placed in the Northern Conference, which they went on to win once more to gain promotion in to the Premier League. NOTE : It may be of interest to followers of the game, and to Everton F.C. supporters, to know that the Trojans and Formby Cardinals were the last two teams to play baseball at Goodison Park. This was in the Lancashire Cup Final in 1948.
