Shelby Himes, Jack Waldron, and Dock Leedy started the Champaign County League in 1933. Prior to the start of the 1936 season, the name was changed to the East Central Illinois League. Teams for that season were: Leverett, Royal, Flatville, Buckley, Sadorus, Thomasboro, Seymour, Chanute Field, 106th Calvary of Urbana, and Rankin. There were three other teams (St. Joseph, Champaign Plumbers, & Monticello) who applied for admission to the league, but the seven managers of the previous year�s teams voted to keep the league at 10 teams. The league continues in 2015 with eight teams, including three of those original teams, Buckley, Royal and Flatville (now Gifford-Flatville). Buckley has been in the league every year since its inception.
