Imperials, due to racial discomfort, as well as George Sleeman's lessened involvement in the club's affairs due to the relinquishing of his business assets to his son. In 1886, a promising Maple Leafs team – featuring the likes of Lou Bierbauer, George Bradley, Mike Jones and Ed Kent – lost money, and was placed on hiatus. Into the Intercounty League, out of limbo (1896–1932) After an extended lull, the Maple Leafs regained their footing in 1896, when a new-look team featuring third baseman Jim Cockman and right fielder Bunk Congalton finished the season in a reorganized Canadian League with a .667 record. The following three seasons were less successful, as the Maple Leafs consistently ranked between .400 and .500, however, they did manage to acquire several excellent players, including Babe Doty and Joe Kostal. Baseball had its ups and downs until 1919 – the Maple Leafs defeated the St. Louis Browns in an exhibition match in 1876 and in 1894, under a new board of officers, won the semi-pro championship of Canada – when the Inter-County League was established. Guelph beat Galt for the Inter-County title the first three years of the new league then had the roles reversed the next three. All told, Royal City teams won four league titles and were runners-up six times before the Second World War. In 1932, the Guelph Maple Leafs won the Ontario Baseball Association senior title. It was the only time in Guelph history that happened. Professional baseball came to Guelph in 1911, when a Canadian league was formed by George 'Knotty' Lee. Guelph teams played a total of four seasons. In 1930 Lee brought pro ball back to Guelph with the Biltmores, who played in the Class D Ontario League along with teams from London, St. Thomas, Brantford, Hamilton and St. Catharines. Jim O'Connor, who was the Inter-County batting champion in 1928, was the only local player to make the Biltmores. In July of that year, just two months after the league began, it folded. St. Catharines, the top team in the league, started the trend on July 21 and the rest of the teams followed suit the next day. For the next 30 years, Guelph's Inter-County team went through an extended dry spell. The Guelph Royals won the regular-season pennant in 1962 but the Brantford Red Sox went on to take the playoff title. The Guelph C-Joys won back-to-back pennants