The Albany Twilight League was founded in 1930 by the "Father of Twilight Baseball", George Elwell. The first league Commission consisted of James Ronin, William Louden and two former major league players; Matty Fitzgerald Sr. and Ed Phelps Sr. In 1931, Claude Tibbitts became President and the Twilight League officially began its first competitive season with ten teams participating in league play. The legendary Schuylers, under the direction of Charlie Callahan, became the first league champion. Then in 1932, Joe Tholl, who had been the League Secretary, took over as President of the League for the next 16 years. Just two years into his presidency, he and the league watched the final construction of the Bleecker Stadium Bowl get completed and its first and longest resident, the Albany Twilight League moved in.  Previously, Bleecker was built as a reservoir for the City of Albany public water system in 1850. 

During the 1940's, the Twilight League did a masterful job of continuing competitive baseball on the most advanced amateur level in spite of the loss of hundreds of young men to the Armed Forces, some of whom were killed in action. In 1947, a Navy veteran and former League Secretary, Joe Thomas came on board as Twilight League President and guided the League into the decade of the 1950's. With anew President at the start of the decade also came a new force in Twilight League play. Gone were the Graves and Rodgers, the New York Central's and the McEnaney Oilers. Now it was fans cheering on Roxy Cleaner's managed by Chuck Yanni. Within a span of nine years, this baseball dynamo would win five league crowns. During this period of Roxy domination, the league experienced two new League Presidents. First, Lloyd Maranville, elected in 1953and serving until 1958, then Andy Schnert, who presided in the 1960's.President Schnert's most significant and lasting accomplishment was convincing Mayor Erastus Corning to install lights for baseball at Bleecker Stadium. The Twilight League was immediately given a new lease on life. The crowds improved tremendously. No longer were players and fan required to go without supper so they could be at the ballpark by 6 pm; the more leisurely 7:30 p.m. start was scheduled.