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Foreword:

I believe that any sentient race could provide Jedi, as long as they have enough midi-chlorians to be Force-sensitive. I know this idea is crazy but I wanted to express this crazy idea.

Preface:

Long before the Clone Wars, the Jedi Order and the Sith Lords duked it out on the battlefield with massive armies of Force-users. But funding of either side was only crudely described before. At least, for the Sith Lords anyway. History has shown us that the Galactic Republic directly funded the Jedi Order at the time of the Sith Wars. What about the Sith Lords?

And baseball. At the height of the Sith Wars, baseball was almost synonymous with illegal sporting, being legalized only 100 years before the Battle of Yavin. The Galactic Baseball Cartel was once thought to be controlled by the Hutt Clan, a cadre of Jedi spies have discovered that the Galactic Baseball Cartel was in fact controlled by the Sith Lords. Here is the story as to how the Baseball Cartel (momentarily!) passed under the hands of the Jedi Order.

The greatest baseball players of that era were Neimoidian or Geonosian. Neimoidians are best known as batters while Geonosians are better defensive players, especially in the field (left, center or right didn't matter). However, humans, along with other races, like the Gungans, have recently become major-league players, the latter being recruited by the Order due to a staff shortage.

Chapter 1:

Jedi Council Chamber, Coruscant. The Jedi High Council was in session and the matter at hand was how to deal with the Galactic Baseball Cartel. Several Councillors dismissed the intelligence report from their own spies as a hoax designed to lure the Jedi into a deadly trap that would lead to the Order's destruction should it be sprung successfully. However, that was not the case of the majority in the Jedi Council, convinced by their servants to the First Knowledge Council, having received a Senate report concerning baseball in the galaxy. They claim the volume of betting transactions on baseball games/tournaments amount to several hundreds of trillions of credits monthly. According to that intelligence report, some of that cash goes in the coffers of the Sith Lords.

"Master North, we in the Jedi Council know that your entire life in the Jedi Order has been dedicated to anti-baseball operations. For this reason, we think you're the one best suited for the mission we have in store for you." Councillor Grommell told Bank.

To the general public, he was "TD" Bank North. He gained these initials during his Jedi Trials because of his skill with thermal detonators rather than with lightsabers. If the Order - or anyone else - could supply him with a good quantity of quality thermal detonators, he'd be the happiest Gungan in active service to the Order. However, he gave up any idea to inherit command of the First Bank of Otoh Gunga, the then largest bank on Naboo, to become a Jedi, when he was visited by the Jedi assigned to Naboo.

Councillor Krant followed with, "Your mission, if you accept it, is to either destroy the Galactic Baseball Cartel or prepare an eventual takeover of the Cartel by the Jedi Order. We have a list of planets on which baseball games are hosted.

- Ando Prime
- Baroonda
- Cato Neimoidia
- Dathomir
- Fondor II
- Geonosis
- Karideph
- Mon Gazza
- Ord Ibanna
- Praesitlyn
- Ralltiir
- Raxus Prime
- Tatooine
- Utapau

However, most of these planets are of little strategical value, both baseball-wise and in our fight against the Sith, so we could easily leave these planets to the rabble of the Order (or Padawans ongoing their Trials.) For you, Master, only the galactic baseball hubs are acceptable. Therefore, you have to choose between Cato Neimoidia or Geonosis."

Councillor Stihl added, "If you succeed, you'll be promoted to the rank of Grenadier-General... if you fail, the only thing we can guarantee is that your body will be buried on your home planet"

Bank declared, "Mesa be good pitcher, mesa can play for Neimoidians. But mesa want good boomba! Yousa can count on mesa! Mesa play ball on Cato Neimoidia!"

Councillor Stihl then pitches in to Banknorth's comments, "I take it you will be assigned to Cato Neimoidia; I'll assign another team to Geonosis."

Banknorth's ship, the Plywood III, was already loaded with Banknorth's troops, about 500 men, and all the consumables they need to succeed in their mission against the Cartel's forces. Thermal detonators, food, blaster rifles, lightsabers, even a squad of 155-mm caliber mortars, led by one of his Padawans. But Banknorth himself was there on a covert ops mission. The Plywood III in itself resembled the Clone Wars-era Recusants because its design was the ancestor of the Recusants', except that they were made to carry living people along with their cargo rather than droid troops. And it was adopted by the Jedi Order as their primary troop transport because of its inexpensive design.

Interesting, yet, what is your fixation with Gunguns

basebal?... hm, well i guess it could be considered illegal because people are gambling on it. good storyline though.