OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

RMc · 02-16-2008, 11:16 AM

In real life, the 1944 Browns won the pennant (their only one in St Louis)...not so in this reality.

They came out of the gate red-hot: 10-2 in April and 19-11 in May. But they fell out of first place by mid-June, wilting to a 10-19 record in August, ending up 83-71, fourth place, 14 back of the Red Sox. Again, the offense was stellar: a league-leading 811 runs, lead by Al Gionfriddo's .327 average, Walt Judnich's 19 home runs and Vern Stephens' 105 RBI. The pitching was only mediocre, a 3.80 ERA (near league average); Stubby Overmire went 18-14, Hiram Bithorn spot-started his way to a 14-9 mark, and an oft-injured Denny Galehouse was disappointing again (10-11).

Also disappointing -- relatively speaking -- were the Brownies attendance figures. After dropping out of the pennant race by mid-summer, crowds in the cavernous Colliseum dropped to under 10,000 for many games; one contest against the seventh-place White Sox drew just 5,226 (which led one wag to say there was "52 on this side of the stadium, and 26 on the other!"). They still drew over a million fans on the year, but it was a bit embarrasing to see all those empty seats. So Bill DeWitt announced that the club was going to expand and refurbish old Wrigley Field -- renamed DeWitt Field -- and use the Colliseum only for "special events" against teams like the Yankees and the Red Sox.

***

The day after the Red Sox won a thrilling Game 7 of the World Series over the Giants -- falling behind 5-0 before they even got to bat, then rallying to win, 8-7 -- a man named Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy stepped into Bill DeWitt's office in LA.

"The Tall Tactician" gingerly sat down in a comfy chair in front of DeWitt's desk. "Here's a piece of advice, William," Connie Mack said by way of introduction, "Don't ever be eighty-one years old!"

DeWitt laughed. "I'm sure you'll outlive me, Mr. Mack."

"No, I won't," he replied sharply. "Sometimes I think I won't last another day in this business. My Athletics finish second, first pennant race we've been in since '32, and we can't draw flies. The damn Phils finish seventh, and they draw better than us!" He shook his weary head. "I want something left of this club to leave to my son, Earle."

"What do you have in mind, Mr. Mack?"

"I'm moving the ballclub to San Francisco. Already have a lease on Seals Park. You're going to have competition out here, William."

DeWitt's expression didn't change, but inside he was thrilled. It seemed half the teams in the major leagues were threatening to come west, hoping to mimic the Browns' success, but old man Landis had forbid it. Now Kenesaw Mountain Landis was dead; Will Harridge was named the new interim commissioner, and the former AL prexy wanted another team in California.

"The A's by the bay..." DeWitt mused. "I'm sure it'll be a great rivalry, Mr. Mack."

Mack painfully rose from his chair and shook DeWitt's hand. "A rivalry I plan on winning, William. Look to your laurels, young man."

02-16-2008, 11:16 AM	#15
RMc All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,632	In real life, the 1944 Browns won the pennant (their only one in St Louis)...not so in this reality. They came out of the gate red-hot: 10-2 in April and 19-11 in May. But they fell out of first place by mid-June, wilting to a 10-19 record in August, ending up 83-71, fourth place, 14 back of the Red Sox. Again, the offense was stellar: a league-leading 811 runs, lead by Al Gionfriddo's .327 average, Walt Judnich's 19 home runs and Vern Stephens' 105 RBI. The pitching was only mediocre, a 3.80 ERA (near league average); Stubby Overmire went 18-14, Hiram Bithorn spot-started his way to a 14-9 mark, and an oft-injured Denny Galehouse was disappointing again (10-11). Also disappointing -- relatively speaking -- were the Brownies attendance figures. After dropping out of the pennant race by mid-summer, crowds in the cavernous Colliseum dropped to under 10,000 for many games; one contest against the seventh-place White Sox drew just 5,226 (which led one wag to say there was "52 on this side of the stadium, and 26 on the other!"). They still drew over a million fans on the year, but it was a bit embarrasing to see all those empty seats. So Bill DeWitt announced that the club was going to expand and refurbish old Wrigley Field -- renamed DeWitt Field -- and use the Colliseum only for "special events" against teams like the Yankees and the Red Sox. *** The day after the Red Sox won a thrilling Game 7 of the World Series over the Giants -- falling behind 5-0 before they even got to bat, then rallying to win, 8-7 -- a man named Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy stepped into Bill DeWitt's office in LA. "The Tall Tactician" gingerly sat down in a comfy chair in front of DeWitt's desk. "Here's a piece of advice, William," Connie Mack said by way of introduction, "Don't ever be eighty-one years old!" DeWitt laughed. "I'm sure you'll outlive me, Mr. Mack." "No, I won't," he replied sharply. "Sometimes I think I won't last another day in this business. My Athletics finish second, first pennant race we've been in since '32, and we can't draw flies. The damn Phils finish seventh, and they draw better than us!" He shook his weary head. "I want something left of this club to leave to my son, Earle." "What do you have in mind, Mr. Mack?" "I'm moving the ballclub to San Francisco. Already have a lease on Seals Park. You're going to have competition out here, William." DeWitt's expression didn't change, but inside he was thrilled. It seemed half the teams in the major leagues were threatening to come west, hoping to mimic the Browns' success, but old man Landis had forbid it. Now Kenesaw Mountain Landis was dead; Will Harridge was named the new interim commissioner, and the former AL prexy wanted another team in California. "The A's by the bay..." DeWitt mused. "I'm sure it'll be a great rivalry, Mr. Mack." Mack painfully rose from his chair and shook DeWitt's hand. "A rivalry I plan on winning, William. Look to your laurels, young man." __________________ "We're all behind our baseball team..." Last edited by RMc; 02-16-2008 at 11:18 AM.