SO49: Stage Set for Thrilling '63 Finale

The Professor · 03-21-2005, 03:38 PM

It has been a while.

Summer of '49 Baseball, in its 15th season, is enjoying its first year with financial considerations and is planning an upcoming move to a new host. In the meantime, the play on the field has been some of the best in recent memory.

The roar of Tiger radio, WKMH, Van Patrick, ended a recent three-game sweep of the Yankees by proclaiming, "they are out to kill the king, but he is still sittin' on the throne." In the waning days of 1963 the Detroit Tigers - juggernaut, dynasty, 'Evil Empire' - are a team threatened (the Yankees actually held a 3 game edge heading into that pivotal series in the Bronx...the Tiger sweep pulled thing even again). Since the advent of division play few have come close to unseating Detroit. In fact, the pinstriped Yankees have played second fiddle in almost all of those years. This year's incarnation of the Bombers is playing for Casey Stengel's legacy. Will it be eternal bridesmaid or Tiger Slayer at last? Many consider this the best Yankees squad since the pinstripes stood at baseball's summit in the 1940s. Orlando Cepeda (.311-25-79) keys the attack, while former-Sox star Wally Post (40 HR) has rediscovered his swing, wallopin' again. For Stengel's boys, though, the key is their trio of star arms. Jim Grant, "Mudcat", the model of a consistent winner. Howie Judson, the ex-fireman, Old Man East River, on his last go-round. The man of the hour, Bill MacDonald, Kansas City's 'Captain K', the all-time strikeout king in MLB history (3,949 to pass Walter Johnson).

Shrouded in the shadow of the Yankees-Tigers heavyweight brawl are the shooting stars of Baltimore. 'Here Come the Connies' plays on the organs of breezy Harborside Park, shamrocks are in every hat as rookie skipper Danny Murtaugh's charges reverse a history of late-season meltdowns. A healthy Frank Robinson paces the lineup, but the engine under the Constellations hood runs off the mound, driven by the AL's second best pitching staff: Sandy Koufax (16-9, unhittable), Hal Woodeshick (13-6, unhittable), closer Claude 'Frenchy' Raymond (22 saves, unhittable). 9 games to go, the Connies are only 5 games out. Unexpected. Exciting.

While New York and Baltimore are poised to topple the giants of the AL East, the situation in the Western Division of the junior circuit is building to a maddening crescendo. A mere 1.5 games separates the top three squads in the division with little over a week left to play. In Los Angeles the Angels cling to life and the division flag with a white-knuckle grip. Rocky Colavito (.294-32-95) is down for the count (back spasms) and the production now rests on the shoulders of big Willie McCovey (.284-43-99). Jim O'Toole and Moe Drabowsky (39-17 overall combined) are the arms of record. At the tail-end of the log jam are the veteran San Francisco Red Sox. Scattered to the wind is the once formidable lineup (Klu ending his days in AAA, Post traded away) but the incomparable slugging of Frank Thomas (40 HR) has been enough to keep the Sox atop MLB's scoring leaderboard. Like the hitting, the pitching is shabbier than usual but there is still gold in the left arms of Johnny Podres and Curt Simmons (30-10 combined). The question remains: will what is left be enough?

Stuck between the Sox and Halos are the Cinderella darlings of 1963, the Big Red of Seattle. Only a single game behind the Angels, the Rainiers have turned on the jets for manager Ted Williams. Small ball is the order of the day in Seattle as the Rainiers try to run their way to an unexpected flag. Ron Santo is fading after a hot July, but Seattle is confident in the abilities of Roberto Clemente, Gus Bell, Felix 'The Cat' Mantilla and the 'Blazer' Don Blasingame. Bayonne, New Jersey's own Dick Brodowski (16-7) is the standout ace. A flag may well rest on his arm.

In the NL West, what looked like a run-away is suddenly a race. 'It is like 1952,' said Reds broadcaster Waite Hoyt, 'but bigger. As always their backs are against the wall and fate demands perfection from the Redlegs. We'll see if Mr. Kell has any Neun-like magic in his pockets or if he'll carry on Johnny's Jinx.' In the Rhineland they are praying for a miracle. 'Get it done!' is the rallying cry; owner Michael Todd's pre-season guarantee is on the line. The Heartbreak City is poised on the brink once again. In St. Louis they are begging for their club, the wonder of the Senior Circuit all year, to wake up. 'The boys are dozing out there!,' proclaimed Cards voice Harry Caray in the middle innings of a recent loss to the surging Reds. 'This had better be a wake-up call.' The Cardinals are in the midst of a traumatic 5-game losing skid, watching in mounting horror as the veteran Reds charge after them. Granted, the Cardinals hold a 5 game edge with only 9 games left, but momentum is suddenly with the Reds. If there is consolation for St. Louis, it is in their easy final slate of games. 'Hate to win it that way,' says Post-Dispatch writer Bob Broeg, 'but a flag is a flag.' The baseball gods stab at the Queen City yet again.

Long gone. The Buccos add another crown. 'We had 'em all the way,' says The Gunner. The NL East, alone, will not have any drama in the closing days. Long shot. The Houston Colt .45s didn't want another second place finish. They might settle for that now. If both the Cards and Reds fold, the .45s might just have enough to steal the flag in Year III. Long balls. Willie Mays (Detroit) and 'Diamond' Jim Gentile (Boston), each with 57 home runs on the year, set their sights on Frank Thomas's single-season record of 63 clouts.

9 games.

8 teams.

A finish for the ages.

As always, we welcome visitors. Interested in potential openings? Just drop me a line. I've got a few people lined up - and openings are few and far between - but I always welcome hearing from anyone. And, of course, if you want to see how the 1963 pennant race shakes out, look me up on AIM. I'll be simming our 1963 regular season to a close this coming Thursday.

The Professor · 03-21-2005, 03:45 PM

St. Louis's Juan Marichal, 18-4 in 1963, may well be the NL's premier pitcher. The high leg kick looks like it will be around for years to come.

Ron Santo, the blue-chip of the Seattle Rainiers, endured an early season demotion to AAA Rochester but returned to put up strong numbers in July. His resurgence is a large part of why the Rainiers are in the '63 race.

JDScorch · 03-21-2005, 07:21 PM

Great write-up as always Nathan. My only disappointment is my Giants not playing well enough to deserve any mention in the playoff finale, a position we are not used to. We can still play the spoiler role though as I see we have 3 games both against the Cards and Reds. I hear former spoiler, Sid Gordon plans to attend the Reds Series. Good Luck to all the teams involved it should be a fun ride!

jwcurry · 03-21-2005, 07:31 PM

Nathan.....

Great write-up and promotion for our very very fine league.

I'm excited since it's looking more and more likely, that I'll
have both the #1 & #2 picks in the upcoming draft. Yippie!

Best,
Jerry
KC Browns GM SO49

03-21-2005, 07:21 PM	#3
JDScorch Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Minnesota Posts: 234	Great write-up as always Nathan. My only disappointment is my Giants not playing well enough to deserve any mention in the playoff finale, a position we are not used to. We can still play the spoiler role though as I see we have 3 games both against the Cards and Reds. I hear former spoiler, Sid Gordon plans to attend the Reds Series. Good Luck to all the teams involved it should be a fun ride! __________________ SO49 Minnesota Giants 1955, 1959, 1969 Champs MCBL Chicago White Sox 1954 amd 1956 Champs MLBC Philadelphia Phillies 1959, 1960 and 1974 Champs

03-21-2005, 07:31 PM	#4
jwcurry Bat Boy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Salem, OR Posts: 12	Wow, makes me wish I was in the Hunt Nathan..... Great write-up and promotion for our very very fine league. I'm excited since it's looking more and more likely, that I'll have both the #1 & #2 picks in the upcoming draft. Yippie! Best, Jerry KC Browns GM SO49

03-21-2005, 03:38 PM	#1
The Professor Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: East of East Posts: 3,020	SO49: Stage Set for Thrilling '63 Finale It has been a while. Summer of '49 Baseball, in its 15th season, is enjoying its first year with financial considerations and is planning an upcoming move to a new host. In the meantime, the play on the field has been some of the best in recent memory. The roar of Tiger radio, WKMH, Van Patrick, ended a recent three-game sweep of the Yankees by proclaiming, "they are out to kill the king, but he is still sittin' on the throne." In the waning days of 1963 the Detroit Tigers - juggernaut, dynasty, 'Evil Empire' - are a team threatened (the Yankees actually held a 3 game edge heading into that pivotal series in the Bronx...the Tiger sweep pulled thing even again). Since the advent of division play few have come close to unseating Detroit. In fact, the pinstriped Yankees have played second fiddle in almost all of those years. This year's incarnation of the Bombers is playing for Casey Stengel's legacy. Will it be eternal bridesmaid or Tiger Slayer at last? Many consider this the best Yankees squad since the pinstripes stood at baseball's summit in the 1940s. Orlando Cepeda (.311-25-79) keys the attack, while former-Sox star Wally Post (40 HR) has rediscovered his swing, wallopin' again. For Stengel's boys, though, the key is their trio of star arms. Jim Grant, "Mudcat", the model of a consistent winner. Howie Judson, the ex-fireman, Old Man East River, on his last go-round. The man of the hour, Bill MacDonald, Kansas City's 'Captain K', the all-time strikeout king in MLB history (3,949 to pass Walter Johnson). Shrouded in the shadow of the Yankees-Tigers heavyweight brawl are the shooting stars of Baltimore. 'Here Come the Connies' plays on the organs of breezy Harborside Park, shamrocks are in every hat as rookie skipper Danny Murtaugh's charges reverse a history of late-season meltdowns. A healthy Frank Robinson paces the lineup, but the engine under the Constellations hood runs off the mound, driven by the AL's second best pitching staff: Sandy Koufax (16-9, unhittable), Hal Woodeshick (13-6, unhittable), closer Claude 'Frenchy' Raymond (22 saves, unhittable). 9 games to go, the Connies are only 5 games out. Unexpected. Exciting. While New York and Baltimore are poised to topple the giants of the AL East, the situation in the Western Division of the junior circuit is building to a maddening crescendo. A mere 1.5 games separates the top three squads in the division with little over a week left to play. In Los Angeles the Angels cling to life and the division flag with a white-knuckle grip. Rocky Colavito (.294-32-95) is down for the count (back spasms) and the production now rests on the shoulders of big Willie McCovey (.284-43-99). Jim O'Toole and Moe Drabowsky (39-17 overall combined) are the arms of record. At the tail-end of the log jam are the veteran San Francisco Red Sox. Scattered to the wind is the once formidable lineup (Klu ending his days in AAA, Post traded away) but the incomparable slugging of Frank Thomas (40 HR) has been enough to keep the Sox atop MLB's scoring leaderboard. Like the hitting, the pitching is shabbier than usual but there is still gold in the left arms of Johnny Podres and Curt Simmons (30-10 combined). The question remains: will what is left be enough? Stuck between the Sox and Halos are the Cinderella darlings of 1963, the Big Red of Seattle. Only a single game behind the Angels, the Rainiers have turned on the jets for manager Ted Williams. Small ball is the order of the day in Seattle as the Rainiers try to run their way to an unexpected flag. Ron Santo is fading after a hot July, but Seattle is confident in the abilities of Roberto Clemente, Gus Bell, Felix 'The Cat' Mantilla and the 'Blazer' Don Blasingame. Bayonne, New Jersey's own Dick Brodowski (16-7) is the standout ace. A flag may well rest on his arm. In the NL West, what looked like a run-away is suddenly a race. 'It is like 1952,' said Reds broadcaster Waite Hoyt, 'but bigger. As always their backs are against the wall and fate demands perfection from the Redlegs. We'll see if Mr. Kell has any Neun-like magic in his pockets or if he'll carry on Johnny's Jinx.' In the Rhineland they are praying for a miracle. 'Get it done!' is the rallying cry; owner Michael Todd's pre-season guarantee is on the line. The Heartbreak City is poised on the brink once again. In St. Louis they are begging for their club, the wonder of the Senior Circuit all year, to wake up. 'The boys are dozing out there!,' proclaimed Cards voice Harry Caray in the middle innings of a recent loss to the surging Reds. 'This had better be a wake-up call.' The Cardinals are in the midst of a traumatic 5-game losing skid, watching in mounting horror as the veteran Reds charge after them. Granted, the Cardinals hold a 5 game edge with only 9 games left, but momentum is suddenly with the Reds. If there is consolation for St. Louis, it is in their easy final slate of games. 'Hate to win it that way,' says Post-Dispatch writer Bob Broeg, 'but a flag is a flag.' The baseball gods stab at the Queen City yet again. Long gone. The Buccos add another crown. 'We had 'em all the way,' says The Gunner. The NL East, alone, will not have any drama in the closing days. Long shot. The Houston Colt .45s didn't want another second place finish. They might settle for that now. If both the Cards and Reds fold, the .45s might just have enough to steal the flag in Year III. Long balls. Willie Mays (Detroit) and 'Diamond' Jim Gentile (Boston), each with 57 home runs on the year, set their sights on Frank Thomas's single-season record of 63 clouts. 9 games. 8 teams. A finish for the ages. As always, we welcome visitors. Interested in potential openings? Just drop me a line. I've got a few people lined up - and openings are few and far between - but I always welcome hearing from anyone. And, of course, if you want to see how the 1963 pennant race shakes out, look me up on AIM. I'll be simming our 1963 regular season to a close this coming Thursday. __________________ History isn't really about the past - settling old scores. It's about defining the present and who we are."

03-21-2005, 03:45 PM	#2
The Professor Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: East of East Posts: 3,020	It is a good year to wear Red... St. Louis's Juan Marichal, 18-4 in 1963, may well be the NL's premier pitcher. The high leg kick looks like it will be around for years to come. Ron Santo, the blue-chip of the Seattle Rainiers, endured an early season demotion to AAA Rochester but returned to put up strong numbers in July. His resurgence is a large part of why the Rainiers are in the '63 race. __________________ History isn't really about the past - settling old scores. It's about defining the present and who we are."