World of Baseball: Alternate History

[theweatherman]

Hey everyone, I'm new to OOTP and this is my first reported dynasty. This dynasty is an alternate history scenario in which baseball spreads across England and outshadows football (soccer) as the most popular sport.


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Timeline: (Pre-baseball)

1939: World War II breaks out across Europe. All football matches in England are indefinitely postponed as many players go to fight in the war. No 1939 championship takes place, and there is no national cup.

1940: The Football League is indefinitely suspended pending the events of World War II. Team owners become angry as their main source of income has been completely taken away.

Owners of 10 English football clubs, led by the successful Liverpool FC, protest and attempt to form a new league. The Football Association suspends the teams for life for "disgraceful thinking during a national crisis". Citizens are angry that the owners put football before their country.

1941: 17 English football club owners cut ties from the FA, which retaliates by barring these clubs for life. English football in its current state seems to be falling apart. The media speculates on the end of the FA, as it is left without 27 of its most popular and successful teams.

Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal both go bankrupt, causing an uproar among the football community. Owners struggle to keep their teams alive.

1942: The FA announces its bankruptcy, dissolving all organized football in England. Many owners fail attempts to sell their teams, as there are no buyers willing to purchase them.

1943: A total of 32 English football clubs go bankrupt, including Liverpool FC and Manchester United. These clubs are all dissolved.

In America, Major League Baseball experiences a financial collapse after a government investigation reveals that 12 teams were laundering money. In all, 38 people are arrested, and the league loses all organization.

1944: D-Day occurs, and the Allies gain traction in the war.

1945: Major League Baseball announces its bankruptcy, after a second financial collapse. As World War II ends, Americans return to a nation without baseball.

English football is at a standstill. American forces assisting in the cleanup of England bring baseball to the nation, which embraces it. Talks of the new sport spread, and it becomes quite popular. Thoughts of football are of an "olde-fashioned game".

1946: Americans embrace football, which is dubbed "soccer". Major League Soccer is founded, and is wildly successful. Baseball becomes a secondary sport across the country. Many American players go to England to assist in baseball developments there.

1947: Baseball is wildly popular in England. The Baseball Association is formed, aiming to set up a league.

1948: The United States is the premier football nation in the world. They defeat Italy and Brazil, among other teams, this year.

1949: The BA sets up plans for a new league, the Premier League of Baseball.

1950: The Premier League is set in stone, ready to begin next year.

The BA Premier League:
Structure:

Season: 100 games, beginning in early May.
Roster Size: 25 max first team, 25 max reserves. No minor league system as of yet.
Transactions: No trading, free agents are allowed with no restrictions.
Playoffs: Top two teams play a three-game series for the championship.

Teams:


Bristol United


Leeds City


Liverpool Union


London National


London Olympic


Manchester Wanderers


Oxford City


Plymouth Athletic

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More to come.

[theweatherman]

Prospects List Published
Tuesday, January 2nd, 1951:

The season is about to start, so it's time for The Telegraph to publish the annual Top Prospects list. This year 21-year-old first baseman Jay Penna of the Liverpool Union is the #1 prospect overall.

Here is the top 10:
1) 1B Jay Penna, 21, Liverpool Union
2) CF Elliot Calder, 24, Leeds City
3) SP Christopher Craigie, 24, London National
4) CF Sam Draycott, 23, Liverpool Union
5) RF Graeme Margerison, 22, Bristol United
6) LF Mason Stewart, 24, London National
7) RF Alastair Ovendon, 17, Plymouth Athletic
8) RF Stuart Huggler, 22, Oxford City
9) SP Quentin Parr, 19, Leeds City
10) SS Andre Clowes, 23, Leeds City

[Nick Soulis]

Welcome to the OOTP dynasty forums!

This is a great start and I wish you luck as I love the concept and will be following. The logos look excellent.

Im going to be a fan of the Liverpool Union.

[theweatherman]

Sorry guys, but, due to a slight error by me, the league will now begin in 1953.

[theweatherman]

League Report: May 20, 1953

Standings:

                        W	L	PCT	GB
Leeds City	        9	3	.750	--
Oxford City	        7	5	.583	2.0
Plymouth Athletic	7	5	.583	2.0
London Olympic	        6	6	.500	3.0
Liverpool Union	        5	7	.417	4.0
London National	        5	7	.417	4.0
Manchester Wanderers	5	7	.417	4.0
Bristol United	        4	8	.333	5.0

Transactions:

• May 11: Liverpool Union: Signed LF Morgan Daintrey to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $13,199.
• May 15: Oxford City: Signed 1B Julian Nadin to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $13,199.
• May 19: Plymouth Athletic: Signed MR Reese Francis to a minor league contract.

News:
Kingsnorth Blanks City
Wednesday, May 20th, 1953

Andrew Kingsnorth was stingy with runs in his latest outing against Oxford City. He shut them out 8-0 on 4 hits with 4 strikeouts and 4 walks. The Plymouth manager said, "Andrew was very aggressive tonight. He threw everything he had with a lot of confidence."

The losing manager had praise, too. "He was throwing strikes with all his pitches and mixing it up well. Kingsnorth has a sneaky fastball, and whatever that off-speed pitch was, it was keeping our timing off."


Maddaford Dominates Mound
Monday, May 18th, 1953

Bill Maddaford drew on his youthful energy and pitching skill to win Confrence National Player of the Week honors last week. The Plymouth Athletic pitcher registered 2 wins and no losses, 0.00 ERA and 7 strikeouts in 18 innings to sew up the award. The 22-year-old also held opposing hitters to 8 hits and a .138 batting average.

Teams Seek New Talent in Draft
Saturday, May 16th, 1953

The list of players who have declared for the first-year player draft was announced earlier today. The Telegraph will have special coverage dedicated to this draft. Teams now have a chance to scout the draft pool for 30 days before the draft is held.

The top players available (in no particular order) seem to be:

1. Kane Lovering, 18 year-old third baseman out of high-school.
2. Miguel Mendoza, 23 year-old starting pitcher out of college.
3. Hayden Challen, 21 year-old center fielder out of college.
4. Evan Playne, 21 year-old catcher out of college.
5. Alexander Corsie, 19 year-old starting pitcher out of high-school.
6. Isaac Goose, 22 year-old first baseman out of college.
7. Peter Alder, 21 year-old catcher out of college.
8. William Tanton, 18 year-old third baseman out of high-school.
9. Julian Truman, 17 year-old second baseman out of high-school.
10. Luke Mcilwraith, 17 year-old starting pitcher out of high-school.

[Salvo_Witness]

I love the idea...similar to the Home Nations Baseball Assn, now on hiatus, where I ran the Nottinghamshire Outlaws.

If there is an opening, would love to gm any of the teams.

[John C]

Do you have an email address where I can reach you? I wanted to PM you, but there's no option to with you. I want to talk to you about a couple of things related to our leagues.

Hopefully we speak soon!