The Golden Age Of Baseball

[PhillieFever]

Originally Posted by captaincarl

And in '62 he can say "Beat the Mets".


(Just an FYI, my friend told me that Johnny Pesky is battling dementia and has been getting worse according to his son. Unfortunately, he might be joining his friends Ted & Dom within a year or so. He's a great guy and very fan friendly. I met him a couple of years ago at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, RI and got an autographed ball, which I had also signed by Sam Mele, who also played for the Red Sox. I told Mr. Pesky that I would like to donate something to the Jimmy Fund for his signing the ball for me but he said not to because the Sox donate plenty to the cause. I'm sure that you already know that the Jimmy Fund is to help fight cancer in children. It was started by the Boston Braves and the Red Sox took over for them after the Braves moved to Milwaukee.)

That's sad to here, hopefully he can bounce back so that he can enjoy the rest of his time here. One question why is Boston called the Hub? Like in Updike's novella Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu.

[Questdog]

Originally Posted by PhillieFever

Using historical transactions made the game 100% more fun for me.

My tentative idea is to follow in your footsteps and manage the Reds using actual transactions. I'd like to start in 1876, though, and transaction data is pretty sketchy back then. We'll see.

Having played OOTP for over 10 years, I have developed many techniques for whipping my fictional boys into believable facsimiles of real ball players. Not sure how much of that can translate into the historical arena.

The main reason I've never played historical is that back in the beginning OOTP's "real" players weren't very realistic. I remember a test sim I did where Joe Girardi hit 25 homers. I couldn't swallow that, but I figured if my fictional Joe Girardi was named Paul Unstertag and he went 9 straight seasons with fewer than 10 home runs and then busted out with 25, that would be cool. So I went the fictional route. But it looks from what I've seen around here that OOTP has taken leaps and bounds in the simulation department since those days and I'm gonna try to give it a go.

[PhillieFever]

Originally Posted by Questdog

My tentative idea is to follow in your footsteps and manage the Reds using actual transactions. I'd like to start in 1876, though, and transaction data is pretty sketchy back then. We'll see.

Having played OOTP for over 10 years, I have developed many techniques for whipping my fictional boys into believable facsimiles of real ball players. Not sure how much of that can translate into the historical arena.

The main reason I've never played historical is that back in the beginning OOTP's "real" players weren't very realistic. I remember a test sim I did where Joe Girardi hit 25 homers. I couldn't swallow that, but I figured if my fictional Joe Girardi was named Paul Unstertag and he went 9 straight seasons with fewer than 10 home runs and then busted out with 25, that would be cool. So I went the fictional route. But it looks from what I've seen around here that OOTP has taken leaps and bounds in the simulation department since those days and I'm gonna try to give it a go.

Of course there will always be a surprise or two, but for the most part, the game is pretty accurate on a per player basis. As for the transactions, I use baseball-reference only, not sure if there is another site with transactions listed.

[PhillieFever]

MLB Players Of The Week For Week Ending May 22nd, 1949

[captaincarl]

Originally Posted by PhillieFever

That's sad to here, hopefully he can bounce back so that he can enjoy the rest of his time here. One question why is Boston called the Hub? Like in Updike's novella Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu.

Boston, Massachusetts is called "The Hub" because it is considered the center of activity up here in New England, and Massachusetts is commonly known as the center of New England.

(I had to look it up myself.)

Here's a link: Why is Boston,Ma called the hub of NewEngland? - Yahoo! Answers

As far as sports is concerned, Boston, or very close by, has a franchise in all of the major sports.

Baseball: Boston Red Sox
Basketball: Boston Celtics
Hockey: Boston Bruins
Football: New England Patriots (Foxboro, Massachusetts is not far from Boston and Boston was the origional location of the team when it was in the old AFL).

It is 3rd in size in the northeast with New York City being the largest followed by Philadelphia, then Boston.

[PhillieFever]

Tuesday May 24th, 1949

Stephens Leads Sox Past Tigers; Into First Place
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Braves Win 9th Straight

Boston- Red Sox SS Vern "Junior" Stephens had himself quite a day today, launching a two run clout in the 2nd, an RBI double in the 3rd, and finally an RBI single in the 5th which proved to be the game winner, as the Red Sox defeated the visiting Tigers 5-4, sweeping the three game series and moving into sole possession of first place in the circuit, one game ahead of these same Tigers. On the hill, Sox lefty Mel Parnell struggled early, allowing 3 second inning runs, but he recovered nicely, holding the Tigers to just one more run the rest of the way for his 5th victory of the season.

Braves Dump Cards For 9th Straight

St Louis- Jeff Heath's 5th inning grand slam was all the support starting pitcher Johnny Sain would need, as he held the Cardinals to 2 runs on 7 hits while walking 5 and striking out 7, leading the Braves to their 9th straight triumph and a share of first place, as the Braves defeated the Cardinals 4-2 here in Sportsman's Park.

MLB Trades And Transactions

The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded 32 year old 1B Johnny Hopp and $25,000 in cash to the Brooklyn Dodgers in exchange for 27 year old OF Marv Rackley

The Chicago Cubs have claimed 31 year old OF Herman Reich off of waivers from the Cleveland Indians

Player Injuries Continue To Mount Up

Another week another rash of injuries to key players around the league, here's the damages:

Giants RF Monte Irvin wrenched his knee and will be out for 2 weeks.

Yankees OF Cliff Mapes has a badly bruised foot and will be out for 2 weeks.

Cubs LF Phil Cavaretta has a sore back and could miss up to a month.

Senators pitcher Ray Scarborough has a sore elbow and could miss around 3 weeks.

Indians CF Larry Doby has a thigh strain and will be out for 2 weeks.

Tigers CF Pat Mullin has strained muscles in his neck which could keep him out for 4 weeks.

MLB Standings

[PhillieFever]

Thursday May 26th, 1949

Kiner Belts 3 Homers As Bucs Trounce Cardinals 12-5

St Louis- Pirates slugger Ralph Kiner crashed 3 home runs, and Wally Westlake belted 2 more in a 16 hit barrage that leveled the hometown Cardinals 12-5 in front of 19,880 disappointed fans here at Sportsman's Park.
Kiner's homers came in the 4th, 5th, and 8th innings, while Westlake's came in the 1st and 9th with all 5 coming at the expense of Cards starter Max Lanier, who allowed 9 runs on 14 hits in 8+ innings of work.
On the mound for the Buccos was 28 year old Bob Chesnes, who allowed 5 runs on 8 hits in the complete game victory.

Nats Win 5th Straight

Washington- Gil Coan's solo home run in the bottom of the 10th gave the Senators a dramatic come from behind 7-6 victory over the Cleveland Indians in front of an impressive crowd of 17,897 here at Griffith Stadium. The win is the 5th straight for Washington who now find themselves comfortably in the first division with a record of 21-17.

[PhillieFever]

American League Review
May 1949

Despite battling injuries for most of the young season, the New York Yankees still managed to end the month of May with a record of 23-17, good enough for first place in the loop. Starting pitching has without a doubt been the key, with Vic Raschi(6-2, 3.08), Ed Lopat(3-3, 2.64) and Allie Reynolds(4-3, 2.18) the top hurlers on a staff which leads the A.L. in ERA(3.35), hits allowed(314), and Oavg(.235). 1B Tommy Henrich has been the team's top offensive threat, batting .294 with 4 homers and 19 RBI.

Following their world championship season of 1945, the Tigers have consistently been one of the league's top teams, winning 92, 81, and 97 games over the last three years. This season, things look no different, thanks to Vic Wertz(.350, 6 HR, 24 RBI) and George Kell(.330, 1 HR, 27 RBI) leading the offense, and Virgil Trucks(4-3, 2.49 ERA), Fred Hutchinson(6-2, 3.56 ERA), and Hal Newhouser(3-5, 4.42 ERA) pacing the pitching staff, Detroit has started the season with a fine record of 24-18, putting them solidly in second place as we head into June.

An offensive juggernaut led by the mighty Ted Williams(.383, 12 HR, 53 RBI), the 22-18 Boston Red Sox have battered American League pitching in the early going, leading the league in batting average(.299), hits(429), runs scored(255), and several other categories, if they are to win a pennant however their pitching staff, which ranks 5th in ERA(3.88) must improve.

Without a doubt this season's most pleasant surprise, the Washington Senators find themselves in the first division at the end of May, sitting pretty in 4th place with a record of 22-21. CF Clyde Vollmer(.259, 7 HR, 26 RBI) has been the team's most productive hitter, while on the hill, the injured Ray Scarborough(4-1, 2.54 ERA) and veteran Sid Hudson(5-3, 2.48 ERA) have starred.

Sitting in 5th place with a record of 19-19, defending A.L. champion Cleveland has struggled of late, losing 6 of their last 9 as we head into June, barring injury however it's hard to see this team falling flat. They're just too good in too many areas, especially on the mound, where rookie Mike Garcia(5-1, 3.05) joins Bob Feller(4-6, 4.58) and Bob Lemon(5-5, 3.87).

After a dreadful start, the Athletics have bounced back nicely, winning 10 of their last 13 to end the month of May just under the .500 mark at 20-21. 23 year old rookie sensation Bobby Shantz(6-2, 3.39) has carried the pitching staff, while at the plate, Sam Chapman(.236, 5 HR, 26 RBI) and Eddie Joost(.286, 5 HR, 13 RBI) have been supplying the power.

In the midst of a rebuilding project, the White Sox have predictably struggled in the early going, and enter the month of June with a record of 18-23, putting them in 7th place in the loop. Without a doubt, Chicago's pitching has improved, with Bill Wight(5-2, 2.61) and Randy Gumpert(5-3, 2.68) the anchors of a staff which ranks 2nd in the league in ERA(3.44), the hitting however is still a sore spot, ranking last in nearly every major category.

With five wins in their last seven games, all against first division opponents, the St Louis Browns have begun to show flashes of improvement, but at 15-26, they've a long way to go just to get out of the A.L.'s basement let alone into pennant contention. Second year player Dick Kokos(.283, 6 HR, 19 RBI) and rookie OF Roy Seivers(.271, 5 HR, 19 RBI) have been outstanding for the Browns, lending an air of respectability to their offense, their pitching is another story however, and may be the worst in baseball.

[PhillieFever]

National League Review
May 1949

Following the bitter disappointment of last season's collapse, the Boston Braves have entered this season on the warpath, winning 25 of their last 31 games to end the month of May with a sparkling record of 29-13, putting them in first place in the National League. Big boppers Jeff Heath(.283, 9 HR, 35 RBI) and Bob Elliott(.310, 6 HR, 32 RBI) have been tremendous in the early going, carrying a Braves offense which at times had trouble scoring runs last year. On the mound, twin aces Johnny Sain(7-2, 1.94) and Warren Spahn(5-4, 4.46) have gotten a little help this season from 28 year old Vern Bickford, who's gone 5-2 with a 1.96 ERA in his first 8 starts this year.

At 27-13, the Cardinals are just one game behind the Braves in second place in the loop. Ranked first in the league in batting average(.281), runs scored(220), ERA(2.77) and runs allowed(137), the Redbirds have what may be their finest team since their championship team of 1946, thanks to the hitting of Stan Musial(.377,8 HR, 29 RBI) and Nippy Jones(.290, 5 HR, 27 RBI) and the pitching of Harry Brecheen(6-2, 0.87 ERA), Howie Pollet(6-1, 2.62) and Al Brazle(6-2, 1.67), a group that is every bit as good as the more celebrated as the crew in Boston.

Still trying to find their way, the world champion Brooklyn Dodgers are just 21-21, and in 3rd place in the loop. Rookie hurler Don Newcombe(7-1, 2.28 ERA) has been an absolute sensation thus far, and may finally be the pitching ace that the Dodgers have so long looked for.

Young and inconsistent, the Phillies enter the month of June with a record of 22-23, due to a late month slide in which they lost 9 of their last 13 games. Sitting in 4th place, the Phillies need their trio of young hurlers: Robin Roberts(1-4, 3.36), Curt Simmons(3-3, 4.09), and Russ Meyer(3-4, 4.06) to pitch better if they want to challenge for a flag in 1949.

Much better of late, the Giants have won 11 of their last 17 and may finally be taking to the aggressive style of play preached by manager Leo Durocher. Overall though, their 21-22 record does have them in 5th place despite an offense which ranks in the top 3 in every major category.

Although much improved from a year ago, the Chicago Cubs still find themselves 11 and a half games out of first with a record of 17-23. Veteran starter Dutch Leonard(6-4, 2.41), acquired from the Phillies in an offseason trade has really helped to stabilize the Cubs pitching staff, which ranks third in runs allowed(167), offensively however, the Cubs still need help, and may be in the market for a power hitter.

After a blazing start, the Pirates have sunk into 7th place with a disappointing record of 17-24. The duo of Ralph Kiner(.299, 14 HR, 30 RBI) and Wally Westlake(.300, 10 HR, 32 RBI) have been very good, unfortunately though they're not getting much help from anywhere else in the lineup, and the offense has struggled, ranking 6th in the league in runs scored(165). The pitching staff is a mess, with Cliff Chambers(6-4, 3.92) the lone starter with a winning record.

At 14-29, the last place Cincinnati Reds have really fallen on hard times, and those in the know say the Reds may be shopping one of their big hitters, either Ted Kluszewski(.273, 4 HR, 14 RBI) or Hank Sauer(.248, 4 HR, 14 RBI) in order to shake up the club. On the mound, the Reds will need someone to step-up to take the place of starter Johnny VanderMeer(2-4, 6.00) who could be out until August with an elbow injury.

[PhillieFever]

MLB Rookies Of The Month For May 1949

[PhillieFever]

MLB Batters Of The Month For May 1949

[PhillieFever]

MLB Pitchers Of The Month For May 1949

[PhillieFever]

American League Batting Leaders
June 1st, 1949

[PhillieFever]

American League Pitching Leaders
June 1st, 1949

[PhillieFever]

National League Batting Leaders
June 1st, 1949

[PhillieFever]

National League Pitching Leaders
June 1st, 1949

[GrimmyDee]

While I thought I was generally knowledgeable about this era, keeping up with your thread has given me a newfound appreciation. Fantastic work.

[PhillieFever]

Originally Posted by GrimmyDee

While I thought I was generally knowledgeable about this era, keeping up with your thread has given me a newfound appreciation. Fantastic work.

It's done the same for me as well. I'm really learning alot about the players, the managers, the way the game was played, even how it was reported. It's been an enlightening experience.

[PhillieFever]

Wednesday June 1st, 1949

Zernial's 9th Inning Single Spoils No- Hitter For Lopat

Chicago- 30 year old Yankees southpaw Eddie Lopat twirled eight and one third hitless innings this afternoon until 25 year old rookie Gus Zernial singled in the 9th for the White Sox only hit in a 6-0 Yankees whitewashing here at Comiskey Park.
Zernial, hitting just .232 on the year, took a called strike on the first pitch before lining the next one into left field for a clean single, ending Lopat's bid.
In the clubhouse after the game, Lopat was as casual as can be, saying: "Sure I knew I had a no hitter going" he said. "I couldn't help it. All I had to do was look at the scoreboard and see all those zeroes"
"Mostly I was throwing screwballs. Maybe I eased up a little on Zernial. He seemed to know it was coming and was set for it. I was more interested in getting the shutout, I'm glad I didn't lose that."
For the Yankees, their last no-hitter came on August 27th, 1938 when Monte Pearson no hit the Indians 13-0 in what was the first no-hitter in Yankee Stadium history.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Always like seeing the guys you forget were as good as they were...Brecheen, Pollet, Leonard...and as I've mentioned previously, love seeing Musial raking like a madman, since he's always been snakebitten in any OOTP league I've ever done.