Complete Universe Facegen Pack

[LansdowneSt]

Amazin'

Found Bill Max on page 4: https://s3.amazonaws.com/unlvrebels....08_mg_sec8.pdf

Once I knew he went to UNLV, half the work was done. I'll give him a facegen later today and hunt down the others.

Found Butera's high school senior photo in his yearbook, so i'll use that one for you to base something off of.

@action: I was rooting for the Jays and Sox but after the walk-off in the Bronx, I had to hope for a Sox rally and clutch-hitting. Asked Devers for a HR,... and he obliged

[Amazin69]

Excellent!

And congratulations! It may not be Luis Rojas All-Time Record* quality…but it's something.

Man, can you imagine what a pennant race that NL West would have been, if we didn't have the stupid wildcard? I mean, hard cheese for you and the Yanks, but still.

*-Most Days in First Place [103] by a team which didn't even finish .500 [77-85]. How is Rojas not fired yet?

I would have fired him Thursday night, during Fan Appreciation Night. The fans certainly would have appreciated it…grrr.

[LansdowneSt]

Here's Bill Max, the pride of Las Vegas High and UNLV. On his MLB Questionnaire form he highlighted his love of the outdoors and noted his greatest thrill in baseball was his 1981 (senior) year at UNLV where he batted .443, drove in 88, had 19 HR and 5 triples while leading the NCAA with 28 doubles (circled for emphasis). Any 1983 historical OOTP game managing the Brewers will find him doing quite well in the minors...

I don't think you'll have to wait long for word on Rojas' fate, Amazin'. Has Texas won the WS yet in your sim... feeling any heat yourself yet from the owner?

[LansdowneSt]

The coloring of Barry Butera direct from his high school yearbook picture was frustrating me so I looked up his son's MiLB photo and started with that and then shaped it to match the picture of his father in the fg software. The result is heavier/plumper than the yearbook picture but that makes sense given Barry's in-game weight is that of a minor league professional athlete versus someone playing high school ball after his homework is done.

On his MLB questionnaire, he notes that his old man also played in the Red Sox organization and his greatest then-thrill were his two high school no hitters.

[Amazin69]

Thank you.

Well, the Rangers owner wants the championship, but we're only approaching Memorial Day, so it's too soon to tell. We hit a five-game skid (dang bullpen), getting swept by the ChiSox and falling out of the lead. But we took a few back from Kansas City (who moved on top), so don't give up the ship, yet.

In the East, the Tigers have won 8 in a row and are putting pressure on Barry Butera and the Birds. The interesting part is that their key starters are all hurt: Jack Morris hurt his side and will be lucky to be back before August, Dan Petry hurt his elbow and will be lucky to be back at all, and Pat Underwood wrecked his shoulder and will be lucky to be back NEXT year.

So, yes, Tom Seaver has only lost that one game and leads the AL in ERA. But 41 is 37, after all. And Dave Rozema and Dan Schatzeder are pitching in, but they have a health history that isn't so great, either.

It'd be great if their #1 pick from a couple years back could help out…but this Frank Viola kid looks over his head, so far. Maybe he'll find his feet.

(And the Yankees are still under .500, he-he-he. "Dick Howser" is lucky they can't realistically emulate Steinbrenner; not only would he be fired by now, he might have been shot, lol.)

In the NL East, the Mets are sadly in the cellar. The good news is that Tim Leary is leading the NL in ERA. The bad news is that Leary is hurt and out until mid-July, at least. The worse news is that the rest of the staff is getting bombed and all the good prospects were drafted by other teams in this sim. I can't say that I'm expecting Brent Gaff and Jay Tibbs to save things. (Greg Cochran is 7-0 at Tidewater, but hasn't gotten a call, yet. He must have been awful in Spring Training.)

Finally, you'll recall that last year Tommy LaSorda did great work for the Dodgers even though only Dave Winfield and shortstop Gary Weiss made enough appearances to qualify for the batting title. This year, they've brought in Roy Smalley to replace Weiss, but for some reason, Tommy's now playing Weiss at 3B and moving Pedro Guerrero to 2B. Sitting Davey Lopes, even though Lopes is hitting better than Weiss and Smalley combined.

Is this hurting the team? Apparently not; Pedro just won Player of the Week and the Dodgers have the best record in MLB. My hat's off to Tommy, again. Huh.

(Andre Dawson is day-to-day with a stiff neck, but his knees are holding up…so far.)

[LansdowneSt]

Fred Blanding pitched five seasons in the majors, all of them with the Cleveland Naps. Following a 15-10, 2.55 season in 41 games in 1913, Fred decided to leap to the fledgling Federal League, agreeing to terms on a lucrative (for the times) three-year deal with the Kansas City Packers. Within a week, he balked and took a new offer from Cleveland with a heftier salary. A lawsuit was filed by the Feds, but it was all for naught. After a 4-9, 3.96 season and a war with Naps skipper Joe Birmingham during a rocky 1914, Blanding retired, entering his family's automotive business. - bRef Bullpen wiki

Redid the facegen. Had to smooth it a lot to get the shadows out which took away some of the facial lines I would normally try to keep. Poked at the face for some time nitpicking during the early innings of the Sox game. Then I looked again at the "before" picture again and decided it was just fine. So I let it go. .

[LansdowneSt]

Right-handed pitcher Len Swormstedt played in the major leagues in 1901, 1902, and 1906, with a 2.22 career earned run average. However, he only pitched in eight games. For the 1901 Reds, he threw three complete games with an ERA of 1.73, striking out 13 while walking five, and given up two home runs. Cincinnati finished in last place. The next year, he pitched two games: Opening Day, which he lost, 6-1, to the Chicago Cubs, and on April 27, a 5-3 loss to the Cardinals. Every one of his games was a home game. At least once, he was left home rather than be taken on a road trip, given the extra expense of going on the road. He was released in early May, and his “release was no surprise" per the Sporting Life. He came to the majors just once more at the end of the 1906 season to pitch three games for a Boston Americans team that needed all the help it could get. Despite a 1.29 ERA over 21 innings, he returned to the minors the next season.

Redid the facegen.

[LansdowneSt]

Ralph Kreitz was a catcher for the 1911 Chicago White Sox for seven games. His tale as told by two press clippings, the first recounts the friendly Sox-Cubs "Chicago Series" played after the 1911 season and the second one is from his final game on the diamond...

Ralph Kreitz Tells of Winning Game
Chicago, Oct 14, 1911 - Ralph Kreitz (White Sox) hero of the first game in the city series between the National American league teams, told last night how it feels to bat in the wining run in the last half of the ninth inning wen two were out. Kreitz said: "I never was so tickled in my life. I feel like someone had given me a million dollars to spend. When I came to bat in the ninth with one run needed tow in and [Mordecai] Brown on the mound I was a trifle nervous. I have been reading about the ability of Brown for some time. He fed me a couple of curves and then put a fast one over. It looked good and I swung. The ball went safely and we won the game. There are few things that would have pleased me more than getting that hit at that time."

Red Kreitz Dies on Way to First
Portland, July 21, 1941 - Ralph Wesly "Red" Kreitz, 55, Chicago White Sox catcher from 1910 to 1912 hit a single in an old-timers' baseball association game Sunday and dashed for first base. Halfway there he collapsed. A doctor pronounced him dead of a heart attack a few moments later. Kreitz had lived at Hillsboro, Ore, in recent years.

Redid the facegen.

[Amazin69]

Congratulations, Red Sox! Another year with no World Series trips for the Bronx Has-Beens! Most recent NYC pennant winner? Still the 2015 "God Cries for Wilmer Flores" Mets

(Yes, petty. But still fun.)

It's just a pity the Red Sox will now play Tampa Bay instead of Houston. Or else we could claim that former #1 overall draft pick Phil Nevin has finally done something good for the Astros.

But, in sadder news…

Eddie Robinson has died at age 100, the oldest former MLB player. Robinson, the first baseman on the 1948 Indians, was the last surviving World Champion Cleveland player.

And, more importantly, Robinson was the GM of the Texas Rangers from 1977-1982, and thus my avatar in the sim. RIP, Eddie.

[LansdowneSt]

On August 15, 1940, the York Bees defeated the Trenton Senators 3-2 in a Class B Interstate League game. What made this contest noteworthy was that the winning pitcher for York was a 54-year-old former major leaguer by the name of Lefty George. After the game George told the Associated Press, “I’m feeling fine. I’m not the least bit tired and there is no sign of soreness whatsoever in the old arm. I believe I have enough stuff to teach these young men a lot. I propose to play the game just as long as my arm holds out and from present indications that is likely to be a long while.” When asked by The Sporting News how he was able to pitch so competitively at his age, Lefty replied, “When you know where to put the ball you don’t need speed. When you’re young and dumb you like to throw fastballs and show how strong you are. Then as you grow older your high hard one loses it zip and you begin to get some sense.” - SABR

All told, Left went 7-21 with a 3.85 ERA for four teams in 1911, 1912, 1915 and 1918.

Redid the facegen. The "before" was hiding with a -lef suffix instead of the -tho one.

[LansdowneSt]

In the 1911 [Baylor Yearbook]: “‘Dennis’ Wilie, now known as ‘Captain Dennis,’ has sustained his rep as being one of the best little ball-players that has ever faced a college pitcher. He formerly pitched, but on account of his hard, regular hitting Coach placed him in left field, and there too he has starred. On long flies he is at his best, frequently robbing the opponents of well-deserved hits. His hitting has won most of our games, and in a pinch he can always be depended upon to do his duty.”

After Baylor’s 1911 state championship, Denney left the university to join the St. Louis Cardinals, where he was an outfielder in 1911 and 1912. - Baylor University blog

Redid the facegen.

[LansdowneSt]

Fred "Laddie" Link was in the big leagues with two teams: the 1910 Cleveland Naps for 25 games, of which 17 were starts, and the 1910 St. Louis Browns for three games, of which all were starts. His overall record was 5-7. His very first appearance was a complete game victory on April 15, and through the end of June he was 5-4. However, he was less impressive the rest of the season. - bRef Bullpen wiki

Redid the facegen.

[LansdowneSt]

Guy "King Tut" Tutwiler was up twice with the Detroit Tigers in 1911 and 1913, playing 13 games the first time and 14 the next. He played second base and left field the first time, and first base the second time. With regard to his nickname, it should be pointed out that Egyptian King Tut's tomb was not discovered until 1922, long after Tutwiler played in the majors, so he probably wasn't called that until nearly the end of his minor league career. - bRef Bullpen wiki

Kept the facegen but tried to fix the color and tweak it to better align with the picture. The skin tone was tough to colorize. Invariability too yellow/creamy or too pink but after going back and forth for some time, I just had to stop .

[Amazin69]

So things aren't going so great in San Diego. Not only are the Padres in their expected last place, but their outfielders are greatly outclassed by what the departed Dave Winfield is doing in LA, or what Jerry Mumphrey is accomplishing in Pittsburgh.

And now both Omar Moreno and Gene Richards are injured, to boot. So, it's reinforcement time. Stu Pederson is covering center field (having already easily surpassed the 5 PA he got for the 1985 Dodgers, which were the entirety of his MLB career in OTL, his long duty in AAA aside), but LF has fallen to the untried Pat Casey.

In OTL, Casey wouldn't peak until he put up strong years at Calgary in 1985-86. Did this earn him a ticket to Seattle? Obviously not; instead the Ms dumped him on the Twins, who sent him to Portland, where, after a mediocre six weeks, he got dumped.

However…being in Oregon and playing for a team called the "Beavers" didn't turn out so badly for Casey, after all. He eventually became the longtime head coach at Oregon State, leading those Beavers to consecutive CWS titles in 2006-2007.



Sorry it's just one pic, and at an angle, but since it's from his final playing season and he's already looking somewhat weathered, perhaps Casey's coaching pics might also be a help, if need be.

Meanwhile, in Milwaukee, things are…mediocre. Yes, they're ahead of the Yankees…but who isn't? (Apart from Cleveland, of course.) They're probably wishing they had Larry Gura back from Boston, right now. (And Gura, who has a player option for next year, might consider it; he's doing his share, what with that 8-1 record and tying Matlack for the league lead in wins…but Eckersley and Bob Stanley and Montefusco are all getting bombed. I mean, when Ray Burris is now your #2 arm…)

(Mind you, the Sox have won five in a row and are in 3rd place. But it's been a rocky road.)

Besides Gura, the Brew Crew would love to have Cecil Cooper back from the Sox, as well. 1B is turning into a bit of hole in Beer Country. (Randy Ready? Really?) Well, Mike Henderson's been called up, anyhow, so if they want to slide Molitor over to 1B to prolong his career, Mike's ready to cover SS.



The AI rates Mike's eye highly off of his 1978-79 seasons for Holyoke, where he rang up 126 BB to only 48 K's. But when promoted to AAA Vancouver, he was no longer able to turn that .306 BA into an outstanding OBP, and he never had any power, so… (Also, a terrible base-stealer; 22 SB, 32 CS in his career.)

So really, Mike's just glad to be in Milwaukee. Dreams of busting up that Molitor/Gantner DP combo aside.

(Hey, did I mention that Pittsburgh is still leading the NL East? And never mind Mumphrey and Dave Parker and George Brett, as nicely as they're all doing…Drew Macauley is leading the League in batting average! Go, Drew!)

[LansdowneSt]

Here's Mike Henderson who gets lost among the greats at ASU. The '77 media guide was the only one I couldn't find on-line so I worked with the card pic and, as a result, worked with the teeth. I tried to address the smile using some smoothing and a lot of coloring. Too much smoothing and I found he was becoming overly generic. Here's the best I could do with it. After all, envious of his ASU '77 WS champion mates that made the bigs, he's just happy to make to Milwaukee and take his shot. "Hubie who? Bob Horner? I think I remember him..."

[LansdowneSt]

If the San Diego fans regret the loss of Dave Winfield and are concerned Pat Casey's patrolling Jack Murphy's outfield, Amazin', just wait until they find out there's a film roll I've seen circulating that shows an alternate reality where they got Tony Gwynn in the draft.

The in-game weights adds some fullness to the jawline vs what the facegen file itself has. There he's pretty gaunt so as not to look overly plump in-game relative to the picture.

[LansdowneSt]

Mack Allison's career spanned 16 seasons, including three in the majors with the St. Louis Browns (1911–1913). Allison compiled a record of 9–21 with a 3.17 ERA, 17 complete games, one shutout, one save and 57 strikeouts in 45 games, 27 starts. - Wikipedia

Redid the facegen.

[LansdowneSt]

Pitcher Phil Stremmel had cups of coffee in the big leagues with the St. Louis Browns in 1909 and 1910. After his baseball career, he was a salesman. He died at age 67 as a result of gas from a faulty stove. - bRef Bullpen wiki

Redid the facegen.

[luckymann]

Sorry bud, somehow missed this one from the '12 class if you wouldn't mind adding it.

Hugh Bedient 1912-14

Thanks

G

[Amazin69]

Chris Clark (referred to in the Database as Christopher Clark) of the 1984 Edmonton Trappers.

.335/.436/.563 (that's a .999 OPS)
19 HR, 104 RBI, 104 R, 37 2B
Plays a rangy CF; error-prone, but an acceptable arm.
Switch-hitter.

Looks pretty useful to me.

Of course, '84 wasn't so much of an improvement on his '83 numbers in Edmonton (.953), and even if '86 saw a slight decline (.854), Clark's 108 walks still gave him his third straight > .400 OBP.

Did it get him a call-up? Of course not. It got him one of those famous "Did you know you're 27?" speeches, and a ticket to the Dodger system. Where his "disappointing" 1987 for Albuquerque (.292/.381/.415) got him released. And so it goes.

Here, Clark has indeed made it to the Big A. He and his Angels mates had a bit of tough time against Tom Seaver recently, but they did touch up the Tigers ace for 2 runs in 8 innings, pushing Tom's ERA up to 1.79

But…given that the Tigers scored 25 runs in support of Tom, he handled the off-day well enough, I'd say.

(One Tiger who will have nothing but off-days is 43-year-old Gaylord Perry, who broke his kneecap and is gone for the year. Can the Spitball King make a comeback next year and get those 8 wins he needs to reach 300? We shall see…)