The Liberty League, Est. 1876

[Questdog]

1888 Championship Rosters

[Questdog]

I'll leave you with one heart-warming tidbit before we go to sleep on the eve of the Championship Series:

Our cleanup hitter, RF Ben Smith (29-6.7), the former MVP and Batting Champion, who, for 3 and a half seasons since I first came to Detroit, was an excellent run producer, has quit hitting.

Since the 1st of August he has gone 33 for 163 (.202) with 2 doubles and 3 triples and no homers for a slugging average of .252.

The injured LF Al Lewis (23-9.1), during that same time frame, went 47 for 162 (.290) with a slugging average of .420, which for this, the mother of all pitcher's years, is pretty sweet.

[Questdog]

Saturday, October 20, 1888

Omaha Mutuals (78-54 .591 Champions of the Grand National Association) at
Detroit Wolverines (90-42 .682 Champions of the Liberty League)

I have more enthusiasm this year for this series, because we have to redeem ourselves for last year's debacle. I am not so enthused about my hottest hitter down the stretch, Al Lewis (23-9.1) being unable to play.

Lee Sprague, Omaha (28-3.5) (R 29-12 1.95 7.5-1.3-4.2 H/9-BB/9-SO/9) vs. Al Rice, Det. (24-7.6) (R 37-15 1.96 7.4-1.0-5.2)

It's 46 degrees at game time; not exactly baseball weather.

Won - 11 to 6

Not the scored you'd expect with 2 pitchers with ERA's under 2 facing off.

Omaha scored run in the 1st, but we scored twice in the 2nd and 3 times in the 3rd and the game was never close after that. Rice pitched well until he seemed to lose interest in the 8th and 9th innings when Omaha scored 4 garbage time runs.

Rice allowed 11 hits, no walks and struck out 3.

Sprague gave us 14 hits, 1 walk and struck out 3.

We made 1 error and Omaha made 4.

2B Ed Aldrich (24-6.8) had 4 hits, stole a base, scored 3 runs and had 2 RBIs. CF Ren Dunbar (25-6.8) had 2 hits with a double, scored a run and had an RBI. C Cliff Robinson (30-6.1) had a hit and 2 RBIs. 3B Jesse Flanders (28-5.4) hit a double and scored a run and handled 8 chances at third without an error. SS Ed Engelhardt (23-5.0) had a hit, scored 2 runs and had an RBI. LF Fred Negus (24-6.7) had 3 hits with a double and a triple, scored 2 runs and had an RBI.

For the Mutuals, CF Dave Todd (23-5.5) had 2 hits with a triple and 3 RBIs.

[Questdog]

Monday, October 22, 1888

Omaha Mutuals (0-1) at
Detroit Wolverines (1-0)

Tom Lee, Omaha (30-6.0) (R 21-21 4.10 9.2-3.3-4.5 H/9-BB/9-SO/9) vs. Jiggs Niedermeyer, Det. (25-5.8) (R 17-8 1.96 7.5-1.6-3.1)

A little warmer today at 51 degrees. Both teams are going with the same lineups as Saturday.

Lost - 8 to 5

Niedermeyer pitched well, but our defense stunk it up and every time we made an error they scored runs.

Niedermeyer allowed 6 hits, 2 walks and struck out 5.

Lee gave us 10 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3.

We made 5 errors and Omaha made 3.

2B Ed Aldrich (24-6.8) had 4 hits more hits, giving him 8 in the 1st 2 games of the series. He had a double and a triple, scored 2 runs and had an RBI. LF Fred Negus (24-6.7) had 2 hits and scored a run.

For the Mutuals, C Charlie LeFevre (34-5.0) had 2 hits with a double and a walk and 4 RBIs. The 3-time Gold Glover also threw out both of our runners who tried to steal a base.

[Questdog]

Wednesday, October 24, 1888

Detroit Wolverines (1-1) at
Omaha Mutuals (1-1)

Their Palace Park of Nebraska is a very tough pitcher's park, toughest on hitters in the Grand National Association. Home runs can be hit to left field, but right field is a long ways away.

Al Rice, Det. (24-7.6) (R 1-0) vs. Lee Sprague, Omaha (28-3.5) (R 0-1)

I hoped it would be warmer down south, but it is the coldest day yet of the series at 45 degrees. Neither team is making any lineup changes.

Won - 5 to 1

We were losing, 1 to 0, until we scored twice in the 7th inning. We added insurance runs in the top of the 9th when RF Ben Smith (29-6.7) tripled and C Cliff Robinson (30-6.1) followed with an inside-the-park home run.

Rice allowed 5 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3.

Sprague gave us 8 hits, no walks and struck out 1.

We made 1 error and Omaha made 3.

RF Ben Smith (29-6.7) had 2 hits with a triple, stole a base and scored 2 runs. C Cliff Robinson (30-6.1) had 2 hits with a home run, scored 2 runs and had 3 RBIs.

[Questdog]

Thursday, October 25, 1888

Detroit Wolverines (2-1) at
Omaha Mutuals (1-2)

Jimmy Babcock (32-6.9) will catch for us today; he'll bat 8th and everyone else will move up a spot.

For the Mutuals, Dave Cunningham (33-5.4) will play left and bat 7th.

Jiggs Niedermeyer, Det. (25-5.8) (R 0-1) vs. Tom Lee, Omaha (30-6.0) (R 1-0)

It is down right cold at 37 degrees! This is not the time of year to be playing baseball!

Lost - 3 to 1

Niedermeyer allowed 6 hits, no walks and struck out 4.

Lee gave us 6 hits, 1 walk and struck out 4.

Each team made 2 errors.

2B Ed Aldrich (24-6.8) had 2 hits. 1B Sam Cowan (32-5.1) had 2 hits, but when he apparently started a rally in the top of the 9th with a single, he promptly was picked off. LF Fred Negus (24-6.7) had 2 hits, stole 3 bases and scored our only run.

For the Mutuals, SS Dave Henderson (25-4.1) hit and inside-the-park home run.

[Questdog]

Friday, October 26, 1888

Detroit Wolverines (2-2) at
Omaha Mutuals (2-2)

Cliff Robinson (30-6.1) will be back behind home plate today.

For the Mutuals, Henry Pitts (30-6.7) will be catching and batting 8th and Abe Cupp (27-4.7) will be back in left and batting 7th.

Dave Frazier, Det. (28-5.7) (L 25-14 2.48 8.7-1.1-3.0 H/9-BB/9-SO/9) vs. Skyrocket Rice, Omaha (23-5.2) (R 26-15 3.01 8.2-2.3-4.7)

A little warmer today, but still a chilly 44 degrees. Rice was 16-3 here in Omaha this season.

Won - 7 to 2

We scored 4 times in the 6th to break the game open.

Frazier allowed 7 hits, no walks and struck out 4.

Rice gave us 10 hits, 3 walks and struck out 4. He's no relation to our Al Rice (24-7.6).

We made 1 error and Omaha made 4.

2B Ed Aldrich (24-6.8) has a hit and a walk, stole 2 bases and scored 3 runs. 1B Sam Cowan (32-5.1) had 3 hits, stole a base, scored a run and had 2 RBIs. LF Fred Negus (24-6.7) had 2 hits, stole a base and scored a run.

[Questdog]

Saturday, October 27, 1888

Omaha Mutuals (2-3) at
Detroit Wolverines (3-2)

We are back home and I really want to end this series today, but can we beat Sprague 3 times in a row? There is no doubt in my mind now that the GNA is every bit as good a circuit as the Liberty League.

Both teams will be going with their original starting lineups.

Lee Sprague, Omaha (28-3.5) (R 0-2) vs. Al Rice, Detroit (24-7.6) (R 2-0)

45 degrees today.

Won - 8 to 1

They scored 1 run in the 1st. Rookie 1B Tom Durkin (22-6.6) led off with a double, but was thrown out trying to steal third right before rookie RF Tom Nelson (23-5.2) hit one over the right field fence for a home run.

This game was laughably one-sided; I have no idea how we only scored 8 runs.

Rice allowed 5 hits, no walks and struck out 5.

Sprague gave us 11 hits, no walks and struck out 2.

We made no errors and Omaha made 10! 4 each for the double-play combo of 2B Jocko Cole (27-6.1) and SS Dave Henderson (25-4.1).

2B Ed Aldrich (24-6.8), who was the most impressive player of this series, had 2 hits, scored a run and had 2 RBIs. IN the 6 games, he went 13 for 26 (.500), stole 3 bases, scored 9 runs and had 5 RBIs. 1B Sam Cowan (32-5.1) had 2 hits and an RBI. C Cliff Robinson (30-6.1) had a hit and scored 2 runs. 3B Jesse Flanders (28-5.4) hit a double, scored 3 runs and had an RBI. SS Ed Engelhardt (23-5.0) had 2 hits with a double, scored 2 runs and had an RBI. LF Fred Negus (24-6.7) hit a double and had 2 RBIs.

So now it's time for me to provide that shindig I promised the boys!

[Questdog]

[Questdog]

[Questdog]

[Questdog]

We are going to be on hold for a bit as I take care of an issue that has been bothering me since the beginning. I am tired of seeing guys born in places where hardly anyone lived at the time of their birth. Like guys born in Hawaii and too many born in California and Florida and Texas and guys born in Oklahoma when it was all an Indian Reservation.

So I am creating a new database of city populations. It is a big job, but when I get done I will have a new world.xml for each decade and the list of towns will be much more inclusive than the current default file.

Also, I am making 2 databases, one for Caucasians and one for African-Americans so that the demographics of the races will be more realistic.

When finished, I will make it a mod and it will be a boon to fictional-historical players!

[Lafayette53]

Originally Posted by Questdog

We are going to be on hold for a bit as I take care of an issue that has been bothering me since the beginning. I am tired of seeing guys born in places where hardly anyone lived at the time of their birth. Like guys born in Hawaii and too many born in California and Florida and Texas and guys born in Oklahoma when it was all an Indian Reservation.

So I am creating a new database of city populations. It is a big job, but when I get done I will have a new world.xml for each decade and the list of towns will be much more inclusive than the current default file.

Also, I am making 2 databases, one for Caucasians and one for African-Americans so that the demographics of the races will be more realistic.

When finished, I will make it a mod and it will be a boon to fictional-historical players!

That is a ton of work, but as someone who would get a ton of use out of such a mod just know it will definitely not be unappreciated.

[Questdog]

Fall-Winter 1888

The New York Gothams have folded. Besides financial woes, the humiliation of not being a winner in the biggest city in the country contributed to their demise. The Liberty League has recruited the Kansas City Cowboys from the Grand National Association to take their spot.

The leaders of the GNA, after spending a few weeks rattling their sabres, threatening lawsuits, have put a team in Buffalo. The Bisons are owned by Frank Davenport (49-6.3). He managed in the Central League this season, leading Reading to a .500 record and 6th place finish. In 1882, he managed in the Liberty League, taking the helm of the Worcester Ruby Legs for the final 37 games of their wretched existence. They went 12-25 under his stewardship. Jake Adams (47-5.9) has been hired to be the manager. He led Jackson, Michigan, to a 2nd place finish in the Tri-State League (B) this past season.

On November 13, Detroit SS Lon Harding (26-5.0), the slick fielder at Syracuse who made a bunch of errors when called up to Detroit this past season, died of typhoid fever at his home in Lexington, Kentucky.

On December 1, the annual B Leagues Draft was held:

Sam King was not the player I originally envisioned choosing with the first selection. There were two players that had me drooling and in trying to decide which one to pick, I talked myself out of both of them. SS Ed Raines (21-5.8) is the slick-fielding shortstop that can hit that always gets my heart beating. He'll win Gold Gloves for sure and probably a batting title or two. However, if there is one thing that drives me to distraction, it is surely players getting caught stealing and Raines is going to collect a ton of those in his career. So, I passed (probably idiotically). The other player was Lou Lawrence (20-5.1), who just quit being a teenager two weeks after the draft. He will make a heck of a right-fielder and right-field is a need for the Wolverines. I was really at a loss to find any weakness in his game until I looked at his medical history. He was injured three separate times last season that caused him to miss stretches of games, sitting out 6 weeks on one occasion. So that scared me off of him. Sam King should be a really good player, but he has no arm and cannot fill our hole in right.

The pitcher we drafted, Fred McDonough (21-5.0) is notable for being the tallest ballplayer that ever lived. At 6' 7", he will tower over his competition. He's a lefty, to boot.

On December 15, Mike Potts (67-2.2), one of the charter owners in the Liberty League, passed away. There is apparently no truth in the rumors that he frowned to death. He owned the Chicago White Stockings in 1876 and spent a big pile of cash to hire the top players from the old National Association, but his team floundered anyway. He then had the bright idea, along with New York Metropolitans owner Nathan Wood (D-3.9), to withdraw from the Liberty League and start another circuit where they could control the quality of their competition. The scheme did not fly and neither team was reinstated when they asked to come back. Wood passed away in 1879.

In the B Leagues, the Central League has folded, but two new circuits have sprouted to take up the slack: the Atlantic Association and the New England League. We'll have four B leagues this season, each sporting 6 members. I will detail the changes in the Spring report.

Editor's Note: Some of our more astute readers may have noticed that it has been a little while since the last dispatch from the 19th century. As mentioned above, I originally took a break to work on a new world_xml, but it then turned into a medical leave.

Since Christmas, I have lost 50 lbs. (without trying) and my energy level has dwindled down to nearly nothing. I had not been to the doctor in 25 years, but I finally broke down and went about a month ago. Turns out I have diabetes in spades. For those familiar with the jargon of the condition, my AC1 number was almost 15 (a healthy person's is under 5.7 and diabetes is diagnosed at 6.5).

My eyesight has been very blurry for the past few months and reading things on my computer screen has been difficult. However, I have recently made the discovery that if I wear reading glasses and my regular glasses at the same time I can see fairly clearly out of my right eye! So we are back in business!

P.S. I am still working on the new world_xml. It is even a bigger job than I imagined, but I was steadily making progress until my eyesight got so annoying. Working through the states alphabetically, I am up to Pennsylvania (and its 7000 towns). But I am antsy to play some ball, so we are going to do both things at the same time (until the B Leagues hold their draft in June when I will need the new world_xml file).

[Questdog]

Winter-Spring 1889

Last winter, the powers that be were concerned about all the runs that were scored in 1887 and took steps to curtail the offense. They succeeded only too well and 1888 was a pitcher's dream of a season. So this year they have lowered the number of balls needed to gain a free pass to 4. Editor's Note: And we are finally and forever at 4 balls for a walk and 3 strikes for an out.

They have also instructed the official scorekeepers to keep a count of sacrifice bunts, though batters will still be charged with an at bat (making it truly a sacrifice).

There was not a single trade made this off-season. There were, however, a few plum free agents on the market thanks to the New York Gothams' demise. 1887 Hurler Trophy winner, Miah Turner (28-5.3), the former Haymaker, and venerable veteran Jack Roberts (37-6.1) will now be pitching for Louisville. 3B Ed Glass (29-4.5), who finished 2nd in the MVP voting this past season, and former Gold Glover 2B Bill Baker (27-3.6) will both be playing for the Puddlers in Pittsburgh. Former Batting Champ and Haymaker OF Bert Gellis (28-5.5) will be in Cincinnati. Washington signed up and coming prospect OF Cinders Bradley (25-7.1). P Tom McDowell (25-8.0), who went 22-16 last year, was signed by Cleveland.

Outside of the former Gothams, the biggest player move in the off-season was that ex-Boston manager, 1B Pete Bucolo (41-4.1), asked for and was granted his release so he could move to Indianapolis to become the Hoosiers' player-manager.

Former Haymaker boss, Reddy Ricker (42-6.0), has finally retired as a player and has taken the job of manager for the newly formed Springfield (OH) Governors of the Tri-State League (B). Editor's Note: I was sorely tempted to start a new thread and play their games out, but we'll wait for Reddy to get a major league job. If he does, we'll dump Bart Levy and go back to our first, true love.

Here are the minor leagues for 1889:

The GNA will begin games on April 17 and the Liberty League will begin on April 24. So I will post the GNA rosters, play a week and then post the Liberty League rosters.

Editors' Note: We are now playing the games in OOTP17.

[Westheim]

Oh great. Now I not only need to ask strangers for directions to Woonsocket, no, I also need to find out what a Nadjy is.

[Questdog]

Originally Posted by Westheim

Oh great. Now I not only need to ask strangers for directions to Woonsocket, no, I also need to find out what a Nadjy is.

Woonsocket is in Rhode Island.

I was curious about the Nadjys as well, but all I could find was that Nadjy was a play in the 1880's and a first name (very rarely used). Why the team in Canton would be called by this, I have no idea.

P.S. One source claims that a Nadjy was a type of field horse used on Ohio farms, but I have never heard of such a horse and can find no other reference to the beast.

[Questdog]

[Questdog]

[Questdog]