Lou Gehrig shows up early in historic league

[Dukie98]

I am playing in a historic league, and I just finished the 1920 season. I have the "automatically import historical rookies" option selected. I do not have the draft enabled, and I do not have "import rookies as free agents" selected.

Most players have been placed on their real-life teams in advance of their actual rookie year. For instance, shortly after the season ended, Riggs Stephenson and Luke Sewell were put on the Indians' roster. However, in mid-December, I got a notice that 17-year-old free agent Lou Gehrig signed with Brooklyn -- notwithstanding that he was in high school in real life, and didn't join the Yankees until 1923.

I also noticed that a handful of other recognizable players from that era are also listed as unsigned free agents -- in general, they did not make their real-life debuts until a couple years later. Any idea why this is happening? Thanks.

[The Game]

If you have minors checked and the new players come in after the season is over then Gehrig coming in the offseason of 1920 is accurate since he was in Single A in 1921.
Gehrig attended PS 132 in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, then went to Commerce High School, graduating in 1921.[24][25] He then studied at Columbia University for two years, before leaving to pursue a career in professional baseball.[26] Initially, he went to Columbia on a football scholarship, where he was preparing to pursue a degree in engineering. Before his first semester began, New York Giants manager John McGraw advised him to play summer professional baseball under an assumed name, Henry Lewis, despite the fact that it could jeopardize his collegiate sports eligibility. After he played a dozen games for the Hartford Senators in the Eastern League, he was discovered and banned from collegiate sports his freshman year.[27] In 1922, Gehrig returned to collegiate sports as a fullback for the Columbia Lions football program. Later, in 1923, he played first base and pitched for the Columbia baseball team.[27] At Columbia, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.[2
https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...d=gehrig001hen

[Dukie98]

Originally Posted by The Game

If you have minors checked and the new players come in after the season is over then Gehrig coming in the offseason of 1920 is accurate since he was in Single A in 1921.
Gehrig attended PS 132 in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, then went to Commerce High School, graduating in 1921.[24][25] He then studied at Columbia University for two years, before leaving to pursue a career in professional baseball.[26] Initially, he went to Columbia on a football scholarship, where he was preparing to pursue a degree in engineering. Before his first semester began, New York Giants manager John McGraw advised him to play summer professional baseball under an assumed name, Henry Lewis, despite the fact that it could jeopardize his collegiate sports eligibility. After he played a dozen games for the Hartford Senators in the Eastern League, he was discovered and banned from collegiate sports his freshman year.[27] In 1922, Gehrig returned to collegiate sports as a fullback for the Columbia Lions football program. Later, in 1923, he played first base and pitched for the Columbia baseball team.[27] At Columbia, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.[2
https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...d=gehrig001hen

Thanks - good to know. Any idea he was created as a free agent, even though the "import rookies as free agents" option was not selected?

[Jerry Helper]

Seems like the 20s are going to go a little differently for the Dodgers in your world!

[Spritze]

Originally Posted by Dukie98

Thanks - good to know. Any idea he was created as a free agent, even though the "import rookies as free agents" option was not selected?

He began his career on an independent minor league team.