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OOTP 14 - Historical Simulations Discuss historical simulations and their results in this forum.

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Old 01-09-2014, 11:40 AM   #1
Vyper
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 114
Pro Baseball - A Complete History

Hello all,

A lot has changed since I first picked up Season Ticket Baseball 2003, which was basically the retail version of OOTP 4. I’ve always been fascinated with doing a complete historical replay of professional baseball, starting in the early days of the National Association straight through to today. Over the years, I’ve picked it up, invested countless hours into reproducing the most accurate simulations I could, then put it down again, but I’ve never lost the hope of one day seeing this through to the end and finally simming an entire history through OOTP. I picked up OOTP 14 a few days ago, and have spent most of my free time trying to familiarize myself with all the changes, and I think I’m ready to give this a go again.

My plan:
- Starting in 1871, simulate the entire history of professional baseball through 2013, or beyond.
- I will be using real leagues, teams, stadiums, rosters, transactions, and schedules from the beginning. (obviously OOTP is a different game after 1901, so this will involve a lot of manual work for the first 30 years).
- Use a combination of historical information available online and merge it with events as they happen in my simulated league in order to provide a more immersive experience as you read along.
- Obviously the "OOTP factor" will be included, I'm not looking for 100% accuracy. If I was, there's no point to this, consider it a look at an alternate universe, where everyone plays a little bit differently, but everything else is similar.
- I still have a few small tests I want to run, but hopefully I will be able to post at least the 1871 season by the end of the weekend.

My settings:
- I have to keep this short because there is so much customization, but I’m relying a lot on the simulation engine here. If a player was available for the Boston Red Stockings in real life on September 13, 1871, I want him available here. That said, trades, retirements, injuries, etc… will be handled manually. Once I get to 1901, I’ll turn on the historical expansion, lineups and transactions (assuming those are available options if you start in 1871), otherwise I’ll be handling it on my own. For now, the only thing I’m letting the computer handle is lineups and rotations.

What I need:
- Early transactions: I see they’re all included from 1872 – 1901 in historical_transactions.odb, but the game doesn’t read them. I either need to figure out a way to easily read/sort the log, or start my own spreadsheet, which means looking at every new player every year til 1901, as well as other resources like retrosheet, and making sure all trades, reassignments, missing years, etc... are accounted for.
- I’m missing some early logos, photos, etc… but those aren’t a big concern for me. After 1901 I’ll worry about it, right now, it’s cosmetic
- Schedules after 1871. I found that I had to manually create my own schedule. That wasn’t too bad for 1871 where there are only about 30 games per team, but still it took me close to 2 hours to get it accurate.
- What date do players normally retire? What date are new players imported to their teams? This is a big one, if anyone knows the answer, I’d really appreciate the help. Since I have to do it manually, I don’t want to mess up the stats by having someone appear in a year they didn’t actually play.

Last edited by Vyper; 01-09-2014 at 11:42 AM.
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Old 01-09-2014, 06:12 PM   #2
Vyper
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 114
1871 – Pre Season

A brief history of the National Association
On Saint Patrick's day, March 17, 1871, at Collier's Cafe on Broadway and Thirteenth Street in New York City, representatives from some of the best baseball clubs in the land gathered together to form the very first professional baseball league. They named their new creation; the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players.

Unfortunately the National Association turned out to be an embarrassment to all those who were associated with it. It was a loosely knit organization renowned for it's rowdiness, erratic schedule, open gambling on games, liquor selling in parks, bribery and other forms of chicanery.

The league, which was in fact, run by the players, lasted for only five years. The N.A. was characterized by such things as: teams that would not honor their schedules late in the season when it meant traveling far from home, players that would jump from club to club (sometimes in midseason) and a lack of control of the games by umpires who were usually unpaid. There was a constant turnover of clubs in the five years that the league existed, and one team (Harry Wright's Boston Red Stockings) was so powerful that it totally dominated all opposition, winning the league championship four out of five years.

The Teams
Boston Red Stockings: The first Boston Red Stockings baseball club was established in 1871, and was Boston's first professional team. They dominated the National Association, finishing second once and then first four times. The club became a charter member of the National League in 1876 and plays today as the Atlanta Braves. They enjoyed great success in Cincinnati (1866-1870), Boston (1890s), Milwaukee (late 1950s), and Atlanta (throughout the 90’s).

Chicago White Stockings: Chicago's first professional club, established 1870, played in the National Association for the 1871 season, resumed play in 1874-75 after the Great Chicago Fire, and joined (actually initiated) the National League in 1876. Called the White Stockings through 1889, they are now the Chicago Cubs.

Cleveland Forest Citys: A short-lived Major League Baseball team in the National Association. The team only existed two years, from 1871 to 1872, and their home games were played at the National Association Grounds in Cleveland, Ohio. They were most famous for losing the first recorded game ever played to the Fort Wayne Kekiongas by a score of 2-0. The club's record over the two years was poor, winning 16 and losing 35.

Fort Wayne Kekiongas: Have the notable distinction of winning the first professional game of baseball ever played on May 4, 1871. Paid attendance at their games was poor, and players were poorly paid, if at all. A number of homesick players from Baltimore returned home and by mid-season, the team had fallen apart. The last game was played on August 29, giving the Kekiongas 7 wins for the year.

New York Mutuals: The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York was a leading American baseball club almost throughout its 20-year history. It was established during 1857, the year of the first baseball convention, just too late to be a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players. It was a charter member of both the first professional league in 1871 and the National League in 1876. Failing on the field and in the coffer, it declined to make its last western trip of the inaugural National League season. For the transgression it was expelled in December, and soon found itself defunct.

Philadelphia Athletics: Philadelphia had been a baseball town from the earliest days of the game, fielding amateur teams since at least the early 1830s. In 1860 James N. Kerns formed a club, simply named "Athletic Base Ball Club", that soon dominated amateur play in the area. The Athletics were one of the most successful National Association teams, winning the first pennant with a record of 21 wins and 7 losses (.750), two games ahead of the Boston Red Stockings and Chicago White Stockings.

Rockford Forest Citys: Rockford, which was the westernmost club in the National Association, had faced significant financial hardship during the 1871 season including travel cost and did not make a profit. Additionally, star Cap Anson decided to take a $1,250 a year offer from Philadelphia for the 1872 season. So the club folded after its one and only season.

Troy Haymakers: The Haymakers were a member of the National Association, the first professional baseball league, in 1871 and 1872. Their home games were played at Haymakers' Grounds in Troy, New York. During their two-year existence the Haymakers won 28 games and lost 25 for a winning percentage of .528.

Washington Olympics: Like Troy, the Olympics also played only the first two National Association seasons. Their home games were played at Olympics Grounds in Washington, D.C. During their two-year existence the Olympics won 17 games and lost 22 for a winning percentage of .436.

Top 10 Prospects
1) Ross Barnes - Boston
2) Cap Anson - Rockford
3) Lip Pike - Troy
4) Levi Meyerley - Philadelphia
5) George Wright - Boston
6) Cal McVey - Boston
7) Fred Waterman - Washington
8) Deacon White - Cleveland
9) George Hall - Washington
10) Ezra Sutton - Cleveland

The Starters
Player ranking in ()

Philadelphia Athletics
C Fergy Malone (11)
1B Wes Fisler
2B Al Reach (15)
3B Levi Meyerle (1)
SS John Radcliffe
LF George Bechtel (19)
CF Count Sensenderfer
RF George Heubel
SP Dick McBride (5)

Chicago White Stockings
C Charlie Hodes
1B Bub McAtee
2B Jimmy Wood (5)
3B Ed Pinkham
SS Ed Duffy
LF Fred Treacey (10)
CF Tom Foley
RF Joe Simmons
SP George Zettlein (3)

Boston Red Stockings
C Cal McVey (4)
1B Charlie Gould
2B Ross Barnes (2)
3B Harry Schafer
SS George Wright (3)
LF Fred Cone
CF Harry Wright
RF Dave Birdsall
SP Al Spalding (10)

Washington Olympics
C Doug Allison
1B John Glenn
2B Andy Leonard
3B Fred Waterman (14)
SS Davy Force
LF Harry Berthrong
CF George Hall
RF John Glenn
SP Asa Brainard (2)

New York Mutuals
C Dick Higham (9)
1B Joe Start (12)
2B John Hatfield
3B Charlie Smith
SS Dickey Pearce
LF Charlie Mills
CF Dave Eggler (18)
RF Dan Patterson
SP Rynie Wolters (6)

Troy Haymakers
C Bill Craver
1B Clipper Flynn
2B Lip Pike (6)
3B Steve Bellan
SS Dickie Flowers
LF Steve King (13)
CF Tom York
RF Mike McGeary
SP John McMullin (9)

Fort Wayne Kekiongas
C Frank Selman
1B Jim Foran
2B Tom Carey
3B Henry Kohler
SS Jimmy Hallinan
LF Harry Deane
CF Bob Armstrong
RF Bill Kelly
SP Bobby Mathews (4)

Cleveland Forest Citys
C Deacon White (16)
1B Jim Carleton
2B Gene Kimball
3B Ezra Sutton (7)
SS John Bass (17)
LF Charlie Pabor
CF Art Allison
RF Elmer White
SP Al Pratt (7)

Rockford Forest Citys
C Chick Fulmer
1B George Bird
2B Bob Addy
3B Cap Anson (8)
SS Denny Mack
LF Ralph Ham
CF Scott Hastings
RF Gat Stires (20)
SP Cherokee Fisher (1)

A Timeline
February 21 41st United States Congress passes "An Act To Provide A Government For The District Of Columbia", also known as the Act of 1871, declaring the government of the District of Columbia a municipal corporation not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States and the provisions of this act.

March 17 The National Association of Professional Baseball Players is formed in New York at a convention called together by Henry Chadwick. The meeting is held at Collier's Saloon on the corner of 13th street and Broadway. Playing rules will be the same as the amateur players' with the exception of player compensation. Each club will play 5 games with the other clubs and the winner of 3 will have won that championship series. The league championship will be awarded to the team winning the most series against the other teams and not on a total wins or percentage basis as would be done in later years. Teams represented at the convention are: Athletics of Philadelphia‚ Boston Red Stockings (who hired Harry Wright) to represent them after the Cincinnati Reds disbanded)‚ Chicago White Stockings‚ Eckford of Brooklyn‚ Forest City of Cleveland‚ Forest Citys of Rockford‚ IL‚ Mutuals of New York‚ Nationals of Washington‚ DC‚ Olympics of Washington‚ and the Union Club of Troy‚ NY‚ known as the Haymakers. Teams not present but playing matches in the first season of the National Association are the Atlantics of Brooklyn and the Kekiongas of Fort Wayne‚ IN.

The Fort Wayne Kekiongas win a coin flip and will host the first ever professional baseball game when the Cleveland Forest Citys come to town on May 4, 1871.

March 21 Otto von Bismarck becomes first Chancellor of the German Empire.

April 6 The Mutual club of New York leaves on the steamer General Barnes for Savannah‚ Georgia. where they will start their southern tour with a game on April 10.

April 10 The Athletics of Philadelphia play their first practice game against a strong‚ picked nine. This is the first game at the new grounds at 25th and Jefferson‚ where professional baseball will be played for 21 years.

April 20 U.S President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Civil Rights Act.

April 29 The new ball grounds in Chicago‚ located at Randolph and Michigan on the lakefront‚ are opened as the White Stockings and a picked 9 play before 1‚500 people. The New York Clipper says: "They will have accommodations on their grounds to seat 6‚500 people. With the single exception of being somewhat narrow‚ they will have one of the finest ballparks in the country."

up next... the 1871 season

Last edited by Vyper; 01-09-2014 at 06:21 PM.
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Old 01-09-2014, 09:46 PM   #3
scott1964
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Rynie Wolters did a good job for me and I get a good performance out of Al
Pratt. A couple of questions. Are your players going to retire according to history or have them continue to play. Pratt won 118 games in 11 seasons. Wolters won 139 in just over 10 seasons. Mathews went 245-248. But the big surprises were the no names of that era Bill Wise, Bill Vinton, Jim StVrain, and Lee Richmond. And others.
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This just feels more like waiting in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

PETA.....People Eating Tasty Animals.

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Old 01-10-2014, 06:04 AM   #4
Vyper
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Join Date: Apr 2002
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scott1964 View Post
Rynie Wolters did a good job for me and I get a good performance out of Al
Pratt. A couple of questions. Are your players going to retire according to history or have them continue to play. Pratt won 118 games in 11 seasons. Wolters won 139 in just over 10 seasons. Mathews went 245-248. But the big surprises were the no names of that era Bill Wise, Bill Vinton, Jim StVrain, and Lee Richmond. And others.
I'm going to do real roster moves and real retirements. There is something to be said for letting players play though. In real life Al Spalding went 252-65 over 7 years, then retired at age 27 to open his sporting goods company. Imagine if he'd had another 10-12 years. Cy who?
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Old 01-23-2014, 04:04 PM   #5
dsvitak
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I would caution you, as you embark on this long journey, to consider a couple of points.

Don't bite off more than you can chew. If you're going to simulate nine thousand to sixteen thousand games a year, for a hundred and forty years, you need to have a plan. This is about 1,500,000 games, plus or minus.

Pick out the stats that are important to you. Clearly, yearly standings, and playoff results.

After that, I would suggest one screen of that years' leaders, and a final screen of the current all-time leaders.

The last section might be your special interest section..what YOU found entertaining or special about that year.

It has to be in a format that is quick, and easy to read, or you're going to lose people.
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