A Challenge to Schedule Makers

[joefromchicago]

In April 1968, the major leagues were discussing the prospects of expansion. The AL had already decided to offer expansion franchises to Kansas City and Seattle. The NL was still deciding among Montreal, San Diego, Buffalo, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Milwaukee.

As part of the process, the leagues had to decide on the formats for the expanded leagues and their schedules. The AL was pushing for a divisional format, but the NL resisted, and the AL was reluctant to proceed with a divisional split on its own. As for the schedule, AL president Joe Cronin presented the league magnates with eleven different plans, which were reproduced in The Sporting News (5/11/1968):



To recap, there were eight plans for a divisional format and three for a single twelve-team league. The divisional schedule proposals were:

• 8-7: 16 games against divisional opponents, 14 games against non-divisional opponents, total 164 games;
• 9-6: 18 games against divisional opponents, 12 games against non-divisional opponents, total 162 games;
• 8-6/7: 16 games against divisional opponents, 13 games against non-divisional opponents, total 158 games;
• 9-6/5: 18 games against divisional opponents, 11 games against non-divisional opponents, total 156 games;
• 8-6: 16 games against divisional opponents, 12 games against non-divisional opponents, total 152 games;
• 9-5: 18 games against divisional opponents, 10 games against non-divisional opponents, total 150 games;
• 8-6/5: 16 games against divisional opponents, 11 games against non-divisional opponents, total 146 games;
• 7-6: 14 games against divisional opponents, 12 games against non-divisional opponents, total 142 games.

The non-divisional proposals were:

• 8-7: 15 games against each opponent, total 165 games;
• 7-7: 14 games against each opponent, total 154 games;
• 7-6: 13 games against each opponent, total 143 games.

In the end, the leagues agreed to the 9-6 divisional format, which really was the obvious and logical choice, although in early 1968 the AL was reportedly leaning toward the 9-6/5 plan for some reason.


I thought this would be an interesting project for our brilliant schedule makers out there, as only one of the proposed plans currently exists as a schedule (the 9-6/5 plan - but that schedule has a lot of 4- and 5-game series - also the NL had, in effect, the 7-7 plan for a few years in the 1890s, but those schedules were designed for railroad travel). In addition, this might provide the basis for an alternative-history dynasty. Anybody up for the challenge?