cwsfn's Blog

New Negro League

The Dream of another league featuring the best players from the Negro Leagues has come together.  Six Teams will battle in a 10 game season featuring the greatest from that league as well as 12 former league members who went on to the Majors.

The Teams and owners are as follows:

1.  Homestead Grays owned by Cum Posey and will play in all the league parks but will call Comiskey Park Home.

2.  Chicago American Giants owned by Rube Foster and will play at Schorling Park.

3.  St. Louis Stars owned by Tom Williams and will play at Stars Park

4.  Kansas City Monarchs owned by J. L. Wilkinson and will play at Muehlebach Park.

5.  Pittsburgh Crawfords owned by Gus Greenlee and will play at Greenlee field.

6.  Philadelphia Stars owned by Nat Strong and will play at Penmark Park.

Greenlee and Strong have tainted records outside of baseball but Commissioner Sol White decided to accept their bankroll.   A draft scheduled to go no less than 17 rounds and no more than 20 will commence at 8:00 central time on the evening of November 21.

No managers have been named as of yet but the list of the 12 former major leaguers eligible for the draft has been released:  
Ernie Banks (HOF Card)
Jackie Robinson (HOF Card)
Roy Campanella (HOF Card)
Minnie Minoso ('54 Card)
Henry Aaron (HOF Card)
Willie Mays (HOF Card)
Larry Doby (HOF Card)
Monte Irvin (HOF Card)
Sam Jethroe ('51 Card)
Elston Howard ('63 Card)
Sam Jones ('59 Card)
Don Newcombe ('55 Card)

In order to maintain competitive balance, each round will be focused on a specific position.  The first nine rounds will be based on the position found on a baseball scorecard.  A minimum of four pitchers and two catchers must be maintained.

Each team will rotate position every round to continue the balance for each team.

Homestead, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia will draft in that order in round one before Homestead moves to the bottom and Chicago moves up a notch.

Chicago Owner Rube Foster must make himself draft eligible and if he is selected by another team he will have to forfeit his ownership if arrangements cannot be worked out.

Sources close to the Pittsburgh Courier and Chicago Defender state that in round 1 that only features pitchers that Foster stands a good chance to draft himself as the number 2 overall pick.  

Satchell Paige was a late entrant into the draft and has forfeited his ability to participate in barnstorming events which were so crucial to his legend.

Re: 1939 Yankees vs. 1927 Yankees, best 4 of 7

THanks Larry, I enjoyed the recap.

Re: My all-time AL SOM Tourney

Aside from the 14 run massacre, looks like it will go down to the wire.

Re: My all-time AL SOM Tourney

Can't wait to read about it GW.

Happy Thanksgiving

Team,
I will not be on the site much if at all until Saturday or Sunday so I wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Although I do not comment on every post, I read them all and it is a nice escape for me because I have a HIGH-HIGH pressure job that keeps me away from home more often than not.  That makes any day at home not just Thanksgiving special but I realize this is a special time of year.  Better run, they are calling my flight, thank goodness no sign of Steve Martin or John Candy in this airport.  Be well and be safe everyone!  

Re: my S-O-M World Series Project

Well, I am through 1998 and 92-98 were a 3-3 split with original winners and with one monumental upset that will rival '84.  Unfortunately, I had to take a jaunt to Charleston and Atlanta, and now I am heading to San Diego so I will not update until after Thanksgiving. 

Re: Integrated 1927 National League.

Mrpuna, I am not surprised to read how much interest the team has shown, add me to the list of interested, good luck.

Re: 1924 56-game season

Bush splits two solid starts and I love your "13-hitter" comment about Kramer on the earlier page.

Re: The A-Y Dynasty League

Coach good write-up, the A's Franchise in general rivals the Yankees regardless of what others may say.  It's neat to see 11 & 30 and teams from the 70s and 80s play one another.

Re: 1957 league w/drafts

Great write-up Jim, very exciting series.

Re: My all-time AL SOM Tourney

Wow, this should be a excellent series.  I'm torn on who to root for.

Re: 1971 current replay

Oh Man, Torre may have fun with that Reds staff.

Re: Hall of Fame set pitcher ratings

Ok, I am between airports now, I will scan and email everything over the weekend

Re: Kommish's Korner

Ken,
I like the Category Allocations for the Replay side at Doubleday, that should work.

Re: Miracle Collapse - The 1969 Chicago Cubs

I read this over the summer and it is a decent read.  One you might also be interested in is called Durocher's Cubs, "The Greatest Team That Didn't Win 1967-72, it also does a great job chronicling the '69 team.

Re: The 1876-2008 FREE National Pastime Almanac is ready for download

Will email Ron this week, thanks.

Re: my S-O-M World Series Project

I was suprised at the sweep as well guys.  GW, all I will say is the the Braves did not Split '92 and '95....update to come probably Monday Night.

Re: 1982 NL season Replay

I think 82' was Seaver's last in Cincy?  I just remember the year he returned to the Mets he and Carlton had a great opening day duel, something like a 2-0 final.  

Re: 1924 56-game season

I think we have exchanged this before but I always like the history of the feud between McGraw and Wilbert Robinson.  For everyone else, Seajaw and I both read "Uncle Robbie" and it tells great stories of that rivalry and about WIlbert's life.  Another great book is called the "Giants and Dodgers" which chronicles the rivalry from the beginning to modern times.

My point here is great writing by seajaw allows us to capture that rivalry with a vivid picture, thanks for the update.  Also sorry to see the Nats steaked snapped, I was hoping they would run the circuit with wins 

Re: 1971 current replay

Wow, the Giants get surprised by the weak Phils... Seems like the Padres always win when I see these updates, I need to check your NL standings a little closer.

Re: What's On the Horizon for Everyone

CardsSIXFOURONE: looks like you have a great race going in '64 just as it worked out in reality. Perhaps the Yanks will outdo the Royals in your 80 replay. 

Terry, you have a great '34 race going, I wonder if any sleepers in the newly formed AL West will challenge your '69 Twins.

Stargell/Pops- Good ole WSNS TV-44 those were the days.

Jim your stock teams are always stacked-lol, looking forward to the next round

GW I love your idea of creating a mini-season of the 10 winners and then doing it again in the NL.  Also love the contraction scenario.

I thought about doing that with the 2006 or 2007 seasons.  Get back to the original 16 but I can't come up with a solid # of players to be drafted.  In other words I don't want stacked teams but think that only drafting one guy may not be enough, still mulling that over.

Great replies from everyone, thanks and good luck.

Re: Spanning the eras

Great points again, I just went back and reviewed my scoresheets from my '61 series replay and I only used Blanchard twice in pinch hitting roles both against Brosnan.

So I went the conventional way and only faced him against a righty.  

That scenario happens a lot with Lefthanded pitchers, many times we could bring in a lefty to face a righty if we chose to because the odds would favor the lefthander in most cases.  

But again, I try and go with what is more logical but as you say we are free to make whatever selection we want which is great.

Re: Why stop with this set?

and good call on the HOF sets, I remember you writing in other strings that you believed the NL set would help HOF sales.

Re: Why stop with this set?

Interesting info mrpuna.  Perhaps this will have them consider other specialty sets in the future.

Re: my S-O-M World Series Project

                    1991 World Series Replay:  Twins vs. Braves (Twins weapons outdo the “Chop”)

Game 1:  Twins 7  Braves 5        WP Morris  LP Leibrandt

Game 2:  Twins 5  Braves 4  (12) WP Aguilera  LP Stanton

Game 3:  Twins 2  Braves 1         WP Erickson  LP Avery  SV Aguilera

Game 4:  Twins 6  Braves 5         WP Leach  LP Smolthz  SV Aguilera

Game 1:  Jack Morris staked the Braves to a 5-0 lead after two innings but settled down and ended up going the distance.  Lonnie Smith in his 875th world series appearance led off the game with a single, stole second and came home to score on a single by Jeff Treadway.  Morris then issues three walks and a sac fly as the Braves led 3-0 early.  

The second inning started with a leadoff single from Rafael Belliard before morris retired Smith and Treadway.  Terry Pendleton singled Belliard to third before Morris issues walks to Dave Justice and Ron Gant which scored Belliard.  Sid Bream then singled home Pendleton and the Braves appeared on their way to an easy win.

The Twinkies had other ideas scoring three runs in the bottom of the second.  Brian Harper led off with a single and came around to score on Shane Mack’s triple.  Kent Hrbek singled Mack home making it 5-2.  Leibrandt walked Scott Leuis before retiring Greg Gagne on a popout.  Dan Gladden drove in Hrbek with a single making it 5-3.

The Twins took the lead in the fifth thanks to a three-run blast by Chilli Davis after singles from Chuck Knoblauch and Kirby Puckett. Minnesota added another run in the sixth to finish the scoring.  Morris ended up striking out 10, while walking five to go with six hits.

Game 2:  A nip and tuck match the whole way through.  Chilli Davis started the scoring with a solo homer off Tom Glavine in the second.  Brian Hunter touched Kevin Tapani for a two-run shot in the fourth to give the Braves the lead.  Minnesota came right back to tie it when Kent Hrbek singled home Chilli Davis.  Hrbek drove in his second run of the game in the bottom of the sixth with a single that scored Brian Harper giving the Twinkies the lead 3-2.  Greg Olson sent a Kevin Tapani hanger over the hefty bag for a two-run homer giving the Braves the lead in the top of the seventh.

The lead would not last long as Kirby Puckett brought Chuck Knoblauch home with a single after two men were out in the bottom half of the inning.  Harper got his fourth hit of the game in the bottom of the 12th which scored Puckett with the winning run.  Terry Leach and Rick Aguilera went four innings of shutout relief.  Mike Stanton was one out away from three scoreless relief innings as Tom Glavine pitched nine innings for the Braves.

Game 3:  Kent Hrbek drove in both runs with singled in the first and fifth innings, while Scott Erickson went eight innings as the Twins took a huge 3-0 series lead.  Ron Gant delivered the Braves only run in the fourth when he followed a Terry Pendleton double with his own.  At the time that tied the game at 1-1.  Rick Aguilera earned the save pitching the ninth.

Game 4:  The Twins took batting practice at Chief Nocahoma’s tee-pee with three homers in the game.  Brian Harper had the big blow with a three-run blast in the top of the ninth that gave  Minnesota a 6-5 lead.  Rick Aguilera pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the series.  Trailing 1-0 in the second, Shane Mack hit a two-run clout to give Minnesota it’s first lead.  Terry Pendleton countered with a three-run blow off Jack Morris in the bottom of the second and the Braves were up 4-2.  Ron Gant drove in Lonnie Smith with a sac fly in the fifth increasing the margin to three at 5-2.  Hrbek who walked away with Aguilera as co-MVP lined a solo shot in the top of the seventh cutting the lead to 5-3 before the ninth inning outburst.

Bobby Cox stayed with Smoltz too long but did not have confidence in his bullpen.  Jack Morris allowed 10 runs in both of his starts.  Would that trend continue North of the border in the ’92 affair?  You will soon find out.