OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - The Completely Fictional History of Baseball

legendsport · 04-25-2007, 10:09 PM

The Base Ball Intelligencer, Troy, NY - April 13, 1870:

It was a tumultuous winter for the member clubs of the National Association of Base Ball Players. With more and more of the aforementioned member clubs embarking on the course pioneered by the Cincinnati Red Stockings - namely that of a fully professional operation - the upcoming summer season shapes up to be even more interesting than season last.

The Keystones, doormats of the "professional clique" within the Association, have disbanded, the clubs' playing parts scattered to the four winds. Also disbanding was the Irvington club. Moving into the openly professional ranks were five new contenders: the Tri Mountain club of Boston, their nearby cousins the Riversides of Plymouth, the Union club of Morrisania, the Forest City club of Rockford, Illinois, and the most interesting of all - the White Stockings of Chicago. All these clubs have competed in the Association for years, but never with openly professional players.

Once again, the Red Stocking club is the favorite to defend their (disputed) championship of the 1869 season. The New York Mutuals are a likely competitor, and the Chicago White Stockings made a big splash by copping talented hurler Bunker Theobald from the Maryland club of Baltimore. Theobald was one of the best chuckers in the business last year, and there is no reason to expect he will not continue his success in his new surroundings.

The Tri Mountain club has an interesting chucker of its own in Eddie Brien, a slip of a lad of merely 17 summers, who spins a wicked ball for what looks to be a very talented Bostonian club.

Aleck Mason is back for the Athletic club of Philadelphia and assuming Lloyd Bohler, a fresh-faced Texan, can hold his own in the pitching box, the Athletic Club may be tough competition for the Cincinnatis.

The key question for the Union Club in our beloved Troy? That would be whether at the age of 37 can Ernie Beall and Clint Vestal continue their success on the ball field. Greg Dixon, at 26, is young and strong, but one man does not a club make, so the Unions will succeed only if Beall and Vestal can contribute.

In Brooklyn, the Eckford Club will again rely on center fielder Erik Anson, while the Atlantic Club is based on the keystone play of Tommy Kilgore. In nearby New York, the Mutual Club's Dirk Boyd will compete with the Union Club of Morrisania's prized acquistion Powhatan Bellino (late of the Keystones) for the title of the best first baseman in the nation's largest city.

The nation's capital sends two entries into the fray once again, with the National Club clearly superior to the Olympic Club. Where the Nationals quartet of pitcher J.W. Chapman, catcher Elroy Heinen, third baseman Vern Irving and short fielder Eric Bohen - top players all - the Olympics feature no superb practicioners of base ball.

The Plymouth entry is not expected to have the stout play needed to compete in this fast company, with the Forest Citys - both the Club in Rockford and the one in Cleveland - and Maryland Club also considered below the quality of the rest of the Association.

Pictured:
Eddie Bryan, Bunker Theobald, Aleck Mason, Ernie Beall, Dirk Boyd

04-25-2007, 10:09 PM	#17 (permalink)
legendsport Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Behind The Lens Posts: 2,158 Thanks: 3 Thanked 8x in 8 posts	1870 Season Preview The Base Ball Intelligencer, Troy, NY - April 13, 1870: It was a tumultuous winter for the member clubs of the National Association of Base Ball Players. With more and more of the aforementioned member clubs embarking on the course pioneered by the Cincinnati Red Stockings - namely that of a fully professional operation - the upcoming summer season shapes up to be even more interesting than season last. The Keystones, doormats of the "professional clique" within the Association, have disbanded, the clubs' playing parts scattered to the four winds. Also disbanding was the Irvington club. Moving into the openly professional ranks were five new contenders: the Tri Mountain club of Boston, their nearby cousins the Riversides of Plymouth, the Union club of Morrisania, the Forest City club of Rockford, Illinois, and the most interesting of all - the White Stockings of Chicago. All these clubs have competed in the Association for years, but never with openly professional players. Once again, the Red Stocking club is the favorite to defend their (disputed) championship of the 1869 season. The New York Mutuals are a likely competitor, and the Chicago White Stockings made a big splash by copping talented hurler Bunker Theobald from the Maryland club of Baltimore. Theobald was one of the best chuckers in the business last year, and there is no reason to expect he will not continue his success in his new surroundings. The Tri Mountain club has an interesting chucker of its own in Eddie Brien, a slip of a lad of merely 17 summers, who spins a wicked ball for what looks to be a very talented Bostonian club. Aleck Mason is back for the Athletic club of Philadelphia and assuming Lloyd Bohler, a fresh-faced Texan, can hold his own in the pitching box, the Athletic Club may be tough competition for the Cincinnatis. The key question for the Union Club in our beloved Troy? That would be whether at the age of 37 can Ernie Beall and Clint Vestal continue their success on the ball field. Greg Dixon, at 26, is young and strong, but one man does not a club make, so the Unions will succeed only if Beall and Vestal can contribute. In Brooklyn, the Eckford Club will again rely on center fielder Erik Anson, while the Atlantic Club is based on the keystone play of Tommy Kilgore. In nearby New York, the Mutual Club's Dirk Boyd will compete with the Union Club of Morrisania's prized acquistion Powhatan Bellino (late of the Keystones) for the title of the best first baseman in the nation's largest city. The nation's capital sends two entries into the fray once again, with the National Club clearly superior to the Olympic Club. Where the Nationals quartet of pitcher J.W. Chapman, catcher Elroy Heinen, third baseman Vern Irving and short fielder Eric Bohen - top players all - the Olympics feature no superb practicioners of base ball. The Plymouth entry is not expected to have the stout play needed to compete in this fast company, with the Forest Citys - both the Club in Rockford and the one in Cleveland - and Maryland Club also considered below the quality of the rest of the Association. Pictured: Eddie Bryan, Bunker Theobald, Aleck Mason, Ernie Beall, Dirk Boyd Attached Images __________________ The Baseball Chronicle - Swinging thru History! The Football Chronicle - Hitting Hard Historically (PFS - 1962) Alternate Universe Football (FOF - 1994)