OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - A Revised History of Modern Era Baseball 1901-????

captaincarl · 09-29-2007, 02:38 AM

While the upstart American League was holding it's first major league schedule, the National League was staging it's 25th season. Since it's founding in 1876, the league had survive rules changes, shifting franchises and competition from three rival leagues, establishing the National League as the powerhouse in the young field of professional baseball. In 1892 the league expanded from eight teams to twelve, some teams, like the ones in Louisville and Washington, spent almost a decade away from the first division. Late in the 1890's Baltimore and Brooklyn came under common management, as did Cleveland with St.Louis and Pittsburgh with Louisville. These didn't lead to fixing of games, but it did lead to all of the better players being on one club, leaving the other team much weaker. In response to this, the league decided to cut down back to eight teams, dropping Baltimore, Louisville, Washington and Cleveland. This left the loop in New York, Brooklyn, St.Louis, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

The emergence on the scene of the American League not only created a second major league, it also provided an escape valve for the players. The players embraced the bidding war that developed and about thirty regulars from 1900 jumped to the new league, including stars Nap Lajoie, John McGraw, Joe McGinnity, Clark Griffith and Cy Young. The AL occupies three of the abandoned NL cities and new teams were placed in direct competition in Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia.

On the field, the East Coast teams were more hurt by the AL raids then the Western teams, with the possible exception being the Superbas. Brooklyn was in a dogfight with Cincinnati all season long before finally winning the NL title with three games to go. The Superbas were lead on offense by hitters "Wee" Willie Keeler and Tom McCreery. Sam Crawford led the Reds to a second place finish and won the league's Outstanding Hitter Award as he finished fourth in average, hitting .343, while leading the league in home runs with 13 and was third in runs batted in with 87.

While Philadelphia finished third and boasted the arm of Doc White, the league's winningest pitcher, New York showed off the arm of rookie sensation Christy Mathewson, a 21-game winner in his first season.

Code:

National League     W   L   PCT  GB
Brooklyn           80  60  .571  --
Cincinnati         75  65  .536   5
Philadelphia       75  65  .536   5
New York           74  66  .529   6
St.Louis           72  68  .514   8
Pittsburgh         71  69  .507   9
Chicago            60  80  .429  20
Boston             53  87  .379  27


Batting AVG           AVG
W.Keeler, BRO        .369
J.Burkett, SLN       .366
G.Van Haltren, NY1   .351

Homeruns               HR
S.Crawford, CIN        13
C.Hickman, NY1         11
T.McCreery, BRO        10

Runs Batted In        RBI
C.Hickman, NY1        106
E.Flick, PHI          100
S.Crawford, CIN        87

Runs Scored            RS
R.Thomas, PHI         113
S.Crawford, CIN        99
B.Hamilton, BSN        99

Stolen Bases           SB
W.Keeler, BRO          68
J.Sheckard, BRO        60
E.Heidrick, SLN        57

Earned Run Average    ERA
D.White, PHI         2.07
R.Waddell, PIT       2.08
L.Swormstedt, CIN    2.35

Wins                    W
D.White, PHI           26
B.Duggleby, PHI        21
C.Mathewson, NY1       21

Saves                  SV
C.Heismann, CIN         4
R.Denzer, CIN           2
B.McFadden, CIN         2

Strikeouts             SO
C.Mathewson, NY1      209
D.White, PHI          209
T.Hughes, CHN         177

09-29-2007, 02:38 AM	#7 (permalink)
captaincarl All Star Reserve Join Date: May 2003 Location: Barrington, RI Posts: 998	1901 - NL Year In Review While the upstart American League was holding it's first major league schedule, the National League was staging it's 25th season. Since it's founding in 1876, the league had survive rules changes, shifting franchises and competition from three rival leagues, establishing the National League as the powerhouse in the young field of professional baseball. In 1892 the league expanded from eight teams to twelve, some teams, like the ones in Louisville and Washington, spent almost a decade away from the first division. Late in the 1890's Baltimore and Brooklyn came under common management, as did Cleveland with St.Louis and Pittsburgh with Louisville. These didn't lead to fixing of games, but it did lead to all of the better players being on one club, leaving the other team much weaker. In response to this, the league decided to cut down back to eight teams, dropping Baltimore, Louisville, Washington and Cleveland. This left the loop in New York, Brooklyn, St.Louis, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. The emergence on the scene of the American League not only created a second major league, it also provided an escape valve for the players. The players embraced the bidding war that developed and about thirty regulars from 1900 jumped to the new league, including stars Nap Lajoie, John McGraw, Joe McGinnity, Clark Griffith and Cy Young. The AL occupies three of the abandoned NL cities and new teams were placed in direct competition in Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia. On the field, the East Coast teams were more hurt by the AL raids then the Western teams, with the possible exception being the Superbas. Brooklyn was in a dogfight with Cincinnati all season long before finally winning the NL title with three games to go. The Superbas were lead on offense by hitters "Wee" Willie Keeler and Tom McCreery. Sam Crawford led the Reds to a second place finish and won the league's Outstanding Hitter Award as he finished fourth in average, hitting .343, while leading the league in home runs with 13 and was third in runs batted in with 87. While Philadelphia finished third and boasted the arm of Doc White, the league's winningest pitcher, New York showed off the arm of rookie sensation Christy Mathewson, a 21-game winner in his first season. Code: National League W L PCT GB Brooklyn 80 60 .571 -- Cincinnati 75 65 .536 5 Philadelphia 75 65 .536 5 New York 74 66 .529 6 St.Louis 72 68 .514 8 Pittsburgh 71 69 .507 9 Chicago 60 80 .429 20 Boston 53 87 .379 27 Batting AVG AVG W.Keeler, BRO .369 J.Burkett, SLN .366 G.Van Haltren, NY1 .351 Homeruns HR S.Crawford, CIN 13 C.Hickman, NY1 11 T.McCreery, BRO 10 Runs Batted In RBI C.Hickman, NY1 106 E.Flick, PHI 100 S.Crawford, CIN 87 Runs Scored RS R.Thomas, PHI 113 S.Crawford, CIN 99 B.Hamilton, BSN 99 Stolen Bases SB W.Keeler, BRO 68 J.Sheckard, BRO 60 E.Heidrick, SLN 57 Earned Run Average ERA D.White, PHI 2.07 R.Waddell, PIT 2.08 L.Swormstedt, CIN 2.35 Wins W D.White, PHI 26 B.Duggleby, PHI 21 C.Mathewson, NY1 21 Saves SV C.Heismann, CIN 4 R.Denzer, CIN 2 B.McFadden, CIN 2 Strikeouts SO C.Mathewson, NY1 209 D.White, PHI 209 T.Hughes, CHN 177 Last edited by captaincarl; 09-29-2007 at 02:40 AM.