A question about minor league databases...

[The_Offspring187]

Hey guys. I'm in the process of finding a free minor league database where I can view minor league players from around the 30s and 40s. My best friend's (he's currently a LHP at a local college here) grandpa was in the minors many many years ago, my friend thinks he was on the Boston Red Sox team. He was an outfielder and made it to either AA or AAA, before he hurt his arm throwing a football and had to bow out. I was wanting to possibly put him in this game, and see how he'd turn out if he had made it to the majors (I've got a historical league going right now that is in the year 1914, so I'd like to find this info by the time I reach the 30s or 40s). Do any of you guys know where I can find a minor league player database to find out some of his stats and stuff from when he was a minor league player?

I'd really appreciate this...I've introduced this friend to the game, and he might want to put his grandpa in the game someday as well. I'd really appreciate it if any of you could help me out, either by showing me where a minor league database is that's free (I don't have hardly any money...and when I do have money, I usually spend it on things I need), or by perhaps doing some research on this guy, I'd be really grateful to you. I did some searches at google.com and other websites last night and nothing turned up. I'll go back to Google and see what I typed in last night to get his first name (I remember his last name but forgot his first). If any of you guys can help me out, I'll respond with his name if you need it.

Thanks in advance!

[CBL-Commish]

That's a good question. I don't think a comprehensive database of minor league players exists, either online, offline, free or for money. At least I don't know of one. There were soooo many teams and leagues in the pre-1950 era that it would be an incredibly daunting task. Probably an order of magnitude more players than in the majors, and lots of incomplete stat keeping by the leagues, lost records, etc. Most of the yearly guides couldn't have possibly fit stats for everyone in the minors, so they just did brief writeups of the season and maybe some standings and league leaders.

SABR has put out a couple of books called Minor League Stars and Minor League Stars II that have a lot of data on, of course, big stars from the minors, but they're by no means comprehensive.

Good luck. If you find anything close to what you're looking for, I'd love to hear about it.