Fictional Negro Leaguers?

[Joe Savoy]

I am the commissioner of the Savoy League (www.savoyleague.com) . This is a fictional on-line league that has just finished season number 2. The league began in 1938 and is a mix of computer generated fictional players and 6 "real" fictional players added every year who come from books and movies. However, next year we're expanding to 16 teams and the storyline involves the color barrier coming down. Anyway, I am going to throw 16 "real" fictional negro leaguers into the draft and I'm running short on names. I have come up with 16, but some of them are really stretching it. For instance I took one from an X-Files televsion show.

CF. Coco Grimes
LF. Buck “Hercules” Mertle
C. Joe Louis Brown
P. Buck McHenry
P. Bingo Long
C. Leon Carter
RF. Charlie Snow
RF. Willie Lee Shivley
SS. Louis Keystone
3B. Emory “Champ” Chambers
1B. Fat Sam Popper
CF. Esquire Joe Calloway
CF. Leonard “Rooster” Willoughby
RHP. Leland “Buck” Wilson
SP. King Carl Johnson
LF. Josh Exley

[LivnLegend]

Originally posted by Joe Savoy
I have come up with 16, but some of them are really stretching it. For instance I took one from an X-Files televsion show.

LF. Josh Exley

Joe,
I was never an X-Files fan but I did watch the (excellent) episode you are referring to and I don't think that's stretching it at all -- I think it's a great addition!

[fanzerpaust]

Man, you forgot about Cool Papa Bell, the fastest player ever. The rumor was that he could turn the light switch off, and run and get in bed before it went dark. I would be interested in joining if there is room.

[clarnzz]

Just make sure you rate 10 of them with Babe Ruth type ratings to keep it historically accurate and you will be set.

[Joe Savoy]

>>Joe, I was never an X-Files fan but I did watch the (excellent) episode you are referring to and I don't think that's stretching it at all -- I think it's a great addition!<<

Ah, perhaps I will keep Mr. Exley. I also have Rooster Rodriguez and King Carl Johnson who really were only a Saturday Night Live sketch. I wouldn't even mind going up to 20 player so that the expansion teams get a crack at 1 more starter.

>>Man, you forgot about Cool Papa Bell, the fastest player ever. The rumor was that he could turn the light switch off, and run and get in bed before it went dark. I would be interested in joining if there is room.<<

I am a big Cool Papa Bell fan, but I want to keep this league to fictional players. Plust Cool Papa would definitely dominate this league in the extreme.

>>Just make sure you rate 10 of them with Babe Ruth type ratings to keep it historically accurate and you will be set.<<

I'm trying to rate it based on the quality of some of the first players to make the switch in real life. You had guys like Robinson, Doby, Irvin, Campanella, Newcombe who became real stars and others like Joe Black and Paige who were past their prime. Plust their were the players who came later like Mays and Banks. My plan is to make several real Hall of Fame caliber players.

[JimiP]

I guess you are referring to 'legitamite' cross overs. BB history if fullof (ahem) Cubans or Spanish players who played and 'of course they were not Black'...
'Nig' Clarke was just one these 'questionable' players, i'm sure you can find more of them in the assorted references - just for the heck of it

[Joe Savoy]

I guess you are referring to 'legitamite' cross overs. BB history if fullof (ahem) Cubans or Spanish players who played and 'of course they were not Black'...

Oh yeah, this is a 1940s league. I've been reading recently about a few of the "Native American" players who also may not have been.

[sixfour210]

You've got a nice looking web site there Joe, and the names sound great. Keep up the good work!

Oh yeah, check my sig for a Cool Papa Bell refernce.

[Joe Savoy]

You've got a nice looking web site there Joe, and the names sound great. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for the kind words. I love the Cool Papa Bell references. How exactly do I put a link in my signature? I am so HTML hopeless. Fortunately, I have a league member who set the page up for me so it's just following directions. The league has been a lot of fun and it's encouraged me to read some great baseball fiction from Ring Lardner and Phillip Roth to Frank O'Rourke. I did a test by making a solo league and trying out some rating ideas for the new players letting the computer simulate 20 years and I think they work out perfectly. I'd love to be able to come up with 3 more names though.

[Joe Savoy]

I have no idea why I'm replying to such an old thread except to say that Josh Exley wound up having a 20 year career in the Savoy League. He retired following the 1960 season when at age 40 he was but a shell of his former self. He never won a world series, but hit 10 post season home runs and batted over .300 in the playoffs. In the regular season her put up numbers the league had never seen before:

AB 11,112
R 1929
H 3240
2B 673
3B 161
HR 532
RBI 2013
AVG .292
SO 1365
BB 1282
SB 203
CS 168

He was drafted by the Wisconsin Cheetahs, an expansion team with the 4th pick and he played there his entire 20 year career. He was a 14 time all-star.

The greatest thing about this sim is that these players have the ability to transcend their coding and almost become real. I remember their owner's reaction when Exley finally retired the same year as his only competition for our league's greatest player.

If being part of a fictional league with that kind of history appeals to you, check out Savoy League Main Page - Out of the Park Baseball Report. If you're still interested email SavoyCommish@aol.com. We actually have openings including an expansion team.