Historically acurate schedules

[Scoman]

So I was moving right along in my 1901 to present historical league,and I was playing the year 1919,when the season ended abruptly at 140 games. I thought what the heck is going on ,is this a bug. So i went to baseball-reference to check out 1919,and sure enough most teams played 139 or 140 games that year,when it was a 154 game schedule. So what happened that year,was there a strike or something? Anyway,I guess i can look foward to a few years like that in the future,have to keep a eye on that. Real nice touch and adds to the historical replay realism.

[Alpha]

There are a couple of seasons where there are best-of-9 World Series played around that era which I spotted whilst I was letting the game simulate a few decades. Which, if you weren't paying attention and were managing game-by-game, could really kill the feeling you get when you win with the series tied 3-3.

[progen]

Here's the answer:

Anticipating a poor season at the gate, major league owners decided to open a reduced one-hundred forty game season. Despite the lack of close races, attendance remained high all year and every club managed to show a profit at the end of the year.

The 1919 World Series ignited the infamous "Black Sox" scandal after eight members of the participating White Sox including pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Claude (Lefty) Williams, outfielders Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch, first baseman Chick Gandil, shortstop Swede Risberg, third baseman Buck Weaver and reserve infielder Fred McMullin were all charged with conspiring to fix the outcome of the Fall Classic against the Cincinnati Reds. Cynics were tipped off before the Series even started when the pre-game betting odds swapped shortly before the first game. Despite the rumors, most fans and members of the press accepted the games to be true, but all that would change in 1920 as suspicions turned into confessions. To this day participants in the conspiracy have been denied entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

[Scoman]

Originally Posted by progen

Here's the answer:

Anticipating a poor season at the gate, major league owners decided to open a reduced one-hundred forty game season. Despite the lack of close races, attendance remained high all year and every club managed to show a profit at the end of the year.

The 1919 World Series ignited the infamous "Black Sox" scandal after eight members of the participating White Sox including pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Claude (Lefty) Williams, outfielders Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch, first baseman Chick Gandil, shortstop Swede Risberg, third baseman Buck Weaver and reserve infielder Fred McMullin were all charged with conspiring to fix the outcome of the Fall Classic against the Cincinnati Reds. Cynics were tipped off before the Series even started when the pre-game betting odds swapped shortly before the first game. Despite the rumors, most fans and members of the press accepted the games to be true, but all that would change in 1920 as suspicions turned into confessions. To this day participants in the conspiracy have been denied entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Wow,looks like a poor call by the owners. I figured it had something to do with the war or the Black Sox scandal. Makes me want to watch Eight Men Out again.

[Eric]

So does that mean in 1994, there won't be a world series?

[DawnBTVS]

Actually, the players on the 1919 White Sox were acquitted but all were still banned from the game IIRC. Also I think there were reports that players on the Cincinnati Reds were also gambling on the games but obviously nothing came of it.

Gambling on the games was prevalent even before the '19 White Sox... sadly they were the ones that got "caught" although, ironically, they were never charged with anything.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Scoman

So I was moving right along in my 1901 to present historical league,and I was playing the year 1919,when the season ended abruptly at 140 games. I thought what the heck is going on ,is this a bug. So i went to baseball-reference to check out 1919,and sure enough most teams played 139 or 140 games that year,when it was a 154 game schedule.

As progren mentioned, due to the lingering effects of WWI, owners anticpated a difficult season and trimmed the schedule back to 140 games.

Note that the 1918 season, originally scheduled for 154 games, was ended early on Labor Day, after clubs had played about 127 games each on average. This was due to the "Work or Fight" order issued by the U.S. government earlier that summer.

No, the game does not recreate the war-shortened WWI season, nor the seasons affected by strikes/lockouts. I hope an option to recreate such scenarios will be included for next year...