A New (Fictional) History of Baseball

[Denny Lemaster]

From “Carmine Pashley's Historical Baseball Conspectus, 1987"
Part II: The Beginning, 1867-1892

How was the game structured?
There is a temptation to to want an unbroken line from the FA and CF to the earliest leagues and associations. The oral history of original 16 reach into Antebellum America: The Buffalo All-Americans played in the otherwise forgotten Knickerbocker Association, which grew from the town and village teams which existed before baseball had the rules and form of baseball. The St. Louis All-Stars of 1893 were said to be, in the parlance of the day, a 'picked nine' of the St. Louis City and Industrial Leagues. The Brooklyn Lions established a history back to 1842.

It is neat. It is clean. It makes a good story.

And it is not very true.

Never mind there were more than one "Buffalo All-Americans" playing in the Nickel City (and the Knickerbocker Association may not have even existed), and I'd bet dollars to donuts that the first time many of the 1893 All-Stars saw St. Louis was their first home game. As for the Lions, well, the Gilded Age was not known for it's honesty. Our need for a history extends back to even before we had history. That baseball developed it's own mythology simultaneously with it's growth and development, that's just human nature.

The best bet for researchers looking for that Ur-league would be to look at the Union of Professional Base Ballers and Clubs (UPBBC). To call it a league would be stretching the truth a bit. Formal Association would be a better name. From 1867 to 1892 the UPBBC oversaw the only legitimately National tournament of the time. At it's peak, there were over 300 dues playing clubs. From Maine to California; from Florida to Washington state the UPBBC acted more as a booking and talent agent than governing body. Member clubs agreed to set visitor percentages, roster raiding was banned “from June to August” and the 'member match list' brought even small town teams to the four corners of the county. But the UPBBC did none of the other things we would consider the duties of a league. There was no suspension power, no centralize scheduling, not every team used contracts. Baseball researchers right now are more comfortable saying what the UPBBC wasn't than what it was.

I feel comfortable saying annually the best clubs in America were members of the UPBBC (by the end of it's existence, I'd estimate at least the top 150 to 200 teams were members); and their tournament champion had the best argument for national championship status. But consider this: there are about 1/3 the teams in organized baseball today as the UPBBC had at it's peak. Some of those games would be like watching Major Leaguers versus a college team. A bad college team. People, then as now, are reluctant to pay good money for a bad game.

It was the highest level of baseball in the country, but I am very reluctant to call it a "Major League". The biggest problem, as I see it, in engaging in this sort of backwards status raising is we begin to elevate to "Major League" status teams and players having no business making those kind of claims. I'd estimate annually there were 6 to 12 “Major League”quality teams from the first documented 'professional' leagues (and I use that term very loosely) to the founding of the Original Leagues. Other researchers are more generous to the point of absurdity, I've seen list showing over 1000 “Major League” teams from this era.

Think of it like this: Take your local Park District Softball League. Now think of all the Park District Softball Leagues around the country. Pool all those players together and you could put together a decent and competitive national softball league. But spread the talent around as it is, well, how do you rank them? How do you analyze all these teams when in some cases all you have is a win/loss record, with little context of what those wins and losses mean? This is what Pre-1893 baseball is like. A couple "Super Nines" every year and hundreds of Park District Softball Teams.

The end started in the 1880's as the big city teams began to tired of unsellable games against sandlot talent, began to tire of sharing territories, tired of lawless, violent players. Various groups of club sponsors and backers pushed initially for change within the UPBBC-a tiered system of membership being the most common suggestion-to overturn the whole structure. When the right group of men came together over the winter of 1891-1892, they saw how much better the play could be with a much smaller association and how much money could be made running the show themselves. The Original Leagues had the money, the talent, and the will to push professional baseball under their authority.

The founding of the so-call "Original Leagues" was a radical break from anything existing before 1893. Teams were independent of each other. There were informal 'leagues' all across the country. Geography locked teams in to regionally similar schedules. If a newspaper called a grouping a league, association or conference while comparing records, it was more for promoting the game in a region than any official sanction.

The whole purpose of the original leagues was bring the best players in the nation to the Eastern and Midwestern baseball centers. Yes, the teams in the so-called "Baseball Capitals" were thought to have the inside track on the local schoolboy phenoms produced every summer; but now the "Baseball Capitals" might also bring in Atlanta's or Minneapolis's or San Francisco's schoolboy phenom. The plan of the Original Leagues was, simply put, to price out any competition for top quality players. Every one of the original 16 owners in 1893 sponsored a team in the UPBBC in 1892. Almost all of them had the same name and playing field in both years. But a scant handful of players took the field for the same club. This is where the simple straight line makes a very sharp curve.

That this arraignment could last 25 years without any change or real alteration and then suddenly vanish set a pattern baseball would see for over 100 years. The Status Quo goes unchallenged for decades and then, with little warning, something new stands in its place.”

Where was the game played?
Everywhere. From New York City to Itta Bena, Mississippi to Los Angeles to Pullman, Washington. And every city in between. If the town had professional baseball in the first 50 years of development, they probably had a team in the UPBBC.

It seems ridiculous to those of us who lived in the era of the Syndicate Leagues that Itta Bena, Mississippi would think about competing with New York City. We must remember professional, at this time, did not mean well paid. A team of crack college players and high school wonders could be put together fairly cheaply. A local athletic club or wealthy patron could fund these small town teams for a few years.

When the Original Leagues exploded the cost of doing business as the Panic of 1893 hit, hundreds of clubs pulled out of the professional game. The 40-some clubs who survived accepted the classification system out of equal parts fear and shock. Fewer cities would have teams, but the quality of the game was beginning a steady ascent.

What kind of stadiums did they play in?
In the first decade every team played in parks barely adequate at the high school and legion ball level. As time marched on, the bigger cities and towns started moving closer and closer to the first modern stadiums.

San Francisco Grounds (vainglorious names honoring egotistical owners were still a generation away) was generally praised as the premier facility of the time. Fully enclosed by the Mid-1880's, it looked like a stadium as we understand it from the outside. Inside, it was the same old bleacher and bench set up. Notwithstanding the evidently impressive stacking job done with the bleachers (it was mentioned constantly in articles about the place), the Grounds was just a larger version of the same old park. The courtyard area the wall created did have one lasting impact on the culture: The collection of vendor booths and carts was one of the earliest version of the American Stadium 'food court'.

In the smaller towns, things were not advancing at the same rate. Some additional benches, maybe a second tier built upon the original bleachers, but nothing in terms of comforts and extras the big city's parks. Some of the smallest towns were still getting by with these 'so-called' parks when the UPBBC collapsed. In many of these towns there was no reason to expand the parks. In Sewanee, Tennessee a sell out brought in about 2/3 of the town. Not much good 5,000 seats, let alone 15,000, would do there.

What were the minors like?
No minors at this time. A reserve roster system, common in international leagues, was used by clubs of the time.

Rosters grew from 15 to 20 players during this period. Clubs would have a reserve roster of anywhere from 1 to 15 players. These players would be available for injuries and slumps. They would travel and train with the club.

The players would perform many of the duties of a modern support staff. Baggage handling, ticket takers, grounds keeping, ushers--you name it, the reserve roster did it.

[Denny Lemaster]

List of UPBBC Tournament Champions
1867- Manhattan (NY) Lions
1868- Hartford (CT) Blues
1869- Storrs (CT) Huskies
1870- Minneapolis (MN) Red Jackets
1871- Detroit (MI) Heralds
1872- Frankford (PA) Yellow Jackets
1873- Washington (DC) Colonials
1874- Philadelphia (PA) Owls
1875- Brooklyn (NY) Giants
1876- Boston (MA) Patriots
1877- Brooklyn (NY) Giants
1878- Chicago (IL) Tigers
1879- Brookline (MA) Eagles
1880- Buffalo (NY) Bills
1881- Washington (DC) Senators
1882- Columbus (OH) Buckeyes
1883- Pittsburgh (PA) Tartans
1884- Louisville (KY) Colonels
1885- Bronx (NY) Rams
1886- Indianapolis (IN) Bulldogs
1887- Queens (NY) Titans
1888- Richmond (VA) Spiders
1889- West Point (NY) Black Knights
1890- Cambridge (MA) Crimson
1891- Akron (OH) Pros
1892- Boston (MA) Yanks
1893- Danville (KY) Colonels
1894- Lexington (VA) Generals

The tournament lasted into the first few years of the OL's, but it was quickly eclipsed by the more organized arm of baseball. With little interest from the large Midwest and Eastern cities, along with a fatal ambivalence on the 60' 6” issue, the UPBBC could no longer finance it's operation. Independent/unorganized clubs still flourished in the south and west until the early 1900's. While periodic revivals of traveling clubs occurred until the late 50's, they would not longer have the influence on the shape of the game as they did in these beginning days of professionalism.

[Denny Lemaster]

It would be easy to say the inaugural season of the “Original Leagues” was a sensation, seizing the interest of baseball lovers across America and establishing itself as the premier form of baseball. This statement would be true in a few years, especially in the Midwest and East. But in 1893, it was just a group of teams trying something new. And success was insured by something so basic and common, it is almost taken for granted in modern sports.

It was the schedule.

In the era of the Independents, a published schedule was a luxury. There would be the occasional “Important” game which would receive a week or so of hype, but it was hit and miss most of the time. Like in Boston: there were at least 7 high-level professional clubs in Boston and surrounding area. A person looking for a game shouldn't have too much trouble during the summer. But it could be very difficult. Researchers for the Boston chapter of the Association for American Baseball Analysis (AABA) have found there were routinely stretches during a baseball year when all 7 clubs were out of the Boston area. And even if one or more clubs were in town, there is the matter of tracking down the particular city green where the match was to occur. Under these conditions, margins were razor thin for clubs, even the successful ones.

As a leading sponsor of Boston area clubs, Gentry Fogo was not the first man to see how the unfocused nature of professional base ball was holding the game back. His diaries reveal initial discussions with other sponsors about reforming professional baseball started in the Late 1880's. Over the summers of 1891 and 1892, Fogo continued to forge alliances and relationships with other big city sponsors. The original plan was to force a vote at the UPBBC convention for a 'classification' system. As the Panic of 1893 hit and club after club announced it's intention to sit out the summer the UPBBC convention in Washing (coinciding with Cleveland's inauguration) descended into anarchy. With less than 100 clubs represented at the convention, the Classification faction lead by Fogo reached out to the most financially sound Midwestern and Eastern clubs. In his diary Fogo wrote,

“It was a sale needing little skill to make. Our meeting cotained [sic] the dwindling pool of men ready to fund a club in the bleak times ahead. When all around are consumed by fear, the rational man echoes genius in his words. Panic craves a leader.”

When UPBBC officials offered little opinion on the widespread collapse of professional clubs, the Classification system became the rallying cry of the convention. Sensing the moment, Chicago Cardinal sponsor and attorney Fredric Palen hastily drew up “The Charter and Constitution for American Professional Baseball”. The 58 clubs unanimously ratified the document, and the first incarnation of organized professional baseball had begun.

In the rush of days, the various sponsors allied into 4 classes (with room to expand to an additional 2 classes) with a total of 7 leagues. With most professional clubs in the northern part of the country committed to organized baseball, independent baseball in that region was quickly becoming a thing of the past.

There were two requirements of all signatory clubs to the Charter, maintain a single permanent ground (with the newly mandated 60' 6” pitching distance) and have a full schedule of games published one month prior to beginning play. The few remaining vagabond Independents in the north were faced with either shutting down operation or becoming a road team traveling south and west. Attendance at games reached records at all levels of the game. Even the traditionalist who lamented the limited number of clubs now playing at the highest level were won over. Organized baseball also had discipline and worked to fight the so-called “kicking” which had infested the game.

Players too enjoyed the new arraignment. Salaries for the best players exploded as Organized Baseball sought to force the Independents to make due with inferior talent. While the reserve system instituted would eventually help tear the game apart, it was at the time a welcome change from the continental wanderings many players experienced during the UPBBC era.

It has become something of a cliché to refer the first decade or so of the Original Leagues as some sort golden age. The seeds for future problems littered the scene, it is only in retrospect are they obvious. The period from 1893 to 1906 cemented the idea of organized professional baseball as the best the nation had to offer. Both the players and owners reaped great benefits in this period with income for both reaching previously unimagined heights.

Opening Day was April 3, 1893. The Federal Alliance gave Philadelphia the honor of hosting their circuit’s first game. The honor was tarnished by center fielder Paul Standefer's 3 error performance in the 13-2 Louisville win.

The Columbia Federation was more democratic opening with a full slate of contest. The New York Giants' home extra inning loss to Boston was the first game to start. The St. Louis All-Stars were the only home team to win on the opening day.

It wasn't pretty. With the pitching distance increased (Fogo believed pitching, or hurling as it was called, was becoming a lost skill. “See the frequency a batsman is called to the box and performs as well as the average hurler,” he wrote in the March issue of This Sporting Life. “Only men of sufficient speed and skill can succeed at 60'6”.”) pitching struggled to adjust.

End of April
FA-Baltimore leads Louisville by 2.5
CF-Boston leads St. Louis by 1.5

End of May
FA-Baltimore leads Cleveland by 2, no one else closer than 7
CF-Detroit leads St. Louis by 2, and Washington and Boston by 3

End of June
FA-Baltimore leads Cleveland by 4, no one else closer than 6
CF-St. Louis leads Detroit by 1, no one else closer than 6

On July 15, Bond Kingwell of the Cleveland Tigers became the first manager in to be fired. It was a little bit confusing, Kingwell had taken a club expected to be in the bottom half of the standings and kept them close to the Colts most of the year. But the start to July was brutal and a 2-11 effort dropped the Tigers behind Milwaukee, 7 games back. I think he was doing a great job with one of the worst offenses in the league. Bench coach Blas Lepez is made manager.

End of July
FA-Baltimore leads Milwaukee by 5, no one else closer than 6
CF-St. Louis leads New York by 3 and Detroit by 4, everyone else is 10+ back

The last few days would decided everything.

In the FA, Cleveland had bubbled back to tie Baltimore for most of August. As fate would have it, the Tigers would be in Baltimore to end the year. Whoever took two of the three would hoist the pennant.

Baltimore took the advantage with by pushing in a late run in game one of the series. With two out in the 8^th reserve infielder Lefty Merriman (a right handed man) tripled between the center and right fielder. Eric Carry dribbled an easy ball down the first base line, which Utton Cadman could not handle. Merriman scored and could clinch the next day.

In game two, Baltimore jumped out to a 6-1 lead after three innings. As celebration spread through the stands, the Tigers rallied in the 9^th to tie on Renly Zang's triple and Three Toes Morseman's double. Colts' faithful breathed easy when Cysewski sacrificed Carry to second. But Carry tried to steal 3^rd and was cut down.

Rather than be disheartened, the Colts held fast in the top of the 10^th. Pread Greg singled, stole second and took second on a wild pitch. A walk to Joslin set up the double play. Montana Piering's fly ball was probably deep enough to score Greg, but Edderion Michetti muffed the fly and the Colts had the first Federal Alliance pennant.

St. Louis's started slipping when Jefferson Ozenbaugh went down with a severe rib injury. The Giants had been playing at a .646 clip since June (including a 21-8 July) to edge into the lead. And Detroit had never gone away all season long. Detroit would need to sweep the Giants in Manhattan to force a playoff, St. Louis's fate depended on those outcomes because even a home sweep of Washington assured nothing.

On the Thursday when there series started tension was high across the nation. St. Louis committed 6 errors in losing to the Senators. Detroit and New York played 14 innings before the Heralds exploded very late to win 8-2.

On Friday, it was the same story: a New York win ended the chase. St. Louis and Detroit could not afford a single loss.

Coming off yesterday's marathon, both clubs wanted the early knock out in New York. It didn't happen. The Heralds took the lead for good in the 8^th, as Pyromancer Cadwyl held the Giants down in a 2-1 nail biter. St. Louis did what they needed to do with Armando Banderas shutting out Washington. A three-way tie was possible.

Friday September 1^st, Manhattan was gripped in a near baseball panic. The Giants had only won 7 of the 19 meetings with Detroit, including a 3-6 record in Manhattan. The Giants would rely on the arm of Diz Zembrzuski and his attempt to win his 30^th game. Barra Stuker wasn't Detroit's ace, that would be Cadwyl, but he was still a formidable no. 2. And with Washington throwing the inconsistent Ken Luhring, a New York loss certainly meant a 3-way tie.

New York took a 2-0 lead in the first. Gave it up in the 3^rd, tied it and took the lead with single runs in the 3^rd and 6^th. Zembrzuski needed to retire the heart of the Heralds' order to win the pennant. With one out, Zembrzuski couldn't handle the toss from first baseman Dutch Almack. Detroit tied the game eventually, but could not take the lead.

In the bottom of the 10^th, shortstop Doyle Ketterhagen, trying to hurry a throw misses Delmore Gracik. Todder Mowrer was able to jog home, and the Giants had won the pennant. St. Louis did win, so a three way tie was narrowly avoided.

Federal Alliance
Baltimore Colts          79-61  -
Cleveland Tigers         78-62  1
Brooklyn Lions           73-67  6
Louisville Colonels      71-69  8
Milwaukee Badgers        69-71 10
Chicago Cardinals        68-72 11
Philadelphia Eagles      65-75 14
Buffalo All-Americans    57-83 22

Columbia Federation
New York Giants             82-58  –
St. Louis All-Stars         81-59  1
Detroit Heralds             80-60  2
Boston Bulldogs             77-63  5
Washington Senators         64-76 18
Pittsburgh Pirates          61-79 21
Chicago Tigers              59-81 23
Cincinnati Celts            56-84 26

By an odd quirk, both batting champions were traded for each other mid-season. Mitchell Mugan's .389 average and Delmore Gracik's .379 held up even after the two were traded for each other with a month left in the season.

[Denny Lemaster]

It was a match between New York's superior pitching and defense and Baltimore's offense. Baltimore's pitching, however, was not as bad as the Giant's offense. The New Yorkers ranking last in 6 of the major team battting stats and rankings. Their main weapon was speed. When someone did get on, they pushed for one run, knowing the pitching could make it stand up.

Baltimore knew their ace, 29 game winner Eon Lincke could go 3 times in the series, while New York could only get 2 games from Diz Zembrzuski who won the clinching game on the last day of the regular season. Good thing the Giant's no. 2, Skin Gottmo, was no slouch himself winning 28 games.

Game 1 at Manhattan Ballpark
A little over 2300 of New York's most rabid baseball fans turn out for the opener. Baltimore's Montreal Alferez, owner of 18 regular season home runs, knocked in a two-run shot off Skin Gottmo. Eon Lincke was shaky in the bottom of the first, but the Giants could only plate 1 run of the seven who came to bat.

Three straight hits in the top of the 4^th, including two double, extend the Colts' lead to 4-1. New York was able to scratch out a single run in the bottom of the same frame.

Another single run from both team kept the margin at 2 through the later innings. Things got interesting with 2-out in the New York half of the 9^th. Toefinger Pedi beat out an infield hit, and Banning reached on an error. Todder Mowrer gave it a ride, but the park was too big. Baltimore wins game 1, 5-3.

Game 2 at Manhattan Ballpark
It was all about Diz in game 2. Zembrzuski was expected to win and set everything right before the series shifted south. But again, the Colts' hitter jumped out to a quick lead in the first, 2-0.

Both clubs had the offense moving. The Giants getting single runs in the first 4 innings, leading the game 4-3 after 4. The crowd, nearly 3000 strong to see Zembrzuski, was full of nervous murmur.

The clubs traded runs in the 5^th and 6^th. There was no joy in the offense of the G-Men, too many runs left on the bases, and Diz couldn't seem to get comfortable against the Colt bats. By the time the 9^th rolled around, the crowd was certain defeat was to be had at the hands of the visitors. But Zembrzuski did what he had to do, and the Series was tied at 1.

Game 3 at Baltimore Ballpark
A rematch of game 1, the Charm City hosted the largest crowd of the Championship so-far. With over 3000 baseball mad Baltimoreans screaming in full voice at first pitch, the pressure was on.

As far as Colt fans cared, Diz could win his two games, they had Eon for three. But it was Lincke's turn to struggle as the Giant plated 4 runs. Alferez's two errors were more damaging than anything Eon did himself; however it was his ability to pitch out of trouble that made him an ace. Now it was Baltimore's turn to worry.

The worries didn't last. 3 in the 2^nd, 2 in the 3rd—the Colts gave the lead to Lincke. And he was back to pitching like an ace. Until the 7^th.

Esmond Banning's lead off home run knotted the game. Followed by Todder Mowrer's triple, the Giants didn't waste this chance. Dutch Almack's single capped the scoring, and the Giants just need to hold a 7-5 lead.

In the bottom of the 9^th, Baltimore was still trying to get those two runs. Montana Piering's triple breathed new life into the crowd. Would Gottmo crack again? A four pitch walk gave further hope. With one out, Gottmo mishandled a grounder, scoring one. Then with two out, and runners on 2^nd and 3^rd, Pread Greg rolled on to first. A flip later, New York had taken a 2-1 lead, and seemed poised to win the title the next day.

Game 4 at Baltimore Ballpark
It looked bad in Baltimore. Zembrzuski, the 30 game winner, going for the Giants. Eon had let them down, the small advantage in pitching Colt fans thought they had was gone. Another large crowd was out to will the Colts to victory.

By the end of the 3^rd, the Colts lead 4-0, once again putting the Diz on the ropes. The Giant offense had been working better, 2 runs in the 4^th reminded the crowd of that. But if Baltimore's ace could lose, then so could the Giant's.

Then the sigh of relief. Two quick and costly errors by Giant defenders. Pitcher Godwin Andrus, was determined to make sure the season was saved. His double scored two, the five run inning had increased the lead to 7.

Baltimore pounded out 20 hits in the 12-6 win. Eon would have a chance to redeem himself.

Game 5 at Manhattan Ballpark
It was the biggest New York crowd of the series, but still several hundred short of what Baltimore offered. Which Gottmo would show for New York? Were the Baltimore bats on an unstoppable roll? Would Lincke do what the Diz couldn't, win the clincher for his team?

Baltimore had another big first, four runs on four hits. It took 4 innings, including solo homers by Toefinger Pedi and Bernie Brightblade, for the G-Men to tie the score.

Fehring led off the 5^th for Baltimore with a slick bunt, a sac bunt and steal of third put the Giants on edge. The Colt heavy hitters did their thing, a big double and Lou Joslin's 2-run homer. The Colts had given Eon an 8-4 lead with half a game to go.

Nothing would be easy, as New York clawed back to within one. Gottmo was replaced in the 8^th by Osjami Villarrubia, a reserve pitcher. Wild and inconsistent, not the best choice with your club needed to throw up zeroes. He made the pitches, no runs allowed in the 8^th.

Baltimore made the move to relief ace Jory Hejl. His speed overpowering the Giant lumber.

The Colts misplay a hit and run into a double play, saving an effectively wild Villarrubia. He posted the zeroes, now the offense need to get at least 1 run to keep the game going.

Infielder Bryn Cahill pinch hit to lead off the bottom of the 9^th, grounding to third.

Pedi pops to shallow right.

Esmond Banning works a walk.

Todder Mowrer pops it up in foul territory, and catcher Tom Kallio made the grab. The Colts win the First championship.

The National Championship
Baltimore over New York 3-2

Pitchers of the Year (as selected by the AABA Committee on the Original Leagues)
Federal Alliance: Eon Lincke, Baltimore, 29-14, 47 GS, 3.07 ERA, 408 IP
Columbia Federation: Diz Zembrzuski, New York, 30-13, 47 GS, 2.60 ERA, 411.1 IP, 158/60 K/BB

Batters of the Year (as selected by the AABA Committee on the Original Leagues)
Federal Alliance: RF Arrwyn Gookin, Philadelphia, 322/465/571, 20 2B, 21 3B, 19 HR, 107 RBI, 134/18 BB/K, 51 SB
Columbia Federation: RF Jory Pottschmidt, Boston, 376/426/541, 13 2B, 11 3B, 18 HR, 79 RBI, 115 R, 34 SB

[Denny Lemaster]

Class B

Heartland Association
Des Moines (IA) Bulldogs     81-45     -
South Bend (IN) Irish        68-58    13
Chicago (IL) Maroons         65-61    16
Ann Arbor (MI) Wolverines    60-66    21
Minneapolis (MN) Gophers     59-67    22
Madison (WI) Badgers         58-68    23
Lincoln (NE) Cornhuskers     58-68    23
Champaign (IL) Illini        55-71    26
 
Atlantic Confederation
Worcester (MA) Crusaders    70-56     –
Syracuse (NY) Orange        66-60     4
New Haven (CT) Bulldogs     66-60     4
Hartford (CT) Bantams       66-60     4
Cambridge (MA) Crimson      64-62     6
Manhattan (NY) Lions        63-63     7
Philadelphia (PA) Quakers   61-65     9
Providence (RI) Bears       48-78    22

American Junior Championship
Worcester over Des Moines 3-2

Class C

Mid-American Union
Bloomington (IN) Hoosiers           86-26     –
Galesburg (IL) Prairie Fire         74-38    12
Evanston (IL) Wildcats              66-46    20
West Lafayette (IN) Boilermakers    51-61    35
Iowa City (IA) Hawkeyes             47-65    39
Beloit (WI) Buccaneers              44-68    42
Grinnell (IA) Pioneers              40-72    46
Ames (IA) Cyclones                  40-72    46

Middle Atlantic Association
Easton (PA) Leopards             62-50     –
Princeton (NJ) Tigers            60-52     2
Carlisle (PA) Red Devils         60-52     2
Lewisburg (PA) Bisons            56-56     6
Annapolis (MD) Midshipmen        56-56     6
Carlisle (PA) Indians            55-57     7
State College (PA) Lions         50-62    12
Bethlehem (PA) Mountain Hawks    49-63    13

Easton over Bloomington 3-1 in Champions Cup Series

Class D

Northeastern Alliance
Middletown (CT) Cardinals     60-38     –
Ithaca (NY) Big Red           60-38     –
Medford (MA) Jumbos           58-40     2
Brunswick (ME) Polar Bears    58-40     2
West Point (NY) Black Knights 53-45     7
Amherst (MA) Lord Jeffs       47-51    13
Williamstown (MA) Ephs        45-53    15
Amherst (MA) Minutemen        43-55    17
Lewistown (ME) Bobcats        37-61    23
Hanover (NH) Big Green        29-69    31

Opening Round
Brunswick over Middletown 2-1
Medford over Ithaca 2-1

League Championship
Brunswick over Medford 3-1

[Denny Lemaster]

The earliest known baseball box score dates to the mid-1840's, generally credited to cricket reporter turned baseball booster, Hal Lannan. In the lead up to the inaugural season, a group of sponsors (the term owner only became used as clubs began to pay for themselves) approached Lannan with an offer to be the “Keeper and Director of the numerical record”. For the octogenarian, this honor could have been accepted as the sinecure it was intended to be, he choose to take the opportunity to 'correct' some of oversights of his form.

Statistical development had stagnated in the decades since the creation of the box score. Lannan's original, tracking at-bats, runs and hits had barely expanded over time. Pitching statistics were frequently limited to just runs allowed. Defensive numbers were completely unknown at the time, with most teams not even making distinction between errors and hits. And this was if the clubs involved in a game bothered tracking anything other than batting order and final score. Even rarer were instances were a team or newspaper would total a team's summer statistics. Boast and anecdotes provide the bulk of our 'knowledge' of performance prior to the OL's.

The score book Lannan created for Organized baseball was “to bring the game into the scientific age we now live.” Extra base hits, stolen bases, walks and strikeouts became standard in this time. Pitching statistics expanded to track innings pitched, walks, strikeouts and hits allowed. The introduction of the most basic defensive statistics was the most controversial aspect of the score book.

Fans and sportswriters alike were shocked, almost disgusted, at the error totals. Butch Ruttenbur was touted as the greatest defensive second baseman the South ever developed. He was charged with 57 errors in his 108 games at second. Punchy Cadman had been considered the one of the better infielders of Boston-area professional clubs since the late 1880's; the 90 errors he was charged with in 1893 lead to speculation of personal animosity between Cadman and the league's scorekeepers.

In all likelihood, this was probably better defensive play than existed prior to the creation of the leagues. It was just very jarring to have everything laid out bare for the first time. Pitching and hitting statistics had their own surprises for the followers of the game-the leading totals were all lower than expected-as the heroes of the past weren't quite living up to their reputations.

While statistical analysis of the game of baseball has grown leaps and bounds since, there is still a large deal of skepticism when it comes to what the numbers mean. We know know what they represent, even if we still don't entirely grasp what they mean.

End of April
The hitters were out in force early, only 3 of the 16 teams were under .300 in average. New York's Diz Zembrzuski went from 30 wins to a 2-7 record early. Armando Banderas and Howard Birgel lead the All-Stars to the top of the CF. LF Baird Kessens of the Philadelphia Eagles was hitting at a .464 clip.

FA-Philadelphia and Milwaukee tied for first, Baltimore 1 game back, Chicago Cardinals 2 games back
CF-St. Louis leads Boston by 3 and Washington/Chicago Tigers by 3 ½

End of May
While the league leaders saw their numbers drop somewhat, hitters were still in control. LF Luis Hervandez and 1B Delmore Gracik's .400+ averages were keeping Detroit in shouting distance of St. Louis. The Heralds lost their two top pitchers from 1893 and took awhile to get things going.

FA-Milwaukee leads Baltimore by 6
CF-St. Louis leads Detroit and Chicago Tigers by 6

End of June
Both leagues were turning into runaways. Fans in the west were looking forward to the “Beer Series”.

FA-Milwaukee leads Philadelphia and Brooklyn by 9
CF-St. Louis leads Washington by 9

July 7-a glimmer of hope in the FA. The Badgers, Jared Yeager, one of the 3 Badger hurlers who at that point had a 17-9 record, went down with an arm injury. With a large lead Milwaukee acquires a 21-year old Joe Pils to fill in. Yeager would be out through the playoffs.

7/19-St. Louis had just got back 3B Kody Eblin from his back injury when P Armando Banderas is lost for the year with a seperation. The All-Stars still have Howard Birgel (23-9 at this point), but they don't have the depth like Milwaukee. And their replacement had struggled pitching in Des Moines in a Class B league.

End of July
The injury to key pitchers started to close the gap in both leagues.

FA-Milwaukee leads Brooklyn by 4
CF-St. Louis leads Washington by 6

8/15-The leagues have to utilize their suspension power for the first time, and it could affect the pennant in the CF. Washington hurler Ken Luhring had become the Senators ace, but things were not going well against a poor Cincinnati Celts club. When a wild pitch and home run gave the Celts the lead, Luhring lost his cool. The next batter, CF Millard Visone, is hit. The two players are suspended 10 games for their role in the ensuing fight. The missed starts might cost the Sens a chance to catch St. Louis.

Federal Alliance
Milwaukee Badgers        83-57     -
Brooklyn Lions           79-91     4
Philadelphia Eagles      75-65     8
Louisville Colonels      71-69    12
Baltimore Colts          71-69    12
Cleveland Tigers         63-77    20
Chicago Cardinals        60-80    23
Buffalo All-Americans    58-82    25
  
Columbia Federation
St. Louis All-Stars    83-57     -
Washington Senators    80-60     3
Chicago Tigers         74-66     9
Pittsburgh Pirates     71-69    12
Boston Bulldogs        67-73    16
Detroit Heralds        66-74    17
New York Giants        62-78    21
Cincinnati Celts       57-83    26

[Denny Lemaster]

Game One at Milwaukee Grounds
With a steady rain at game time limiting the crowd to a disappointing 1882, both clubs went with surprising choices for game one. St. Louis chose wrong.

Alevina Makuakane had spent two seasons as a pretty average pitcher. He did not rise to the occasion. A combination of rain and Milwaukee offense knocked him out of the box in the 2^nd. Then, with the All-Stars down by 8, ace Howard Birgel was brought into the game.

Milwaukee on the other hand, cruised. Chet Fadal keep the All-Stars to 1 run through 8, while the offense plated 14 runs.

Game Two at Milwaukee Grounds
Now it was St. Louis's turn to explode. All-Star batters had matched the Badgers 14 from game 1 by the 4^th. Hot Pie Gryp got the win in the 21-5 thrashing.

Game Three at St. Louis Ballpark
Finally drama appears in the series. Makuakane no-hit Milwaukee for 4 innings before breaking. St. Louis took a 4-1 lead in the 5^th, but the Badgers kept chipping away. The All-Stars managed to win the first real game of the series.

Game Four at St. Louis Ballpark
Another well pitched game in a year of the hitter. Hot Pie Gryp and Symeon Scotton worked a dual scoreless game, until a single and two errors put the All-Stars up 2-0. After trading runs in the 7^th, Milwaukee took the lead on Walt Broccoli's 3-run home run. Larson Mentus hit another 3-run shot in the 9^th, and put the game away. Back to Milwaukee.

Game Five at Milwaukee Grounds
The Badgers behind the bats of Clancy Liepins, Irvin Crimi and Adrian Estopinal took a 3-0 lead in the first. The All-Stars worked back to a tie and then lead by the 6^th. 5-3 All-Stars.

The Badgers looked like champions in the bottom of the 6^th: the first 7 Badgers reached base. By the time it was over, Milwaukee had a 9-5 lead. Chet Fadal just needed to keep St. Louis off the bases. And aside from a meaningless run in the 9^th, he did just that.

Milwaukee had won the second National Championship 3 games to 2.

[Denny Lemaster]

Class B

Heartland Association
Des Moines Bulldogs    69-57     -
Minneapolis Gophers    68-58     1
South Bend Irish       65-61     4
Lincoln Cornhuskers    64-62     5
Champaign Illini       63-63     6
Chicago Maroons        62-64     7
Ann Arbor Wolverines   62-64     7
Madison Badgers        51-75    18

Atlantic Confederation    
Cambridge Crimson    69-58     -
Worcester Crusaders  68-59     1
Manhattan Lions      66-60     2.5
Providence Bears     65-61     3.5
New Haven Bulldogs   62-64     6.5
Syracuse Orange      60-66     8.5
Philadelphia Quakers 58-58    10.5
Hartford Bantams     57-69    11.5

American Junior Championship
Des Moines over Cambridge 3-1

Class C

Mid-American Union
Bloomington Hoosiers        72-40     -
Galesburg Prairie Fire      71-41     1
Ames Cyclones               67-45     5
West Lafayette Boilermakers 50-62    22
Beloit Buccaneers           49-63    23
Iowa City Hawkeyes          47-65    25
Evanston Wildcats           47-65    25
Grinnell Pioneers           45-67    27
 
Middle Atlantic Association
Annapolis Midshipmen       75-37     -
Princeton Tigers           65-47    10
Easton Leopards            62-50    13
State College Lions        56-56    19
Lewisburg Bisons           56-56    19
Carlisle Indians           50-62    25
Carlisle Red Devils        48-64    27
Bethlehem Mountain Hawks   36-76    39

Champions Cup
Bloomington over Annapolis 3-1

Class D

Northeastern Alliance
Middletown Cardinals        60-38     -
Brunswick Polar Bears       58-40     2
Amherst Lord Jeffs          54-44     6
Medford Jumbos              51-47     9
Ithaca Big Red              49-49    11
Amherst Minutemen           45-53    15
Williamstown Ephs           44-54    16
Hanover Big Green           44-54    16
Lewiston Bobcats            43-55    17
West Point Black Knights    42-56    18

League Championship
Middletown over Medford 2-1
Amherst over Brunswick 2-0

Amherst over Middletwon 3-0

[toxicavenger74]

Nice backstory and I am definately following. Go St. Louis All-Stars!!

[Denny Lemaster]

In 1893, Diz Zembrzuski of the New York Giants became the first (and so far only) 30 game winner.

In 1894, Diz Zembrzuski of the New York Giants became the first (and so far only) 30 game loser.

I don't think he has a 30 save season in him.

[Denny Lemaster]

Let's spend the end of 1894 and the 1895 seasons with the All-Stars. Hope you like it Toxie.

If not for untimely injuries down the stretch run, the St. Louis All-Stars could very well be two time National Champions. In the first two years of the Original Leagues, the All-Stars were a full 12 games better than the next best team (All-Stars 164-116, .586 Win Pct). But instead of being thought of as the best team in baseball, the collapse in 1893 and National Championship loss to Milwaukee has pegged them as 'not able to win the big game'.

When forming the alliances which would create the first incarnation of organized baseball, Gentry Fogo was adamant about wanting to bring representatives of the “river cities.” While the many of the Midwest and Eastern felt inviting such “hamlets of no capital” would create a permanent financial drain on the organization, Fogo was much more pragmatic in approach. While he too felt Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville and St. Louis would have trouble against the larger coffers of New York and Chicago, Gentry believed they could form the backbone of a challenger league.

St. Louis was baseball mad. In addition to the various Industrial and City leagues, there were at least 3 high level professional clubs. There were any number of men who would have jumped at the chance to sponsor the St. Louis club. Harald DeMell Jr was chosen as the man for the job.

The DeMell family was prominent in the St. Louis sporting culture dating back before the Civil War. The elder DeMell operated several horse tracks in the area, as well as some lesser known gaming parlors. Harald DeMell Jr was the oldest of eight children. An indifferent student, he loved the pace and excitement of the tracks. Frequently going to the stables instead of his classes. “My father pleaded to me to get an education, but no book gave me the thrill of hearing the thundering hooves.”

By 13, school was left behind for the track. DeMell worked in the stables trying to become a self made man like his father. “I felt my name was a burden, everything I did was compared to my father. No matter my successes, I was always Harald's child.” Entering his mid-twenties with a modest stable of horses, the younger DeMell sold out his equine interest to move out of his father's shadow. He found some success with a gaming parlor and saloon, however there was no thrill in balancing accounts.

In June 1886, barely 30 years old and restless for a new challenge, Harald DeMell attended his first professional baseball game. The event was a disorganized mess, with “as many people viewing for free as did pay.” After a few weeks observing the low level of professionalism and structure, Harald decided he could do it better. Selling his parlor, DeMell purchased a plot of ground near Laclede's Landing and set about erecting the first 'permanent' ballpark in St. Louis. Acting first as promoter and booking agent, the park became the epicenter of St. Louis baseball. And when there was no team in town to rent the park, DeMell formed his own club, The DeMell All-Stars of St. Louis.

As owner of the best ball yard in the city, DeMell was the obvious choice to head St. Louis's entry in the original leagues. He quickly became leader of a faction of clubs wanting even more economic advantage over the players. This group, young men in their 30's and 40's, were looking to make their fortune. With the future of organized professional baseball not assured, the eagerness to maximize early profits was understandable. As the old guard sold out or passed away, this faction of owners gained more and more influence.

The All-Stars in the days before the OL's were a well known regional team. By essentially having a permanent 'home' park, the All-Stars became the club of choice of most St. Louis fans. They were never the best club in the region, but they had a strong following. Only Milwaukee and the All-Stars drew over 150,000 in 1893 and 1894; and Milwaukee barely made that number in '93 (150,655).

DeMell, coming from a horse racing back ground, hired Redford Juban to handle the baseball end of the business. Juban was a stand out in the Buffalo area during the earlier days of pro baseball. Texan Ser Misuraca was a more than capable manager.

On the field, this is a very formidable team. First Baseman Willen Erardi (career: 348/422/532 OPS+ 146) maybe the best at his position in both leagues. The power for him really exploded in 1894. Hasn't lead many categories, but consistently in the top ten of multiple categories.

Center fielder Jefferson Ozenbaugh may not be the best offensive player on the club, but he is so important to the All-Star attack. Anchoring the 2-hole (career: 343/403/469 OPS+ 125) he acts like a second lead off man. The biggest downside to him has been his fragility. In both 1893 and 1894 he suffered rib cage muscle issues ending his seasons. Coincidence or not, after both of his injuries the All-Stars went into slumps that may have cost them two titles.

Third baseman Kody Eblin (career: 388/438/501 OPS+ 144) might be the best 'scientific' hitter in baseball. Even missing 30 games because of back issues he was 8^th in hits. Had a 32 game hitting streak in 1893.

Right fielder Anthony Cafasso (career: 323/404/537 OPS+ 141) suddenly exploded into a star in 1894. His 28 HR and 135 RBI (plus 135 runs scored) was that extra something this club needed. He went from 263/355/397 to 378/449/667. Offense was off the charts in 1894, so it isn't known if he can keep it up. He is just 26, so he could be the driving force for this club for years.

Pitching has been, well, if not a problem, a place where they need something extra. Armando Banderas (career: 49-28, 3.16 ERA, 235/104 K/BB) won 29 in 1893, and looked like he had a shot at 30 in '94 until dislocating his shoulder. The All-Stars missed him in the playoff, and at 38 can he recover to be the ace again.

Howard Birgel (career: 48-31, 3.41 ERA, 157/268 K/BB) would be the obvious choice to step up into the no. 1 role, but when Banderas went down Birgel went to the bullpen and all but disappeared. The All-Stars leaned more on Alevina Makuakane (career: 43-44, 4.11 ERA, 251/349 K/BB) a man who walked 220 men in 1893 and the wonderfully named Hot Pie Gryp (6-4, 3.29 ERA, 25/50 K/BB).

That is where the All-Stars stand as we enter the off season.

[Denny Lemaster]

I was messaged by someone asking about how some of the league set up.

Right now I have 3-level of minors (2 AAA, 2 AA and 1 A). In the universe of this league, Class A is our major league, Class B is AAA, Class C is AA, Class D will be A, Class E will be SA and Class F will be R. I think at its theoretical peak (long-story-short: my cpu needed motherboard work and I had a couple months to plan out over 100 years of evolution) I'll have 2 AAA, 2 AA, 2 A, 2 SA and 3 R.

I had actually tried to play out the UPBBC era, but with 312 teams, there were about 60 clubs a year that would get to spring training without having enough players signed. It got too annoying to fill out the rosters, so 1867 to 1870 were actually played out and then random.org helped with filling out the rest of the winners. For this version, I simmed 1871-1892 with the major league/minor league set up I have now and then deleted that history.

About the back story, I'm still pretty new to fictional leagues so it is important to me to put me in the mindset to expect something else. I don't want to be looking for Cobb or Ruth. I hope the stars of this universe can become their own people.

[Denny Lemaster]

Before I go into following the All-Stars, I want to drop a word about financial rules and minors in here.

I'm using the reserve system, multi-year contracts possible (but not guaranteed ones) and a released player receives 50% of what remains on the contract. The younger owners (still trying to secure their fortunes) would like to eliminate multi-year contract and any payout on release.

And while we “know” the game engine treat the minor league affiliates like the fully subjugated minors of today, the “reality” of this universe is a little different.

Each club has an active roster of 20 players and instead of the reserve roster of the UPBBC days, each club can have up to 20 players “On Option”. Class A (major league) clubs would enter agreements with lower classification clubs to accept the surplus players. Since the optioned players tended to be better quality than the players the clubs could acquire on its own, they lower class clubs were willing to agree to the arraignment Add in that the Class A club paid the salary of these players, it made accepting option players very profitable. Lower classification clubs were only allowed to make arraignment with one Class A club, while Class A clubs were limited to one club per Association/League/Union. A club could have multiple arraignments at in a Class, as long as the clubs were in separate leagues.

The minors will be as stable as the majors until 1901, and then there will start to be shifts in league and affiliations.

[Denny Lemaster]

Pitchers of the Year (as selected by the AABA Committee on the Original Leagues)
Federal Alliance: Aggo Dunnells, Brooklyn, 25-21, 47 GS, 3.52 ERA, 409 IP, 135/50 K/BB
Columbia Federation: Etienne 'Echo' Goerdt, Chicago, 27-17, 46 GS, 3.56 ERA, 374.1 IP, 142/94 K/BB

Batters of the Year (as selected by the AABA Committee on the Original Leagues)
Federal Alliance: RF Cesaro Fierros, Brooklyn, 380/450/719, 45 2B, 20 3B, 28 HR, 143 RBI, 131 R, 50 SB
Columbia Federation: RF Anthony Cafasso, St. Louis, 378/449/667, 29 2B, 17 3B, 28 HR, 135 RBI, 135 R, 25 SB

[Denny Lemaster]

Through 12/31/1894

The St. Louis off-season began with the retention of the architects of their success. GM Juban gets one year, and Manager Ser Misuraca gets a two-year extension.

I can't believe I forgot to mention LF and lead off man Cal Lykins in a previous post. How could I ignore a man who legged out 27 triples in 1894.

September 19^th, the All-Stars start to tinker, trying to finally get over the top. Backup infielder Tonio Lerngo and the option rights on 1B Chris Heyn are traded to the New York Giants for backup infielder Malcom 'Omega' Vaz and the option rights on OF Norbert Kisler. Vaz is a better offensive threat than Lerngo.

Then, the All-Stars send the oft-injured Jefferson Ozenbaugh to Cleveland for 2B Gabe Trumper and the option rights to infielder Cristofor Amargos. Ozenbaugh's injuries really hurt the last two years, and given he is signed through 1896, the All-Stars don't want to have sunk cost into a DL player.

And on September 22, P Howard Birgel, who Misuraca apparently lost faith in late in the season goes to Boston for utility man Jory Olton.

It seems to me these moves are focused on getting Patricio Torris behind the plate more often. He has been the best catcher on the roster for two seasons, but he has been utilized all over the infield both seasons. Moving Birgel either means the club thinks Banderas will recover or that even if Banderas isn't healty, a rotation of Makuakane, Gryp and someone else (Ohrman? Chrzanowski? Costakis?) can win it for them.

There were some minor moves with option rights, but nothing of note.

[Denny Lemaster]

To Opening Day

When the spring touring season opened, there were only a couple things the All-Stars needed to figure out. With Cafasso moving from RF to CF, a new RF, preferably one that could hit 2^nd, was needed. And who was going to be the no. 3 starter Hot Pie Gryp or Barry Ohrman. Gryp has succeeded in Ames, Des Moines and St. Louis. Ohrman has been pretty average in Des Moines. There are bench spots to fill out, but it looks to be the same basic crew as the past two years.

While sportswriters expected the All-Stars to be competing with New York, Detroit and Chicago for the Columbia Federation title (Milwaukee was expected to out last Brooklyn and Buffalo was a common dark horse choice in the Federal Alliance) the spring season did not go very well for St. Louis. A poor month of preparation did not sit very well in the leaders of the club. The pitching was a disaster outside Makuakane, Banderas and reliever Costakis. Patricio Torris had a bad spring, but none of the other catchers were any better. None of the back up infielders that St. Louis acquired did anything, Jory Olton was 7-41, Vaz never made it off the bench. There were a couple hitters that showed potential for the 3^rd outfielder, and the core hitters performed well, so it wasn't all bad.

Jefferson Ozenbaugh had plenty of struggles in Cleveland this spring, and may not even begin the season as a starter.

The All-Stars reluctance to trust Howard Birgel looks to be a good thing. The Boston Bulldogs optioned the pitcher to the Class C Carlisle (PA) Red Devils.

[Denny Lemaster]

April

St. Louis, like most other clubs, is making the switch to a 4-man rotation. The number of starts leading the league will drop to 36-37, instead of the 46-47 we've seen the last two years. Strangely, most clubs are carrying just 5 hurlers. 4 starters and 1 reliever. I expect a pitcher or two will be added to each roster.

Kody Eblin will be moving to 2^nd, while Jory Olton will get the shot at 3^rd. Nickie Parrish and Tion Giuffre look to be platoon partners for the third OF slot.

The All-Stars opened their pennant defense in Cincinnati against the lowly Celts. They played nothing like champions. EIGHT errors by St. Louis to open the season in a 9-4 loss. 5 more the next day and 6 more the day after that. The All-Stars have made twice the errors of any other club in baseball. The only reason the pitching doesn't look worse after this series is all the errors.

When the All-Stars got their first win, the defense tried to give it away late. Relief ace Timeon Costakis can't keep this pace up: 3 appearances in 4 games, with 12 IP.

The All-Stars reached their first off day 2-5. Yes, the offense was working very well, leading the league in scoring. But they can't score as fast as they are allowing them. The four starters are getting ripped every time out. But there is no panic among the brass of the club, writing off the struggles to the cold.

But after New York swept them to 2-8 and last place, maybe they shouldn't be so calm.

4/12 LF Tion Giuffre is placed on the injury list with a “fever”. Instead of finding another arm to help the battered pitching staff, St. Louis purchased the contract of OF Reynaldo Dobbelaere from Class C Ames (IA) Cyclones.

The home opener, the ceremony and joy of raising the pennant tempered by the slow start. Nearly 3000 see Hot Pie Gryp get the win in extra innings. But that was the only joy on the three game home stand. Suddenly, the offense wasn't working either. Infielders not named Erardi, Eblin and Grisales were a combined 11-68, only one OF was over .260, and neither catcher had an extra base hit.

Finally, on April 22, the All-Stars finally make a move: Armando Banderas is optioned to Class B Des Moines (IA) Bulldogs. A former 29 game winner two seasons ago just hasn't come back from that dislocated shoulder. St. Louis uses it's option on 24-year old Rosman Dearmas. I'm not sure how this helps. Dearmas had a couple cameos with Baltimore in 93 and 94, and was blitzed for a 11.31 ERA in 24.2 IP. He was pretty good for the Carlisle (PA) Indians in 93, but missed 3 months of 94 with an arm injury and has been out of baseball since being released last August. He hadn't even thrown a pitch for the Ames club he was with!

There just had to be a better option, either as a free agent or from one of their option players.

Federal Alliance
Louisville Colonels   17-11     -
Brooklyn Lions        16-12     1
Baltimore Colts       15-13     2
Chicago Cardinals     15-14     2.5
Philadelphia Eagles   14-15     3.5
Cleveland Tigers      13-15     4
Buffalo All-Americans 12-16     5
Milwaukee Badgers     11-17     6
  
Columbia Federation
New York Giants       20- 9     -
Boston Bulldogs       16-12     3.5
Cincinnati Celts      15-13     4.5
Chicago Tigers        14-14     5.5
Washington Senators   13-15     6.5
St. Louis All-Stars   12-16     7.5
Pittsburgh Pirates    12-16     7.5
Detroit Heralds       11-18     9

[Denny Lemaster]

May

More bad news to start the month. SS Nestor Grisales strains his ribs and is put on the injured list. Gabe Trumper stepped in and was playing pretty well, before he got hurt. At that point, infielders on the roster not named Eblin or Erardi was hitting a combined 27-143 (.188). Even with this black hole in the offense, the All-Stars were still scoring a lot of runs. The pitching has been slowly improving, even if the club was not getting any traction in the standings; hovering between 6^th and 8^th.

5/9, All-Stars make a move. The FA's Brooklyn Lions, in an apparent effort to get every left handed hitting outfielder in baseball trades 3B Paul Woelke and option rights to infielder Dunham Szumski to St. Louis for RF Nickie Parrish. Woelke has been productive (career: 316/387/524 OPS+ 146), but hasn't been able to break into the Lions' starting line up.

Parrish won the RF job in the spring, and has been very productive. He might be coming into his own (94: 255/352/404, 95: 310/369/516) but the weakness of the infield production could not be ignored. Seems odd that Ozenbaugh was traded because of his rib issues are now having to rely on Tion Giuffre who just always has some nagging something or other.

They just started crawling closer and closer to .500. Moving Banderas and Chrzanowski back and forth to Des Moines, trying to find the right combination.

5/12 Tragedy in baseball: Giants CF/RF Gilbert Sanchirico skull is fractured colliding with the wall. For his career: 380/434/525, 148 OPS+, 34 3B, 216 R, 142 SB. His .423 average this year trailed only Kody Eblin in the CF.

On the last day of May, the All-Stars finally pulled to .500. The problems of the first two months were still evident. The pitching was better, but not championship quality. Paul Woelke was an upgrade on the infield, but his performance had been underwhelming since joining the All-Stars. But he was better than any one else who St. Louis had put at third. The sporting public had written this trade off as a loss for St. Louis, especially as Nickie Parrish was playing even better in Brooklyn and there was still no acceptable 3^rd OF on the All-Stars roster.

The slow start isn't just a memory yet, but hope was regrowing in St. Louis.

Federal Alliance
Louisville Colonels   34-24     -
Brooklyn Lions        33-25     1
Chicago Cardinals     32-26     2
Cleveland Tigers      31-27     3
Baltimore Colts       29-29     5
Philadelphia Eagles   26-32     8
Milwaukee Badgers     26-32     8
Buffalo All-Americans 21-37    13

Columbia Federation
New York Giants       34-24     -
Boston Bulldogs       31-27     3
Chicago Tigers        30-28     4
St. Louis All-Stars   29-29     5
Detroit Heralds       28-30     6
Pittsburgh Pirates    27-31     7
Cincinnati Celts      27-31     7
Washington Senators   26-32     8

[Denny Lemaster]

June

For this to be a reverse of 1893 (when St. Louis collapsed and New York took the title), the All-Stars needed to get over .500. Gryp and Dearmas hold the Bulldogs down the first two days of June to sweep the Bulldogs. St. Louis was tied for third with Boston and heading to Chicago for a 4 game set with the 2^nd place Tigers.

6/3-Alevina Makuakane got the nod in the series opener, facing control specialist Etienne Goerdt. Goerdt was outstanding, shutting the All-Stars down on 7 scattered hits. Makuakane's wildness and a key outfield error stalled the progress made over the last week.

Game two featured Armando Banderas's latest attempt to get back on track. And, oh my, did he show promise. He gets his first win since April with his best outing of the year. Catcher Ryan Woodall was shook up in a collision on the bases. He'll be out about a week.

Game three dropped the All-Stars to 4^th, 7 games back. Hot Pie could not find home plate in a 9-5 loss. More troublesome was Koby Eblin getting hit on the hand with a pitch. Thankfully, it was just a bad bad bruise,nothing broken. Still, he'll miss a week, St. Louis needs to stop the slide.

After fighting so hard to get back to .500, to fall right back could damage this clubs confidence.

Game 4, Rosman Dearmas walks the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9^th, and has PH Bray Hamm split the CF and RF for Chicago. Back to .500, and on a 3 game slide.

Win one, lose one, win one lose one. June was becoming a treadmill. New York was putting more and more distance between them and the pack. The All-Stars need one, maybe two big streaks if they want to win this year.

6/25-St. Louis hasn't been the only defending champ to having problems. Mired in 6^th place, the Milwaukee Badgers let Shieran Krumrey go as manager. Just over a ½ season after winning the title, Krumrey is out of a job.

A 9-4 kick ended the month for St. Louis. The rotation had settled and was rounding into form. But the real hero of June was rookie RF Reynaldo Dobbelaere. After the trade of Parrish, St. Louis tried Tion Giuffre (who couldn't stay healthy) and Kiefer Kowach (who had no glove) before settling on Dobbelaere. In June, Reynaldo went 389/395/708 9 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 20 RBI. That spark got the All-Stars moving again, but is it too still too late?

Federal Alliance
Brooklyn Lions        50-33     -
Louisville Colonels   47-36     3
Cleveland Tigers      44-39     6
Chicago Cardinals     44-39     6
Baltimore Colts       44-39     6
Milwaukee Badgers     37-46    13
Philadelphia Eagles   33-50    17
Buffalo All-Americans 33-50    17

Columbia Federation
New York Giants       51-32     -
Boston Bulldogs       46-37     5
St. Louis All-Stars   44-39     7
Chicago Tigers        42-41     9
Pittsburgh Pirates    40-43    11
Washington Senators   38-45    13
Detroit Heralds       37-46    14
Cincinnati Celts      34-49    17

[Denny Lemaster]

July

By the end of July, it was all but over for the All-Stars. After the burst at the end of June; July was back to the treadmill for a 14-15 record. Federation leading New York went 17-12 and Boston 18-11. With 28 games to go, a miracle was needed.

Federal Alliance
Louisville Colonels   64-48     -
Brooklyn Lions        63-49     1
Baltimore Colts       63-49     1
Cleveland Tigers      58-54     6
Chicago Cardinals     53-59    11
Milwaukee Badgers     52-60    12
Philadelphia Eagles   49-63    15
Buffalo All-Americans 46-66    18

Columbia Federation
New York Giants       68-44     -
Boston Bulldogs       64-48     4
St. Louis All-Stars   58-54    10
Chicago Tigers        58-54    10
Pittsburgh Pirates    53-59    15
Detroit Heralds       52-60    16
Washington Senators   50-62    18
Cincinnati Celts      45-67    23