OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Federal Baseball League: Historical/Fictional Hybrid

ericnease84 · 02-10-2023, 11:52 PM

As the 1940 season began, it soon became clear that the New York Knights were in trouble. Favorites to win the World Series again after having won the last 2, and 3 of the last 4, the Knights quickly found themselves in last place as the Buffalo Destroyers and Boston Patriots battled it out for the division crown. Although the Knights usually made their move toward the top in the middle of the summer, it never happened this time. The 2x defending champions not only missed the playoffs (for only the second time since 1916), but posted their first losing record since 1913. The Patriots and Destroyers battled it out all season long, and in the end the Boston Patriots won the division for the second playoff appearance in team history (the first was in 1912).
Over in the ABC West, the Cleveland Blue Sox ran away with that division, despite the fact that the team was struggling with dwindling fan support as well as lack of money. The fan support grew throughout the season as the team continued to dominate their division, and they made enough money to get out of debt. There was still no guarantee that they would be able to survive long-term in Cleveland, but finishing with the best record in baseball in 1940 sure helped.
Over in the NBC, the St. Louis Browns continued their dominance of their division by winning it by a large margin once again. And the NBC East continued its streak of no back-to-back champions, as the Trenton Tigers pulled a worst-to-first and won the division.
The playoffs now featured two teams that had one World Series championship apiece, both facing teams that had none (and in the case of the Tigers, not even an appearance). The more experienced teams prevailed, as the Blue Sox and Browns both swept their series to advance to the World Series. The World Series went a full seven games, but in the end it was the Browns who prevailed, winning the second championship in team history.

If 1940 seemed strange, 1941 seemed even more strange. The two teams that had existed for 40 years and never made the playoffs once--the Dover Green Sox and the Charlotte Roadrunners (formerly the Kentucky Kings)--both appeared to be playoff contenders. In fact, on July 1 both teams were in first place. The Roadrunners were tied with the Browns for first in the NBC West, and the Green Sox held a 3-game lead over the New York Knights, who were back to try to reclaim their top spot in the ABC East. At that same point, the Tigers held a slim 1-game lead in first place in the NBC East in their bid to become that division's first repeat champion in almost a decade, and the Blackbirds and Silverbacks were tied for first in the ABC West, with the defending ABC Champion Blue Sox (still struggling financially, by the way) only two games back.
The Green Sox then proceeded to go 7-21 in the month of July, and ended the month with a losing record and sitting in third place, 10 games behind the now-first-place Knights. That month saw losing streaks of 10 games and 6 games. Then in August, they went 12-17 and were in last place by the end of the month. Rumors began to intensify that they would not be in Dover much longer.
The Knights won the ABC East, and the Silverbacks pulled ahead to win the ABC West. Over in the NBC, the Browns pulled ahead to win the division again, although the Roadrunners posted their first winning record since 1923. The NBC East race went down to the wire between the Lions and the Tigers. The two teams tied for first place and needed a one-game playoff to decide the division. The Lions won the game at home, winning the NBC East and once again extending that division's streak of no repeat winners. Between 1935 and 1941, nobody won the division twice in a row and all five teams won it at least once (previously, the Bears had won it for five years in a row). But none of them won the World Series, and only one of them (the Yellow Jackets, twice) even made it that far. The Lions extended that streak as well, falling to the defending champion Browns in four games. The Browns would face the Knights in the World Series, after the Knights took down the Silverbacks in the playoffs once again.
This was the fourth time since 1934 that the Knights and Browns had played in the playoffs (and remarkably, the Browns had won two of the previous three meetings). This one belonged to New York, however, as the Knights swept the Browns in four games to win another World Series.

02-10-2023, 11:52 PM	#51
ericnease84 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 144	The 1940s Begin As the 1940 season began, it soon became clear that the New York Knights were in trouble. Favorites to win the World Series again after having won the last 2, and 3 of the last 4, the Knights quickly found themselves in last place as the Buffalo Destroyers and Boston Patriots battled it out for the division crown. Although the Knights usually made their move toward the top in the middle of the summer, it never happened this time. The 2x defending champions not only missed the playoffs (for only the second time since 1916), but posted their first losing record since 1913. The Patriots and Destroyers battled it out all season long, and in the end the Boston Patriots won the division for the second playoff appearance in team history (the first was in 1912). Over in the ABC West, the Cleveland Blue Sox ran away with that division, despite the fact that the team was struggling with dwindling fan support as well as lack of money. The fan support grew throughout the season as the team continued to dominate their division, and they made enough money to get out of debt. There was still no guarantee that they would be able to survive long-term in Cleveland, but finishing with the best record in baseball in 1940 sure helped. Over in the NBC, the St. Louis Browns continued their dominance of their division by winning it by a large margin once again. And the NBC East continued its streak of no back-to-back champions, as the Trenton Tigers pulled a worst-to-first and won the division. The playoffs now featured two teams that had one World Series championship apiece, both facing teams that had none (and in the case of the Tigers, not even an appearance). The more experienced teams prevailed, as the Blue Sox and Browns both swept their series to advance to the World Series. The World Series went a full seven games, but in the end it was the Browns who prevailed, winning the second championship in team history. If 1940 seemed strange, 1941 seemed even more strange. The two teams that had existed for 40 years and never made the playoffs once--the Dover Green Sox and the Charlotte Roadrunners (formerly the Kentucky Kings)--both appeared to be playoff contenders. In fact, on July 1 both teams were in first place. The Roadrunners were tied with the Browns for first in the NBC West, and the Green Sox held a 3-game lead over the New York Knights, who were back to try to reclaim their top spot in the ABC East. At that same point, the Tigers held a slim 1-game lead in first place in the NBC East in their bid to become that division's first repeat champion in almost a decade, and the Blackbirds and Silverbacks were tied for first in the ABC West, with the defending ABC Champion Blue Sox (still struggling financially, by the way) only two games back. The Green Sox then proceeded to go 7-21 in the month of July, and ended the month with a losing record and sitting in third place, 10 games behind the now-first-place Knights. That month saw losing streaks of 10 games and 6 games. Then in August, they went 12-17 and were in last place by the end of the month. Rumors began to intensify that they would not be in Dover much longer. The Knights won the ABC East, and the Silverbacks pulled ahead to win the ABC West. Over in the NBC, the Browns pulled ahead to win the division again, although the Roadrunners posted their first winning record since 1923. The NBC East race went down to the wire between the Lions and the Tigers. The two teams tied for first place and needed a one-game playoff to decide the division. The Lions won the game at home, winning the NBC East and once again extending that division's streak of no repeat winners. Between 1935 and 1941, nobody won the division twice in a row and all five teams won it at least once (previously, the Bears had won it for five years in a row). But none of them won the World Series, and only one of them (the Yellow Jackets, twice) even made it that far. The Lions extended that streak as well, falling to the defending champion Browns in four games. The Browns would face the Knights in the World Series, after the Knights took down the Silverbacks in the playoffs once again. This was the fourth time since 1934 that the Knights and Browns had played in the playoffs (and remarkably, the Browns had won two of the previous three meetings). This one belonged to New York, however, as the Knights swept the Browns in four games to win another World Series.