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ericnease84 · 05-26-2024, 05:38 PM

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Best Record: 100-25 (1910)
Worst Record: 63-99 (1977)
Playoff Appearances: 25
Championships: 11 (1895, 1898, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1914, 1915, 1939, 1954, 1989)

The Baltimore Blackbirds, originally known as the Baltimore Browns until 1956, are one of the most successful NBL teams. They sit third in both playoff appearances and championships, trailing only the Knights and Captains in both departments. However, most of their success came early in their history when they were known as the Browns. In the first 21 years of the league's history, the Browns had been to 13 World Series and won 8 of them. They won the very first World Series played in 1895, and then won it all again four years later in 1898. After a few years where they lost a couple series and then failed to finish in first place, they returned to the World Series in 1906 and won the next four of them. They set a record for one of the best teams ever in 1910, going 100-25, but their bid for a 5th straight championship was thwarted by the New York Dragons. They tacked on two more championships in 1914 and 1915. Since 1915, however, they have only won three championships, including the most recent one. However, they continued to win consistently for years and have yet to experience a 100-loss season.
The Browns did not finish in first place again until 1932, when they were defeated by the Louisville Captains in the World Series. Their next appearance was in 1939, when they defeated the Connecticut Coyotes and denied their bid for a three-peat. The Browns continued to be consistent winners, as they never posted a losing record in their history until 1950, when they went 72-82. They very quickly went back to their winning ways, returning to the World Series in 1954 and defeating the Orlando Seals. With ace pitcher Calvin Cunningham leading the way, they made it back to the playoffs seven more times in the next decade but never were able to win another World Series. They traded Cunningham to the Knights after the 1967 season, and have not really been the same since. They won their division in 1980 but lost in the first round of the playoffs. Aside from that season, they have mostly been irrelevant throughout most of the 1970s and 1980s. In 1989, they were one of two teams to somehow win their division with an 81-81 record, the other being the Miami Gators. Somehow, both the Gators and the Blackbirds defeated their opponents in the ABC Division Series. The Blackbirds defeated the Gators in the ABC Championship series, going on to face the 103-win Philadelphia Hornets. The Blackbirds defeated the heavily favored Hornets in the 1989 World Series, and now are heading into 1990 as the defending champions.

Outlook for 1990:
They just won a weak division with an 81-81 record and shocked the world with a surprise run to a World Series championship. They proved that anything can happen once you get to the playoffs. Look for them to continue to be contenders, but don't count on them sneaking in with only 81 wins again.

Current Manager:
Josh Munson just finished his first season as the team's manager and given how that season went, he should be around for a while still. Munson had no managerial experience prior to being hired by the Blackbirds. He spent 14 seasons in the big leagues as an outfielder, playing for the San Diego Sharks and Toronto Giants from 1957 to 1971.

Hall of Famers
Craig Ahlquist, SS, 1950-1969
Craig Ahlquist played in the NBL for 20 seasons. He came up with the Browns in 1950 and was a mainstay in the Browns/Blackbirds lineup (when healthy) through the 1966 season. He was traded to the Atlanta Colonels after the 1966 season, and played with the Colonels for three years before retiring. He won two World Series in his career, one with each team he played for. Ahlquist was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977, his third try. He has kept a low profile since his retirement, teaching Health and P.E. at the local high school and coaching the baseball team while his sons played on the team.

Calvin Cunningham, P, 1953-1977
The son of Hall of Fame pitcher Curtis Cunninghan, Calvin Cunningham is the first (and to date, only) son of a Hall of Famer to also be elected to the Hall of Fame. He came up with the Browns in 1953 as an 18-year old, with his father already having been inducted into the Hall of Fame. He lived up to every bit of hype as he quickly became one of the greatest pitchers in Browns/Blackbirds history. He won a World Series in his second season in 1954, and while he returned to the World Series numerous times with both Baltimore and Cincinnati, he never won another one. He did win 403 games in his career, which was the second-most of all time when he retired (and now is third). He held the NBL record for strikeouts with 4,034 until Will Newman broke it in 1981. Cunningham pitched for Baltimore until the end of the 1967 season, when they dealt him to the New York Knights. Cunningham missed half of 1968 and all of 1969 with injuries, but came back with a strong 1970 season that included his 300th career win. In 1971, the Cincinnati Silverbacks picked him up in a trade, and he pitched for them for six seasons. Knowing his career was coming to an end, Cunningham signed with the Blackbirds for 1977 before retiring. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983, his first year on the ballot. He has been twice hired as a manager but did not last long either time. He managed the Chicago Cardinals from 1979 until he was fired mid-season in 1981. After spending several years as the first base coach for the Miami Gators, Cunningham was hired by the Pittsburgh Ironmen as their manager in 1988. He was fired midway through the 1989 season. His son Charles is currently a pitcher for the San Francisco Seals, but has yet to come close to the success of his father or grandfather.

Alexis Fernandez, 1B, 1924-1943
Alexis Fernandez played first base for the Baltimore Browns from 1924 until 1943, spending his entire career in Baltimore. He was a good and patient hitter, leading the league in walks several times and not striking out very much until later in his career. He never set any records, but his consistent play earned him the NBL's ultimate honor. He retired after the 1943 season, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1951 on his third attempt. He worked for years as a minor league instructor for the Blackbirds until retiring due to poor health in his early 80s. He just recently passed away during the 1989 season at the age of 90. The Blackbirds dedicated their playoff run to his memory this past season.

Chris Gill, 3B, 1930-1951
Chris Gill played in the NBL for 22 seasons. He broke in with the Browns in 1930 and was a mainstay at third base for 11 years through the 1940 season, after which he was traded to the Pittsburgh Ironmen. He played for Pittsburgh through the 1951 season. He was close to the coveted 3,000 hit mark, but never reached it, retiring with 2,951 hits. He admitted that he really wanted to make the Hall of Fame but was not sure he would get in without 3,000 hits. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1965 after being on the ballot for nine years.

Mark Lynch, P, 1915-1935
Mark Lynch was the first player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame with a Baltimore cap on his plaque. He pitched for 22 years in the NBL, coming up with the New York Knights in 1915. He pitched for the Knights for 5 years, having a couple good seasons which included a no-hitter against the Cleveland Blue Sox in 1917. He was traded to the Baltimore Browns after the 1919 season, and pitched for the Browns for the next twelve years. In 1921, he pitched a second no-hitter; this time it was a perfect game, and it was against the Cleveland Blue Sox again. After the 1921 season, he was moved to the bullpen and was the Browns' primary closer for the next decade. He missed the entire 1932 season due to injury, and was then traded to the Trenton Tigers. Lynch pitched for the Tigers for three more seasons before retiring. He was among the five original members of the Hall of Fame, elected in its first year of existence in 1943. He was a pitching coach for the minor league South Portland Patriots from 1954 to 1956.

Jason Tyson, LF, 1957-1976
A left-handed outfielder from Utah, Jason Tyson first came up with the Washington Generals in 1957. He was an aggressive baserunner who was known for stretching doubles into triples. Tyson led the league in triples six times in his career, and currently sits at 3rd all time in the record books for the most triples. After three seasons in Washington, he was traded to Baltimore where he played for the next 17 years. He retired in 1976 and was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try in 1982.

Jason Underwood, 1B, 1961-1982
One of the more recent additions to the Hall of Fame, Jason Underwood played first base for four teams over a 21-year career. He first came up for the Oakland Panthers in 1961. He was acquired by the Blackbirds at the trade deadline in 1966 in exchange for 5 players, none of whom ever played a game for the Panthers. Only one of the five--reliever Joe Bass--even made the Majors, but he was cut by Oakland and multiple other teams before he ever made it. After that lopsided trade (one of the worst in Panthers history), Underwood became a mainstay in the Blackbirds' lineup for the next decade. He was among the first free agent class in the 1976-77 offseason, and he signed with the LA Captains as a free agent. He played for the Captains for five seasons before being traded again. This time, the Captains dealt him to the San Diego Sharks in exchange for four players. Underwood played for one season in San Diego before retiring. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988, his first year on the ballot.

05-26-2024, 05:38 PM	#4
ericnease84 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 144	Baltimore Blackbirds Best Record: 100-25 (1910) Worst Record: 63-99 (1977) Playoff Appearances: 25 Championships: 11 (1895, 1898, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1914, 1915, 1939, 1954, 1989) The Baltimore Blackbirds, originally known as the Baltimore Browns until 1956, are one of the most successful NBL teams. They sit third in both playoff appearances and championships, trailing only the Knights and Captains in both departments. However, most of their success came early in their history when they were known as the Browns. In the first 21 years of the league's history, the Browns had been to 13 World Series and won 8 of them. They won the very first World Series played in 1895, and then won it all again four years later in 1898. After a few years where they lost a couple series and then failed to finish in first place, they returned to the World Series in 1906 and won the next four of them. They set a record for one of the best teams ever in 1910, going 100-25, but their bid for a 5th straight championship was thwarted by the New York Dragons. They tacked on two more championships in 1914 and 1915. Since 1915, however, they have only won three championships, including the most recent one. However, they continued to win consistently for years and have yet to experience a 100-loss season. The Browns did not finish in first place again until 1932, when they were defeated by the Louisville Captains in the World Series. Their next appearance was in 1939, when they defeated the Connecticut Coyotes and denied their bid for a three-peat. The Browns continued to be consistent winners, as they never posted a losing record in their history until 1950, when they went 72-82. They very quickly went back to their winning ways, returning to the World Series in 1954 and defeating the Orlando Seals. With ace pitcher Calvin Cunningham leading the way, they made it back to the playoffs seven more times in the next decade but never were able to win another World Series. They traded Cunningham to the Knights after the 1967 season, and have not really been the same since. They won their division in 1980 but lost in the first round of the playoffs. Aside from that season, they have mostly been irrelevant throughout most of the 1970s and 1980s. In 1989, they were one of two teams to somehow win their division with an 81-81 record, the other being the Miami Gators. Somehow, both the Gators and the Blackbirds defeated their opponents in the ABC Division Series. The Blackbirds defeated the Gators in the ABC Championship series, going on to face the 103-win Philadelphia Hornets. The Blackbirds defeated the heavily favored Hornets in the 1989 World Series, and now are heading into 1990 as the defending champions. Outlook for 1990: They just won a weak division with an 81-81 record and shocked the world with a surprise run to a World Series championship. They proved that anything can happen once you get to the playoffs. Look for them to continue to be contenders, but don't count on them sneaking in with only 81 wins again. Current Manager: Josh Munson just finished his first season as the team's manager and given how that season went, he should be around for a while still. Munson had no managerial experience prior to being hired by the Blackbirds. He spent 14 seasons in the big leagues as an outfielder, playing for the San Diego Sharks and Toronto Giants from 1957 to 1971. Hall of Famers Craig Ahlquist, SS, 1950-1969 Craig Ahlquist played in the NBL for 20 seasons. He came up with the Browns in 1950 and was a mainstay in the Browns/Blackbirds lineup (when healthy) through the 1966 season. He was traded to the Atlanta Colonels after the 1966 season, and played with the Colonels for three years before retiring. He won two World Series in his career, one with each team he played for. Ahlquist was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977, his third try. He has kept a low profile since his retirement, teaching Health and P.E. at the local high school and coaching the baseball team while his sons played on the team. Calvin Cunningham, P, 1953-1977 The son of Hall of Fame pitcher Curtis Cunninghan, Calvin Cunningham is the first (and to date, only) son of a Hall of Famer to also be elected to the Hall of Fame. He came up with the Browns in 1953 as an 18-year old, with his father already having been inducted into the Hall of Fame. He lived up to every bit of hype as he quickly became one of the greatest pitchers in Browns/Blackbirds history. He won a World Series in his second season in 1954, and while he returned to the World Series numerous times with both Baltimore and Cincinnati, he never won another one. He did win 403 games in his career, which was the second-most of all time when he retired (and now is third). He held the NBL record for strikeouts with 4,034 until Will Newman broke it in 1981. Cunningham pitched for Baltimore until the end of the 1967 season, when they dealt him to the New York Knights. Cunningham missed half of 1968 and all of 1969 with injuries, but came back with a strong 1970 season that included his 300th career win. In 1971, the Cincinnati Silverbacks picked him up in a trade, and he pitched for them for six seasons. Knowing his career was coming to an end, Cunningham signed with the Blackbirds for 1977 before retiring. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983, his first year on the ballot. He has been twice hired as a manager but did not last long either time. He managed the Chicago Cardinals from 1979 until he was fired mid-season in 1981. After spending several years as the first base coach for the Miami Gators, Cunningham was hired by the Pittsburgh Ironmen as their manager in 1988. He was fired midway through the 1989 season. His son Charles is currently a pitcher for the San Francisco Seals, but has yet to come close to the success of his father or grandfather. Alexis Fernandez, 1B, 1924-1943 Alexis Fernandez played first base for the Baltimore Browns from 1924 until 1943, spending his entire career in Baltimore. He was a good and patient hitter, leading the league in walks several times and not striking out very much until later in his career. He never set any records, but his consistent play earned him the NBL's ultimate honor. He retired after the 1943 season, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1951 on his third attempt. He worked for years as a minor league instructor for the Blackbirds until retiring due to poor health in his early 80s. He just recently passed away during the 1989 season at the age of 90. The Blackbirds dedicated their playoff run to his memory this past season. Chris Gill, 3B, 1930-1951 Chris Gill played in the NBL for 22 seasons. He broke in with the Browns in 1930 and was a mainstay at third base for 11 years through the 1940 season, after which he was traded to the Pittsburgh Ironmen. He played for Pittsburgh through the 1951 season. He was close to the coveted 3,000 hit mark, but never reached it, retiring with 2,951 hits. He admitted that he really wanted to make the Hall of Fame but was not sure he would get in without 3,000 hits. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1965 after being on the ballot for nine years. Mark Lynch, P, 1915-1935 Mark Lynch was the first player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame with a Baltimore cap on his plaque. He pitched for 22 years in the NBL, coming up with the New York Knights in 1915. He pitched for the Knights for 5 years, having a couple good seasons which included a no-hitter against the Cleveland Blue Sox in 1917. He was traded to the Baltimore Browns after the 1919 season, and pitched for the Browns for the next twelve years. In 1921, he pitched a second no-hitter; this time it was a perfect game, and it was against the Cleveland Blue Sox again. After the 1921 season, he was moved to the bullpen and was the Browns' primary closer for the next decade. He missed the entire 1932 season due to injury, and was then traded to the Trenton Tigers. Lynch pitched for the Tigers for three more seasons before retiring. He was among the five original members of the Hall of Fame, elected in its first year of existence in 1943. He was a pitching coach for the minor league South Portland Patriots from 1954 to 1956. Jason Tyson, LF, 1957-1976 A left-handed outfielder from Utah, Jason Tyson first came up with the Washington Generals in 1957. He was an aggressive baserunner who was known for stretching doubles into triples. Tyson led the league in triples six times in his career, and currently sits at 3rd all time in the record books for the most triples. After three seasons in Washington, he was traded to Baltimore where he played for the next 17 years. He retired in 1976 and was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try in 1982. Jason Underwood, 1B, 1961-1982 One of the more recent additions to the Hall of Fame, Jason Underwood played first base for four teams over a 21-year career. He first came up for the Oakland Panthers in 1961. He was acquired by the Blackbirds at the trade deadline in 1966 in exchange for 5 players, none of whom ever played a game for the Panthers. Only one of the five--reliever Joe Bass--even made the Majors, but he was cut by Oakland and multiple other teams before he ever made it. After that lopsided trade (one of the worst in Panthers history), Underwood became a mainstay in the Blackbirds' lineup for the next decade. He was among the first free agent class in the 1976-77 offseason, and he signed with the LA Captains as a free agent. He played for the Captains for five seasons before being traded again. This time, the Captains dealt him to the San Diego Sharks in exchange for four players. Underwood played for one season in San Diego before retiring. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988, his first year on the ballot.