OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - The National Pastime: The United States Baseball Federation rises

KCRoyals15 · 11-23-2024, 12:35 AM

1914

One of these things is not like the other...That one thing, er team, was the Jersey City Giants, who matched a USBF record by posting a 110-46 record, then set a USBF record by winning the Eastern League by a whopping 32 games (Baltimore and Philadelphia Quakers tied for second by going .500).

The other three leagues, though, saw tight races. Denver won the West for the second straight year, edging Kansas City by two games. Brooklyn won the New England League for the first time, finishing one game up on New York and three ahead of New Haven.

In the Midwest Association, though, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and the Chicago Whales all finished tied at 87-69. And so Milwaukee played Chicago and won. Whales=out. The Black Hawks then faced Indianapolis and lost. Indy was in, Milwaukee out. The Hoosiers win the MWA by half a game, with Chicago just one game back in third.

Without the stress of a tight pennant race, Jersey City was ready to go for the postseason. They dispatched Indianapolis in six games, while Denver dueled Brooklyn for seven games before prevailing. For a second straight year, the Bears finished runner-up as the JC Giants won another six-game set to win their second National Championship.

After five good, if unspectacular seasons for Baltimore, centerfielder Danny Perez was traded to Kansas City before the 1914 season. It was a true blockbuster: both teams sent a pair of legitimate contributors each way (Baltimore most notably got back Bobby Collins, who blossomed into an ace for a decade). Perez, though, was the biggest immediate payoff, leading the USBF in average (.353), hits (217), doubles (41), RBIs (90), and slugging (.906).

Right-hander Andy Epperson enjoyed an outstanding career, albeit one that flew under the radar. He only led the league once in anything notable (starts in 1912), but he took the ball and did his job for 20 years straight. His only award came this season, when he logged a career-best 1.48 ERA, going 24-9 and striking out 199 batters. The POTY trophy was his only individual honor...save for an eventual Hall of Fame induction.

Waaay back in 1900, Jim Greene won 32 games and earned the first-ever USBF Pitcher of the Year award. Though no more hardware has been forthcoming as he's toiled away in tiny Rochester, New York, he's toiled away effectively, earning his 300th victory on July 5, becoming the first USBF hurler to reach that milestone. Even at 39, Greene went 21-7 with a 2.37 ERA. After another strong season in 1915, he was all set to go at 41 the following year, though a spring training arm injury ended his brilliant career.

---

A new minor league is welcomed into the auspices of the Federation as the Upper Midwest will be represented by the Northern League, which will occupy a mostly barren spot in the baseball map.

Northern League
Cedar Rapids Reds
Davenport Trappers
Duluth Dukes
La Crosse Loggers
Lincoln Lions
Sioux City Cornhuskers
Sioux Falls Packers
Superior Shippers

Minor League Champions
Pacific Coast League: San Francisco Seals, 157-43, defeats Oakland (2nd straight)
Southeastern League: Nashville Vols, 96-44
Colonial League: Albany Adirondacks, 79-47, defeats Worcester
Texas League: Oklahoma City Indians, 69-57, defeats El Paso
River Valley League: Evansville Bees, 80-60, defeats Peoria
Rocky Mountain League: Ogden Railroaders, 75-51, defeats Salt Lake City
Coastal League: Norfolk Admirals, 85-55, defeats Macon
Northern League: Superior Shippers, 68-58, defeats La Crosse

After the Pacific Coast League saw two 140+ win teams fail to have a shot at a championship the year prior, the PCL adds a postseason playoff, leaving the Southeastern League as the last postseason-less holdout. What the playoff could not prevent is the ghastly season of the worst team of the century. The LA Angels finished 20-180 for a winning percentage of .100. A .158/.218/.205 slash line as a team. A 5.30 ERA with more walks than strikeouts on the mound. A run differential of -932. The end result was finishing 137 games back of San Francisco. It was truly a shockingly awful season, with truly absolutely nowhere to go but up.

11-23-2024, 12:35 AM	#15
KCRoyals15 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: A lot of them Posts: 123	A Jersey Juggernaut 1914 One of these things is not like the other...That one thing, er team, was the Jersey City Giants, who matched a USBF record by posting a 110-46 record, then set a USBF record by winning the Eastern League by a whopping 32 games (Baltimore and Philadelphia Quakers tied for second by going .500). The other three leagues, though, saw tight races. Denver won the West for the second straight year, edging Kansas City by two games. Brooklyn won the New England League for the first time, finishing one game up on New York and three ahead of New Haven. In the Midwest Association, though, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and the Chicago Whales all finished tied at 87-69. And so Milwaukee played Chicago and won. Whales=out. The Black Hawks then faced Indianapolis and lost. Indy was in, Milwaukee out. The Hoosiers win the MWA by half a game, with Chicago just one game back in third. Without the stress of a tight pennant race, Jersey City was ready to go for the postseason. They dispatched Indianapolis in six games, while Denver dueled Brooklyn for seven games before prevailing. For a second straight year, the Bears finished runner-up as the JC Giants won another six-game set to win their second National Championship. After five good, if unspectacular seasons for Baltimore, centerfielder Danny Perez was traded to Kansas City before the 1914 season. It was a true blockbuster: both teams sent a pair of legitimate contributors each way (Baltimore most notably got back Bobby Collins, who blossomed into an ace for a decade). Perez, though, was the biggest immediate payoff, leading the USBF in average (.353), hits (217), doubles (41), RBIs (90), and slugging (.906). Right-hander Andy Epperson enjoyed an outstanding career, albeit one that flew under the radar. He only led the league once in anything notable (starts in 1912), but he took the ball and did his job for 20 years straight. His only award came this season, when he logged a career-best 1.48 ERA, going 24-9 and striking out 199 batters. The POTY trophy was his only individual honor...save for an eventual Hall of Fame induction. Waaay back in 1900, Jim Greene won 32 games and earned the first-ever USBF Pitcher of the Year award. Though no more hardware has been forthcoming as he's toiled away in tiny Rochester, New York, he's toiled away effectively, earning his 300th victory on July 5, becoming the first USBF hurler to reach that milestone. Even at 39, Greene went 21-7 with a 2.37 ERA. After another strong season in 1915, he was all set to go at 41 the following year, though a spring training arm injury ended his brilliant career. --- A new minor league is welcomed into the auspices of the Federation as the Upper Midwest will be represented by the *Northern League, which will occupy a mostly barren spot in the baseball map. Northern League* Cedar Rapids Reds Davenport Trappers Duluth Dukes La Crosse Loggers Lincoln Lions Sioux City Cornhuskers Sioux Falls Packers Superior Shippers Minor League Champions Pacific Coast League: San Francisco Seals, 157-43, defeats Oakland (2nd straight) Southeastern League: Nashville Vols, 96-44 Colonial League: Albany Adirondacks, 79-47, defeats Worcester Texas League: Oklahoma City Indians, 69-57, defeats El Paso River Valley League: Evansville Bees, 80-60, defeats Peoria Rocky Mountain League: Ogden Railroaders, 75-51, defeats Salt Lake City Coastal League: Norfolk Admirals, 85-55, defeats Macon Northern League: Superior Shippers, 68-58, defeats La Crosse After the Pacific Coast League saw two 140+ win teams fail to have a shot at a championship the year prior, the PCL adds a postseason playoff, leaving the Southeastern League as the last postseason-less holdout. What the playoff could not prevent is the ghastly season of the worst team of the century. The LA Angels finished 20-180 for a winning percentage of .100. A .158/.218/.205 slash line as a team. A 5.30 ERA with more walks than strikeouts on the mound. A run differential of *-932. The end result was finishing 137 games back of San Francisco.* It was truly a shockingly awful season, with truly absolutely nowhere to go but up. Last edited by KCRoyals15; 12-11-2024 at 12:27 AM.