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

KCRoyals15 · 12-16-2024, 12:44 PM

1958

With their success over the previous four years in the American Baseball League, there was considerable interest in the ranks of the Eastern Baseball Federation to bring the Brooklyn Dodgers back in the fold. While interest was more tepid in the New England League (home to two New York teams already), a willing partner was found in the Eastern League.

The Jersey City Giants had already been struggling amidst mismanagement, a declining market, and a failure to cash in on a playoff appearance from four years prior. With few good options, the Giants closed up shop, folding after 58 years of operation. The Brooklyn Dodgers would return to the big leagues in their place, moving their entire ABL operation intact to the majors.

In the Northern Conference, the New England League saw Manhattan edge Albany by a game, with both squads in the playoffs. In the Midwest Association, Milwaukee won the league, but Cleveland, Toronto, and the Chicago Whales all tied for second at 96-66. In the three-team tiebreaker, Cleveland emerged in front for the second playoff spot.

Albany swept aside Milwaukee in the first round, while Cleveland needed seven games to battle past Manhattan. The Spiders then pulled off another seven-game series, defeating the Adirondacks in the Northern Conference Finals.

In the Southern Conference, Washington won an EBF-best 101 games, while Atlanta finished second, one game ahead of Jacksonville. In the Western League, Kansas City won 100 games to cruise to the WL crown, while St. Louis finished second, edging out New Orleans by two games and Omaha by three.

Kansas City then edged Atlanta in a seven-game series to begin the playoffs. Washington, meanwhile, brushed aside St. Louis in five games. The Senators then brushed off the Blues in six games to the the South crown.

The Pacific Coast League saw the Hollywood Stars return to the top of the league, with San Diego and San Francisco taking second and third. Meanwhile, Oakland finished fourth at just 95-105, becoming the worst playoff team in big-league history to this point.

The Oaks did not have an upset in them as they fell in six games to Hollywood. San Diego slipped past San Francisco in seven games, to pit them against the Stars, who defeated the Padres in five games to win their sixth PCL title in eight years.

After the oddities in the Texas League the previous season, normalcy returned as El Paso and Oklahoma City each won 90 games to tie for the North title, while Wichita won 97 games and San Antonio 92 to earn the South playoff spots.

San Antonio started off their playoff run with a six-game series win over El Paso, while Wichita also needed six games to overtake Oklahoma City. The Aeros then knocked off the Missions in five games, earning their second straight TL title.

In the national tournament, the Washington Senators (SOU) beat the Cleveland Spiders (NOR) in the first round, while the Hollywood Stars (PCL) beat the Wichita Aeros (TL) to set up the championship series. In the final, the Washington Senators (SOU) beat the Hollywood Stars (PCL), 4-1, giving the Senators their first National Championship.

In the North, Albany leftfielder Chris Arnold needed a few years to find his stroke, but after finally cracking the starting lineup in 1957, he cracked a league-leading 45 homers. He one-upped that the following year, becoming the first EBF slugger to crank 50 homers by batting .302 with 51 homers and a conference-high 137 RBI, earning MVP honors.

Fourth-year Manhattan starter Steve Chermak had improved each season, culminating in a 24-8 season in which he posted a 2.85 ERA, led the North in wins, starts (38), and strikeouts (210) over 268.1 innings, earning Pitcher of the Year honors.

32-year-old outfielder Isaac Crum was a key cog in Washington's championship team, slashing .266/.351/.523 with 108 runs, 38 homers, and 106 RBI, earning MVP honors in the Southern Conference.

Second-year St. Louis hurler Allen Staub burst onto the scene with an excellent year, going 19-11 with a conference-best 2.62 ERA, working 291.2 innings as he earned his first Pitcher of the Year award.

Los Angeles third baseman Marcus Hale established his power the year prior with 39 homers in his first full season, then topped it in a big way. The 25-year-old slashed .319/.385/.630, with a PCL-best 230 hits, 127 runs, 27 doubles, a league-high 15 triples, and a PCL-leading 56 homers, along with 141 RBI, earning the MVP trophy in an easy vote.

Hollywood righty Matt Hepler made a strong first impression on the mound. The 26-year-old rookie with 21-15 with a 2.68 ERA, leading the PCL in wins and ERA, while striking out 173 in 312.2 innings to earn the Pitcher of the Year nod.

Down in Texas, Fort Worth outfielder Bill Wiley had hit over 30 homers in each of his first two seasons, but he set a Texas League record with 51 homers, while also leading the TL in runs (116) and RBI (126), while slashing .290/.390/.624 to take home the MVP.

El Paso right-hander Josh Miller only pitched six big-league seasons, but posted a year to remember, going 20-14 with a 2.95 ERA, leading the Texas League in wins and ERA, while striking out 167 over 283.1 innings as he took home Pitcher of the Year.

In the Eastern Baseball Federation, one strong right arm earned Hall of Fame induction:

RHP Rudolph Bishop (1939-52), 80.8%

---

The American Baseball League needed a new franchise after Brooklyn moved up to the big leagues. Just two years after the Cyclones moved to Chicago, the brand-new Columbus Jets were founded to take their place.

Tampa and New Haven both won over 100 games to earn the East playoff spots, while Salt Lake City outlasted Spokane as the two earned the West nods. Salt Lake slipped past New Haven in seven games, while Spokane upset Tampa in six games. The Indians then defeated the Bees in seven games to earn Spokane their third ABL title in five years.

For the second year in a row, Spokane first baseman Ivan Velasquez took home MVP honors, slashing .286/.385/.450 with 173 hits, a league-leading 97 runs, 27 doubles, 20 homers, 77 RBI, and 16 steals. Salt Lake City righty Paul Peelman logged a huge rookie year, going 22-9 with a 2.31 ERA, leading the ABL in wins, ERA, and starts (38), while striking out 236 in 288.1 innings.

---

Minor League Champions
Southeastern League: Jackson Junebugs, 91-63, defeats Chattanooga (3rd straight)
Colonial League: Pittsfield Colonials, 84-56, defeats Syracuse
River Valley League: Evansville Bees, 82-58, defeats St. Joseph (2nd straight)
Rocky Mountain League: Pueblo Miners, 72-54, defeats Ft. Collins
Coastal League: Macon Peaches, 90-64, defeats Charleston
Northern League: Fargo-Moorhead Indians, 85-55, defeats Sioux City
Great Lakes League: Youngstown Steelers, 89-51 defeats Allentown
Southwest League: Bakersfield Conquistadors, 92-62, defeats Fresno (4th straight)
Southern Association: Biloxi Pilots, 75-67, defeats Beaumont
Northwest League: Yakima Tomahawks, 87-53, defeats Victoria (5th straight)
Can-Am League: Waterbury Pipers, 72-54, defeats Manchester (2nd straight)
Mid-Atlantic League: Altoona Engineers, 77-63, defeats Greensboro
Lone Star League: San Angelo Colts, 74-66, defeats Midland-Odessa
Great Plains League: St. Paul Saints, 95-45, defeats Thunder Bay (3rd straight)
Florida Coast League: St. Petersburg Saints, 78-62, defeats Huntsville

One year after the Southern Association saw the entire league finish within ten games of each other, four teams all tied for first at a modest 73-67, which ended up with Biloxi and Beaumont earning the playoff spots.

12-16-2024, 12:44 PM	#68
KCRoyals15 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: A lot of them Posts: 123	Giants Fall, Senators Rise 1958 With their success over the previous four years in the American Baseball League, there was considerable interest in the ranks of the Eastern Baseball Federation to bring the Brooklyn Dodgers back in the fold. While interest was more tepid in the New England League (home to two New York teams already), a willing partner was found in the Eastern League. The Jersey City Giants had already been struggling amidst mismanagement, a declining market, and a failure to cash in on a playoff appearance from four years prior. With few good options, the Giants closed up shop, folding after 58 years of operation. The Brooklyn Dodgers would return to the big leagues in their place, moving their entire ABL operation intact to the majors. In the Northern Conference, the New England League saw Manhattan edge Albany by a game, with both squads in the playoffs. In the Midwest Association, Milwaukee won the league, but Cleveland, Toronto, and the Chicago Whales all tied for second at 96-66. In the three-team tiebreaker, Cleveland emerged in front for the second playoff spot. Albany swept aside Milwaukee in the first round, while Cleveland needed seven games to battle past Manhattan. The Spiders then pulled off another seven-game series, defeating the Adirondacks in the Northern Conference Finals. In the Southern Conference, Washington won an EBF-best 101 games, while Atlanta finished second, one game ahead of Jacksonville. In the Western League, Kansas City won 100 games to cruise to the WL crown, while St. Louis finished second, edging out New Orleans by two games and Omaha by three. Kansas City then edged Atlanta in a seven-game series to begin the playoffs. Washington, meanwhile, brushed aside St. Louis in five games. The Senators then brushed off the Blues in six games to the the South crown. The Pacific Coast League saw the Hollywood Stars return to the top of the league, with San Diego and San Francisco taking second and third. Meanwhile, Oakland finished fourth at just 95-105, becoming the worst playoff team in big-league history to this point. The Oaks did not have an upset in them as they fell in six games to Hollywood. San Diego slipped past San Francisco in seven games, to pit them against the Stars, who defeated the Padres in five games to win their sixth PCL title in eight years. After the oddities in the Texas League the previous season, normalcy returned as El Paso and Oklahoma City each won 90 games to tie for the North title, while Wichita won 97 games and San Antonio 92 to earn the South playoff spots. San Antonio started off their playoff run with a six-game series win over El Paso, while Wichita also needed six games to overtake Oklahoma City. The Aeros then knocked off the Missions in five games, earning their second straight TL title. In the national tournament, the Washington Senators (SOU) beat the Cleveland Spiders (NOR) in the first round, while the Hollywood Stars (PCL) beat the Wichita Aeros (TL) to set up the championship series. In the final, the Washington Senators (SOU) beat the Hollywood Stars (PCL), 4-1, giving the Senators their first National Championship. In the North, Albany leftfielder Chris Arnold needed a few years to find his stroke, but after finally cracking the starting lineup in 1957, he cracked a league-leading 45 homers. He one-upped that the following year, becoming the first EBF slugger to crank 50 homers by batting .302 with 51 homers and a conference-high 137 RBI, earning MVP honors. Fourth-year Manhattan starter Steve Chermak had improved each season, culminating in a 24-8 season in which he posted a 2.85 ERA, led the North in wins, starts (38), and strikeouts (210) over 268.1 innings, earning Pitcher of the Year honors. 32-year-old outfielder Isaac Crum was a key cog in Washington's championship team, slashing .266/.351/.523 with 108 runs, 38 homers, and 106 RBI, earning MVP honors in the Southern Conference. Second-year St. Louis hurler Allen Staub burst onto the scene with an excellent year, going 19-11 with a conference-best 2.62 ERA, working 291.2 innings as he earned his first Pitcher of the Year award. Los Angeles third baseman Marcus Hale established his power the year prior with 39 homers in his first full season, then topped it in a big way. The 25-year-old slashed .319/.385/.630, with a PCL-best 230 hits, 127 runs, 27 doubles, a league-high 15 triples, and a PCL-leading 56 homers, along with 141 RBI, earning the MVP trophy in an easy vote. Hollywood righty Matt Hepler made a strong first impression on the mound. The 26-year-old rookie with 21-15 with a 2.68 ERA, leading the PCL in wins and ERA, while striking out 173 in 312.2 innings to earn the Pitcher of the Year nod. Down in Texas, Fort Worth outfielder Bill Wiley had hit over 30 homers in each of his first two seasons, but he set a Texas League record with 51 homers, while also leading the TL in runs (116) and RBI (126), while slashing .290/.390/.624 to take home the MVP. El Paso right-hander Josh Miller only pitched six big-league seasons, but posted a year to remember, going 20-14 with a 2.95 ERA, leading the Texas League in wins and ERA, while striking out 167 over 283.1 innings as he took home Pitcher of the Year. In the Eastern Baseball Federation, one strong right arm earned Hall of Fame induction: RHP Rudolph Bishop (1939-52), 80.8% --- The American Baseball League needed a new franchise after Brooklyn moved up to the big leagues. Just two years after the Cyclones moved to Chicago, the brand-new *Columbus Jets* were founded to take their place. Tampa and New Haven both won over 100 games to earn the East playoff spots, while Salt Lake City outlasted Spokane as the two earned the West nods. Salt Lake slipped past New Haven in seven games, while Spokane upset Tampa in six games. The Indians then defeated the Bees in seven games to earn Spokane their third ABL title in five years. For the second year in a row, Spokane first baseman Ivan Velasquez took home MVP honors, slashing .286/.385/.450 with 173 hits, a league-leading 97 runs, 27 doubles, 20 homers, 77 RBI, and 16 steals. Salt Lake City righty Paul Peelman logged a huge rookie year, going 22-9 with a 2.31 ERA, leading the ABL in wins, ERA, and starts (38), while striking out 236 in 288.1 innings. --- Minor League Champions Southeastern League: Jackson Junebugs, 91-63, defeats Chattanooga (3rd straight) Colonial League: Pittsfield Colonials, 84-56, defeats Syracuse River Valley League: Evansville Bees, 82-58, defeats St. Joseph (2nd straight) Rocky Mountain League: Pueblo Miners, 72-54, defeats Ft. Collins Coastal League: Macon Peaches, 90-64, defeats Charleston Northern League: Fargo-Moorhead Indians, 85-55, defeats Sioux City Great Lakes League: Youngstown Steelers, 89-51 defeats Allentown Southwest League: Bakersfield Conquistadors, 92-62, defeats Fresno (4th straight) Southern Association: Biloxi Pilots, 75-67, defeats Beaumont Northwest League: Yakima Tomahawks, 87-53, defeats Victoria (5th straight) Can-Am League: Waterbury Pipers, 72-54, defeats Manchester (2nd straight) Mid-Atlantic League: Altoona Engineers, 77-63, defeats Greensboro Lone Star League: San Angelo Colts, 74-66, defeats Midland-Odessa Great Plains League: St. Paul Saints, 95-45, defeats Thunder Bay (3rd straight) Florida Coast League: St. Petersburg Saints, 78-62, defeats Huntsville One year after the Southern Association saw the entire league finish within ten games of each other, four teams all tied for first at a modest 73-67, which ended up with Biloxi and Beaumont earning the playoff spots. Last edited by KCRoyals15; 12-16-2024 at 12:45 PM.