How the Golden Era League Got Started....
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My first email on 3/1/18 proposing the League:
"I’m sending this to Veteran APBAGO players with whom I’ve competed, and who have displayed their Managerial skills and reliability.
I’ve got a plan for an 8 Team, 28 Game (14 Two Game Series) League. Four games against each of your 7 fellow competitors (2 Home, 2 Away). There are no plans for Playoffs, although I’d consider dividing the 8 Teams into 2 Divisions with a best of Seven Championship Series if there is an interest. The schedule could be doubled to 56 Games if enough like that idea.
Only Teams from the 1950 through 1959 would be eligible to enter (regular Season or GTOP Teams).
Some rules that reflect 1950’s style of Major League Baseball would be used, such as 4 man rotations, more IP per game allowed for Starters, more IP per game allowed for Relievers, etc.
You must be willing to enter all your Teams Games into APBAGO Collections for Stats compilation.
You must be willing to email your Series results upon completion to ALL Managers.
And MOST importantly, you must be willing and able to complete Two Series per Week. If you cannot, this League is not for you.
I’m looking for Managers who Know and Appreciate the Great Teams and Players of the 1950’s and the Style of Baseball they played, and would honor those traditions."
I had my Managers in less than 24 hours.
The players submitted their top 3+ Teams of Choice, the Managers’ draft order was established using a free random list creator at www.random.org, and the Teams were assigned.
More to come…
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…"The Rules were sent out to all Managers:
LEAGUE RULES (meant to reflect the way baseball was played in the 1950’s and create realistic results)
As Commissioner, my Goal in this League, ‘The Golden Era League,’ is to keep all Managers informed. If you have questions or need clarification on anything, please ask. Please use Reply to all and I will respond to all, so everyone is on the same page.
8 TEAMS ONLY
1950-1959 ONLY
REGULAR SEASON OR GTOP
14 - TWO GAME SERIES
NO DESIGNATED HITTERS
OPTIONAL PITCHING RULE USED
4 MAN ROTATIONS
STARTERS - 12 INN MAX/GAME
RELIEVERS MAY NOT APPEAR IN MORE THAN 2
CONSECUTIVE GAMES
A = 2 INNING MAX
B = 3 INNING MAX
C/D NO INNINGS LIMIT
PITCHERS IN YOUR STARTING 4 MAN ROTATION MAY PITCH
1 INNING OF RELIEF BETWEEN STARTS, 2 GAMES AFTER
HIS LAST START.
IE: #1 CAN APPEAR IN #3’s START,
#2 IN #4’S, #3 IN #1’s, AND #4 IN #2’s.
NO EXCEPTIONS.
INJURIES ONLY APPLY TO THE GAME OF OCCURANCE
RAINOUTS AND COMPUTER GLITCHES:
THE GAME IS VOID AND IS REPLAYED
WITH SAME STARTING PITCHERS
POSITION PLAYERS WITH LESS THAN 50 PAs - NO
AB’S BEFORE 7TH INN
POSITION PLAYERS W/LESS THAN 25 PA’s
ARE INELIGIBLE TO PLAY
STORE YOUR GAMES USING THE COLLECTIONS
FEATURE FOR STATISTICS
SERIES WINNERS MUST EMAIL THE RESULTS AND SCORES TO ALL 8 MANAGERS UPON COMPLETION
MUST BE COMMITTED TO PLAY 2 SERIES EVERY 7 DAYSA schedule was created using another free site, leaguelobster.com.
Play began and the Managers have been very good about getting their games played and communicating the results and often a Series synopsis, much like a Sportswriter would do.
I release the Schedule one Series at a time, so that players don’t play ahead. If they do, it can get very confusing.
From my email releasing the Schedule for Series One:
The Team on Right is HOME TEAM for both games of 2 Game Series
Game One: #1 Starter (#3 Starter eligible for 1 Inning of Relief)
Game Two: #2 Starter (#4 Starter eligible for 1 Inning of Relief)Winning Manager of Game 2, please forward Series results/Line Scores
to all Managers. Feel free to write a synopsis with highlights. In fact, it’s encouraged!
Please schedule/complete/report the results by the end of day 3/11
at which time the Series Two Schedule will be released.(Series One Schedule Here)"…
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Golden Era League (GEL) Standings at the All-Star Break:
TEAM…W…L…PCT…GB
1951 DODGERS…10…4…714…-…
1957 BRAVES…9…5…643…1…
1953 DODGERS…9…5…643…1…
1958 PIRATES…6…8…429…4…
1959 WHITE SOX…6…8…429…4…
1954 YANKEES…6…8…429…4…
1954 GIANTS…6…8…429…4…
1954 INDIANS…4…10…286…6…At the halfway point of the 28 Game Season, all Managers submitted their Team’s Individual Batting and Pitching Statistics from COLLECTIONS to select an All-Star Team.
Each Manager then voted for their first and 2nd choice at each Position along with 2 ‘Utility Players’ and 10 Pitchers. The Managers could not vote for any of their own Players. The results are listed below.
GEL All-Star Team:
C 1) ROY CAMPANELLA '53 DODGERS 2) DEL RICE '57 BRAVES
1B: 1) WHITEY LOCKMAN '54 GIANTS 2) TED KLUSZEWSKI '59 WHITE SOX
2B: 1) JACKIE ROBINSON '51 DODGERS 2) NELLIE FOX '59 WHITE SOX
SS: 1) PEE WEE REESE '51 DODGERS 2) AL DARK '54 GIANTS
3B: 1) BOBBY MORGAN '53 DODGERS 2) AL ROSEN '54 INDIANS
OF: 1) DUKE SNIDER '51 DODGERS T2) BOB HAZLE '57 BRAVES T2) CARL FURILLO '53 DODGERS
4) WES COVINGTON '57 BRAVES 5) WILLIE MAYS '54 GIANTS 6) DUSTY RHODES '54 GIANTS
UTIL: 1) HANK AARON '57 BRAVES 2) BILL SKOWRON '54 YANKEES
P: 1) DON NEWCOMBE '51 DODGERS 2) WARREN SPAHN '57 BRAVES 3) CARL ERSKINE '53 DODGERS 4) TURK LOWN '59 WHITE SOX 5) EARLY WYNN '54 INDIANS 6) GEORGE WITT '58 PIRATES 7) RALPH BRANCA '51 DODGERS 8 DON MOSSI '54 INDIANS 9) JOHNNY ANTONELLI '54 GIANTS 10) WHITEY FORD '54 YANKEESGolden Era League (GEL) Final Standings:
TEAM W L PCT GB
1953 DODGERS…19…9…679…-…
1957 BRAVES…18…10…643…1…
1951 DODGERS…17…11…607…2…
1954 YANKEES…16…12…571…3…
1954 GIANTS…12…16…429…7…
1958 PIRATES…11…17…393…8…
1954 INDIANS…10…18…357…9…
1954 WHITE SOX,…9…19…321…10…FINAL LEAGUE LEADERS (Top 10 and Ties)
BATTING AVG: Hazel '57 Braves .400, Mays '54 Giants .330, Snider '51 Dodgers .327,
J Robinson '51 Dodgers .325, Mantle '54 Yankees .321, Furillo '53 Dodgers .320,
Bauer '54 Yankees .308, Pope '54 Indians .304, Covington '57 Braves .301, Aaron '57 Braves .298HOME RUNS: Aaron '57 Braves 13, Adcock '57 Braves 13, Snider '53 Dodgers 12,
Campanella '53 Dodgers 11, Covington '57 Braves 9, F Thomas '58 Pirates 9, Furillo '53 Dodgers, 8, Pafko '51 Dodgers 8, Rice '57 Braves 8, Rhodes '54 Giants 8RBIs: Aaron '57 Braves 30, Campanella '53 Dodgers 28, Adcock '57 Braves 28, Furillo '53 Dodgers 27,
Skowron '54 Yankees 25, Snider '53 Dodgers 24, Mantle '54 Yankees 21, Mays '54 Giants 21,
Hodges '51 Dodgers 19, Bauer '54 Yankees 19, F Thomas '58 Pirates 19STOLEN BASES: Aparicio '59 White Sox 14, Gilliam '53 Dodgers 13, J Robinson '51 Dodgers 11,
J Robinson '53 Dodgers 7, Reese '53 Dodgers 5, Carey '54 Yankees 5, Reese '51 Dodgers 4,
Mantle '54 Yankees 4, Clemente '58 Pirates 4, Fox '59 White Sox 3, Rivera '59 White Sox 3,
Avila '54 Indians 3OPS Hazel '57 Braves 1.161, Mays '54 Giants 1.090, Campanella '53 Dodgers 1.078,
Furillo '53 Dodgers 1.060, Aaron '57 Braves 1.055, Mantle '54 Yankees 1.035, Snider '53 Dodgers 0.980,
Adcock '57 Braves 0.971, Snider '51 Dodgers 0.935, Covington '57 Braves 0.935
WINS: Erskine '53 Dodgers 7, Labine '53 Dodgers 5, Spahn '57 Braves 5, Newcombe '51 Dodgers 5,
Branca '51 Dodgers 4, Roe '51 Dodgers 4, Byrd '54 Yankees 4, Grim '54 Yankees 4, Buhl '57 Braves 4, Conley '57 Braves 4, Burdette '57 Braves 4, Antonelli '54 Giants 4, Liddle '54 GiantsERA: Wynn '54 Indians 1.97, Friend '58 Pirates 2.02, Shaw '59 White Sox 2.17, Spahn '57 Braves 2.44,
Grim '54 Yankees 2.47, Lown '59 White Sox 2.79, Branca '51 Dodgers 2.81, Erskine '53 Dodgers 2.88, Labine '53 Dodgers 2.95, Newcombe '51 Dodgers 2.95STRIKEOUTS: Erskine '53 Dodgers 52, Wynn '59 White Sox 44, Newcombe '51 Dodgers 43,
Antonelli '54 Giants 42, Wynn '54 Giants 38, Ford '54 Yankees 36, Witt '58 Pirates 36,
Reynolds '54 Yankees 34, Lown '59 White Sox 32, Grim '54 Yankees 32SAVES: Mossi '54 Indians 4, Grissom '54 Giants 3, Face '58 Pirates 3, Millikin '53 Dodgers 2,
Staley '59 White Sox 2, McMahon '57 Braves 2, Newcombe '51 Dodgers 2, Sain '54 Yankees 2,
Konstanty '54 Yankees 2, 9 tied with 1WHIP: Newcombe '51 Dodgers 0.84, Spahn '57 Braves 0.85, Labine '53 0.95, Grim '54 Yankees 0.96,
Shaw '59 White Sox 0.96, Branca '51 Dodgers 1.02, Friend '58 Pirates 1.05, Labine '51 Dodgers 1.07,
Buhl '57 Braves 1.07, Feller '54 Indians 1.08The Inaugural GOLDEN ERA LEAGUE Champion was the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers, managed by Sheldon Haun. His record of 10-4 in the Second half was enough overtake the 1951 Dodgers of Jay Demarest and the 1957 Braves of Mike Kehrer. Jean Demers’ 1954 Yankees also had a 10-4 Second half record after a disappointing First half to finish a strong 4th in the League.
Based on my request for each Manager to name and justify their Team’s Outstanding Player and Outstanding Pitcher, the Commissioner’s Awards go to:
Outstanding Player: Bob Hazel of the '57 Braves. ‘Hurricane’ led the GEL in Batting Average, hitting .400, and also led the League with an OPS of 1.161. He had 42 Hits, 22 BBs and 12 Doubles, setting the table for the Braves Sluggers who banged out 58 Homers in 28 Games.
Outstanding Pitcher: Carl Erskine of the '53 Dodgers. ‘Oisk’ went 7-1 with 7 Complete Games in 7 Starts, taking his only loss in Relief. He led the GEL in Strikeouts with 52 and finished 8th in ERA with an outstanding 2.88, leading his Team to the Pennant.
The 28 Game Season was completed in 7 weeks. The Managers came to play and provided email Wrapups to all 8 Managers after each Series was completed. These were both informative and provided enjoyable reads.
As Commisioner of the Golden Era League, my Goals were Excellent Communications between all Managers, Completion of 2 Series per Week, the gathering of 8 Managers who knew and appreciated the Great Teams and Players of the 1950’s and the Style of Baseball they played, who would honor those traditions, and to have fun playing APBAGO.
I consider it successful on all counts and I enjoyed it immensely…even though I finished in the Cellar.
There will be a Golden Era League v.2 in the near future.
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Nice work men. Thanks for sharing Jeff. Looks like good stuff.
