Fixing MLB

[greymule]

"Besides it's been a 162 game season since 1961 with expansion from the 16 teams that had been the norm for decades."

In the beginning (1903), God created the American League and the National League. And God said, "Let there be eight teams in each." Those original 16 remained until the fall from grace, when the Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953. (Quick: Who was the only man who played for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta?)

I remember when you could go virtually anywhere and strike up a conversation about MLB. I also remember when "everybody" could name most of the starters on every team. Come to think of it, I could even today name all but a few subs on the two teams that played in the World Series of 50 years ago, and tell you the pitchers and the scores of all 7 games, including who hit home runs. But I couldn't name a single Pirate today, and I'd run out of Yankees fast.

It's hard to explain, but though I love baseball in the abstract—and maintained season tickets for the Phillies until the 1994 strike—I have lost interest entirely in MLB. I'd rather watch old highlight films than the live World Series game.

Season's too long. Too many teams. Too many lousy teams. Meaningless division races. Too many home runs. Talent too diluted. Too few teams have a distinctive identity. Too few fans have a deep attachment to their team.

So maybe it's not the pace of the game. Maybe if you don't care what happens, the games just seem too slow.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by greymule

It's hard to explain, but though I love baseball in the abstract—and maintained season tickets for the Phillies until the 1994 strike—I have lost interest entirely in MLB.

There's a lot of people that are in the same boat. MLB was good until the 1994 strike.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by greymule

"Besides it's been a 162 game season since 1961 with expansion from the 16 teams that had been the norm for decades."

In the beginning (1903), God created the American League and the National League. And God said, "Let there be eight teams in each." Those original 16 remained until the fall from grace, when the Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953. (Quick: Who was the only man who played for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta?)

I remember when you could go virtually anywhere and strike up a conversation about MLB. I also remember when "everybody" could name most of the starters on every team. Come to think of it, I could even today name all but a few subs on the two teams that played in the World Series of 50 years ago, and tell you the pitchers and the scores of all 7 games, including who hit home runs. But I couldn't name a single Pirate today, and I'd run out of Yankees fast.

It's hard to explain, but though I love baseball in the abstract—and maintained season tickets for the Phillies until the 1994 strike—I have lost interest entirely in MLB. I'd rather watch old highlight films than the live World Series game.

Season's too long. Too many teams. Too many lousy teams. Meaningless division races. Too many home runs. Talent too diluted. Too few teams have a distinctive identity. Too few fans have a deep attachment to their team.

So maybe it's not the pace of the game. Maybe if you don't care what happens, the games just seem too slow.

Right off the top of my head, I would say the American League formed in 1901. In 1903, the original Baltimore Orioles moved to New York and I believe they were the Highlanders until they changed to Yankees. Also, that same year, the first World Serious was played by the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Americans (Red Sox), if in fact that was their nickname back then. Quite possibly the Boston Braves where the Boston Braves back then, too. I also found the other nicknames for the NL Boston team. They were the Braves (twice), Red Caps, Beaneaters, Doves, Rustlers and Bees. You'd have to look it up in fact to make sure I'm right.

However, I actually think the answer to your trivia question is Eddie Matthews. who also adorned the first cover of Sports Illustrated in 1954.

[greymule]

I used 1903 only because that was the year of the first World Series. I know there were other teams before that.

I was unaware of some of those team nicknames, though. The Boston Americans were also the Pilgrims. The Phillies were the Blue Jays for a time (in the 1940s, I think; the owner rightly thought the name "Phillies" was trite). The Dodgers were the Robins when Bill Wambsganss made the unassisted triple play against them in the World Series (1920). The Cleveland Spiders became the Naps, and in 1915 the owner let the fans choose the nickname, and they selected "Indians," which I had always thought was to honor their recently deceased former star Chief Sockalexis, but apparently that's disputed.

I remember when the Dodgers were "Dem Bums" and headlines like "Bums Win" or "Bums Mugged in Philly" would grace the back cover of the NY Daily News.

Yes, Eddie Mathews is the answer. Many people guess Warren Spahn.